Here's a big "Thank You!" to Tony's Ranch House on Main Street for getting rid of the sea of pavement that literally wrapped around the perimeter of the building (see Google image below). After The City outfitted the Main Street with new and improved infrastructure (without bike lanes unfortunately), you can see examples of private investment following. Whether it's a building facade being improved upon or a landscaping project as we see here, these are successes that will ultimately draw people back to commercial districts in need of shoppers and restaurant-goers.
Tony's Ranch House is a a great American-Greek diner-style eatery that serves up quality food for a cheap price (Facebook). I've eaten there a few times and was always hesitant to go (initially) mainly due to the outward appearance of the building and the lack of landscaping. Now Tony's has retained the services of Elbers Landscaping Service, a business that is also located on Main Street, to tackle the issue of urban blight on that corner. Now Elbers has another 'billboard' on the street and Tony's no longer looks like an unfriendly business. There's even a new patio!
Hopefully more Main Street business owners pay attention to this sort of transformation, and consider enlisting Elbers for a consultation. It's a win-win. I also hope that more of the neighborhood supports Tony's since they have invested into the landscaping and beautification of the street.
Tony's Ranch House
2285 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 835-4358
Elbers Landscaping Service
2918 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 834-2167
I've been watching this project unfold on occasional treks up to University Heights, and the improvement is like day vs. night. Yeah, this was a brutal spot on the streetscape. It's always great to see a business go for real landscaping, instead of just plopping in a line of shrubs in front of the building.
Nice job, Tony's and Elbers!