phrank

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• Commented on Let Me Clarify
  This ramp is also in a historic district, named for Joseph Ellicott who laid out the city street pattern. An new structure of this quality would never be allowed in it. It would be interesting to see this restored as...
• Commented on Big Deal: Ellicott Development Grabs Two on Franklin, Future Use Unknown
  I always thought a good place for a large parking ramp would be behind these buildings along Bean Alley between Mohawk and Huron. Tall and skinny, it could serve Palladino's buildings and the Statler, but leave open the Delaware side...
• Commented on Albright-Knox Art Gallery Engages Snøhetta to Develop Master Plan for Growth
  While I'm sure he had a hand in it, I've always read Marine Midland Center was designed by SOM's San Francisco office. Bunshaft did the Marine Midland tower in lower Manhattan, which is far better and taller than ours in...
• Commented on Cheektowaga's New Super Walmart: Good News for Buffalo, Bad News for the Region
  The first generation of Walmarts were on greenfields in rural and suburban locations. The only thing I like about this recent bunch of Walmarts to go up is that they are redeveloping failed suburban retail sites. This means the infrastructure...
• Commented on UB Celebrates Kapoor Hall Grand Opening
  The rest of the medical school is currently on the south campus so it made sense to move here when this project was planned years ago. The pharmacy school is scheduled to eventually join the rest of the medical school...
• Commented on Goodbye Cloister
  I think it's a great improvement to the corner. And it isn't modern in a traditionally modern sense. That would have resulted in a glass box or a concrete bunker. This has a variety of different materials, colors and a...
• Commented on Small business hours can be hard on customers...
  I remember when Talking Leaves first opened on Elmwood. They first had similar hours to its Main St. location and closed early. They must have realized what they needed to do because that didn't last long. Now they even have...
• Commented on Other layers of information to be revealed from that aerial image taken in 1951
  Check out this article I stumbled upon that relates to this topic: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2011/12/buffalo-then-and-now-1902-2011/716/ It's been up for a month and I don't know how we all apparently missed it. Interesting. And the authors appear to not be from Buffalo....
• Commented on City mass-tickets cars on an observed holiday
  I got a ticket on a Memorial Day at my apartment years ago. It wasn't that thought I'd get away with it, I just forgot it was Monday (you know how those days feel like Sundays sometimes?). So it can...
• Commented on Birdhouse Unveiled
  Nice house. It would be nice to get it published in Dwell to tell the world that Buffalo can be a good place to build a cool house. With all the recent, well-deserved attention on our great existing buildings in...
• Commented on Rail Watch: Toronto Getting Sleek New Streetcar Fleet
  The cool thing is how low to the ground the car floor is - you don't have a real steep climb to get in. The wheels are tucked under the seats. If we did this in Buffalo, then the stations...
• Commented on On the Market: 5 Days Park
  I always liked this house. I think it used to be white, and therefore looked more 'nautical' but probably stood out even more. I suppose the color scheme was an attempt to blend in. I don't get the complaining, there's...
• Commented on Cubs Versus Bisons Versus the Silver Bullet Mentality
  The ramps are a problem, but removing them won't solve the problem of getting on and off the 190. I mean, as it is, there are surprisingly few access points off the 190 to downtown. I speak from an out-of-towners...
• Commented on Buffalo's Surreal Slip
  I saw that last night on my way to the Sabres game. Cool!...
• Commented on UB School of Architecture and Planning Lecture Series Starts This Evening!
  Every year I am annoyed at the lack of notice for these lectures. The first one always has like a days notice, and the whole schedule doesn't come out until after the second or third event comes out. (Okay, why...
• Commented on Vera Pizzeria: Modern Rustic Charm
  I like the decor. And I think the mural is an original sign which means it's really old. The Facebook site had pre-construction photos and it was on the wall. In a city with great pizza on every corner, you...
• Commented on Food Trucks Make Tracks
  I guess I don't understand what restaurants are afraid of. Sure, the trucks have mobility, but they don't have heat for the winter, protection when it rains, or restrooms. Any restaurant business that's any good will inherently have greater advantages....
• Commented on On the Market: 798 Elmwood Avenue
  I hate to bring it up, but I don't have a great feeling about 7-11 replacing all the Wilson Farms. I think the sale is completed and the conversion should start soon. Goodbye, browns and tans, hello green and orange....
• Commented on Block Party
  I used to live on Cleveburn Place (between Cleveland & Auburn 10 houses behind Spot Coffee), a short alley of a street with only 10 houses (about 20 units total). Most houses had porches and are close to the street,...
• Commented on The Co-op is looking to members for expansion ideas.
  Don't forget that Wilson Farms will soon become a 7-11. I suspect a bigger Co-op will be needed to replace what WF offered the neighborhood. But how do you do that without becoming a big box?...
• Commented on Amherst Approves Student Housing Project Near ECC North
  Is this private housing or run by the school? Can they legally allow only students to live there? Can they legally prohibit alcohol in a private apartment where an occupant is of legal age? I don't get this private off-campus...
• Commented on Common Council to Food Trucks: Don't Move!
  Okay I've never eaten at a food truck but I'm intrigued. My issue is a design/graphical one. Why is the lettering for Lloyd's such that it's illegible when it's in operation? The windows pop up and you can't read the...
• Commented on Aldi Eyes Kmart/Sattler's Site for New Store
  967-1111. Phone Pizza Pizza, yeah, yeah, yeah....
• Commented on Krzesinski to ECC City Campus: Drop dead!
  The argument is weak. By this thinking, we should close County Hall and move to cheaper space per square foot in the suburbs. I guess City Hall could operate cheaper if they operated from an office park instead of a...
• Commented on Just One Proposal For Donovan Building Makeover
  Yes, we wouldn't want anything that resembles coming from that depressed, struggling region around Washington, DC... I'm sure there's more office space in Crystal City (which is just across the river from DC in VA) than all of western NY....
• Commented on A Culinary Icon: The Steak Sandwich at the Old Pink
  I think the key is to go only at night. Many bars you just don't want to see (and therefore eat or even drink at) in daylight. Not just the Old Pink. But who goes to the Old Pink during...
• Commented on Wrecking Buffalo: GLF Elevator
  Tear down grain elevators for what? Most are surrounded by acres and acres of open, unused land. There's plenty of waterfront property available for development with no takers (or unwilling owners), so I don't understand why these structures are considered...
• Commented on This Place Mattered: 390-402 Michigan Avenue
  I just looked at Bing Maps to check out the block. This is across the street from the big empty site except for the old KFC (now a local joint) at the corner. That stretch of Michigan has been vacant...
• Commented on This Place Mattered: 390-402 Michigan Avenue
  I don't have a problem with this if it's for a new academic building for ECC. Or maybe student housing with retail at the street. That's all I'd accept. How much anyone want to bet that's the plan here? Yea,...
• Commented on New Bills Uniforms Leaked
  Does this mean white helmets too? I don't know if I like that. I like the dark navy blue and I'm not sure I'm ready to go back to a bright royal blue again. I'm not going to buy any...