Last December, Gabe and I put together a list of ‘planning and design headlines’ we hoped to see in 2006. As the year winds down, here's a look to see how we’ve done. Short answer: Lousy. Looks like the wish list can roll-over into the new year pretty much intact.
•Barnes and Noble Signs Main Place Lease. Redevelopment of this key property remains a pipe dream.
•City Cracking Down on Slumlords, Illegal Flipping. Somewhat. The Anti-Flipping Task Force has issued a report, but solutions and action are slow in coming.
•City Neighborhoods to be Aggressively Marked to Region’s Empty-Nesters. There is not a coordinated effort to market the city to this emerging demographic market.
•Construction Started on AM&A's Rehab. Progress but no work started. The property was sold to a downstate developer with initial conversion work expected to start in 2007. Getting closer anyway.
•Developer Commits to Building Townhouses on Franklin St. Parking Lots in Theater District. Still plenty of parking on this stretch of Franklin.
•Developer Found for Central Terminal. No such luck. The Central Terminal Restoration Corporation continues to do yeoman’s work preserving the landmark and utilizing the space for events in the meantime.
•Elmwood near Buff State to Get Pedestrian Friendly Make-over. No work eminent.
•Elmwood/Auburn Wilson Farms To Demolished and Replaced With Mixed-Use Project. Still dreaming about this one and the potential of the site.
•Emergency Demolition Ordered for Skyway. The Skyway isn’t on the verge of collapsing, but Brian Higgins is creating momentum for plans to replace the elevated eyesore.
•First Lofts Planned for Exchange Street Corridor. Getting closer. CityView Properties is said to be considering a residential project near its Larkin Building and Mill Race Commons developments.
•Former Burger King and Main and Mohawk to be Demolished. While a plan is being worked on to redevelop the 500 block of Main, so far this corner building is sitting on the sidelines and remains for sale.
•HSBC Commits to New Downtown Tower. HSBC’s lease at it namesake skyscraper expires in a few years but a lease renewal is likely.
•K-Mart at Broadway/Fillmore to be Redeveloped. No redevelopment in sight. A plan to convert the property into a school faltered.
•Lafayatte Hotel Sold, Condos Planned. Condo buyers won’t be moving into the Lafayette anytime soon. The New York City owners seem content with operating the building as-is.
•Landbanking Program to be Studied. It would represent a significant policy change at City Hall and doesn’t appear to be on the Administration’s radar screen.
•M&T Bank Agrees to Sell Washington St. Parking Lots. The bank’s two full blocks of surface parking remain, but development on surrounding properties is creating more to think “if only.”
•Mayor Brown to Appoint a New Urbanist Planner as Head of Strategic Planning. Right.
•Metro Rail Extensions Promised by 2010. Lots of talk for extensions, even by Brian Higgins, but so far falling on deaf ears at the NFTA.
•Outer Harbor Work Begins after 50+ Years of Study. Looks like more studies coming. The development plan by Uniland/Opus derailed and the NFTA is transferring ownership of the property to the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation.
•Paladino Sells Greystone and Webb Buildings. We got one! Ellicott Development sold the Webb Building to Rocco Termini a few weeks ago. Rocco is also planning to purchase the Greystone. Both will be converted to apartments.
•Plan to Reopen Genesee Street Advances. Until the convention center goes, just wishful thinking.
•Ray McGurn Retires; Next Stop: Florida. Not sure where Mr. McGurn is living, but he isn’t overseeing the Inspections Department at City Hall.
•Regional Land Use Planning Commission to be Created. Regional cooperation on land use decisions is a pipe dream. See the Greenway Plan fight for an example of the region’s current cooperative spirit.
•Richardson Complex Renovation Begins. The money set-aside by the State for shoring up the property is dwindling, but substantial renovation work hasn’t started.
•Senecas Hire World Class Architect, Promise to be "City-Friendly.” Not sure if SOSH Architects is world-class, but they have carved out a niche designing casinos throughout the country including the Buffalo Seneca Creek Casino on Michigan Avenue.
•Survey Reveals that most WNYers with Office Jobs Prefer to Work in Urban Environment. No such survey undertaken.
•Townhouse Project Slated for Fruitbelt Neighborhood. Although not market rate, St. John’s and Bethel Development each have subsidized town home projects planned in the Fruitbelt and Masten neighborhoods.
•Twenty-story Condo Planned at Former Convention Center Ramp Site. The former parking ramp site remains for sale, but BSC Development has proposed a 40-story mixed-use development for a parking lot a few blocks away. Close but no cigar.
•Upper Floors of Chippewa St. Buildings to be Converted into Residences. A residential redevelopment plan by Kissling Interests for the Calumet Building fell apart. Another near miss.
•Whole Foods Scours Downtown for Location. Whole Foods doesn’t appear to looking downtown or at the region at this time. Wegmans and others will have to do for now.
One out of thirty isn't bad, is it?
Have a loving, healthy and prosperous 2007. Happy New Year!
Chris