Urban lessons from Over-the-Rhine and other places
Last Saturday's NY Times had two interesting articles on urban issues. One focused on the recent resurgence of renewal in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Over-the-Rhine is a densely built neighborhood of narrow streets and ornate but, modest brick buildings from the 1800's just minutes from downtown. Since the mid 20th century the neighborhood had hit hard times (like so many inner city areas across America) but, was experiencing substantial new investment and reinvigoration by the late 1990's. This all came to a screeching halt after 3 days of race riots in 2001. The area was written off by many and was thought to be in irreversible decline. Over-the-Rhine is one of America’s largest and most cohesive historic urban neighborhoods. It is threatened by crime and disinvestment and an estimated 500 of OTR’s 1,200 historic buildings are vacant or illegally occupied (sound familiar?).
However, its prime location near Cincinnati's resurgent downtown and its architectural charms, shining through even massive abandonment, have proven to be a very powerful force. Just 5 years after the riots there is a renewal taking place in this neighborhood. Though crime and poverty is still prevalent major new development is again taking hold. This time development is being underwritten by major institutions and corporations. Instead of piecemeal renovations development is being undertaken on entire blocks at a time creating a critical mass of energy that is again bringing life back to this part of the city.
The second Times article talked about another subject of great concern to Buffalo, the loss of youth to other parts of the country. Buffalo is keeping company with many cities that are suffering this trend including some you would not suspect like Miami and Chicago. The story is entitled "Cities Compete in Hipness Battle to attract Young". It talks about various strategies employed by urban regions to lure young people to live and work in their communities. Some of these strategies seem a bit corny such as paring young recruits with hip tour guides or sponsoring party trolleys. It also notes that current demographic trends show the number of the nation's young adults declining and that by 2012 the workforce will be losing more that 2 people for every one it gains. The younger workforce is highly sought after and is seen as a key element in the long-term health and stability of a regional economy.
Ultimately a vigorous economy pared with a multitude of attractive urban amenities will be the magnet that attracts a creative energetic youth culture. Some of the most successful cities in this category do not use gimmicks to lure the young they use common sense policy and action to create business friendly places that are pleasant and exciting places to live. While reading these two stories I could not help combining them into one idea. Cincinnati is making the moves that are bound to make a place in the city that is attractive to this sought after demographic. Against great odds this city is reinventing Over-the-Rhine as a unique and exciting neighborhood that, if successful, is destined to be attractive to a creative and youthful population. Buffalo has many similar opportunities within its boarders. Someday New York State might just wake up and enact business friendly laws. It would be good if Buffalo positions itself with resurging downtown neighborhoods and the latest infrastructure to act as a catalyst for youthful in-migration.
Neighborhoods such as the West Village, Allentown, and Kleinhans Community have tremendous untapped potential. In addition to these, a new opportunity for attracting a youthful population has been dropped in the city's lap in the form of Artspace. The potential locked up in the surrounding neighborhood is filled with architectural treasures, which could act in concert with Artspace to make a new bulwark of development in this part of the city. If Buffalo is going to survive and compete in the future it needs to focus on developing and retaining the unique qualities that are inherent in its historic neighborhoods. Turning itself into a giant parking lot or shallow imitation of suburban trip area is a sure path to oblivion for both the city and the metro area as a whole. These places and others in the city must be recognized as much more than simple bulk commodities to be bought and sold. The unique city neighborhoods and historic fabric are precious resources, which must not be squandered.
Image is from Cincinnati City Center Development Corporation
yeah, too bad Benderson tore down the mid-city building for a suburban gas station/convenience store/car wash. That really hurt the great urban feel and potential of that neighborhood.
yeah, too bad Benderson tore down the mid-city building for a suburban gas station/convenience store/car wash. That really hurt the great urban feel and potential of that neighborhood.
Yes, neighborhoods like the West Village, Allentown, and Symphony Circle have tons of potential, but they will NOT grow unless Buffalo gains population. Enough said.
Allentown is nothing more than a pass through from the decaying east side to the decaying west side. This area is atrocious.... gang thugs, low class shiftless types, etc.
Buffalo is nothing but a TOWN on the brink of being irrelevant. 300 housing units in 5 years is nothing. Sheesh - Jackson, MS and Odessa, TX had more downtown housing units and urban retail developed than this backwoods burgh.
Pina Colada-
You actually make a couple of valid points that are going to be lost on everyone by being a jerk.
I agree that 300 housing units is nothing to get excited about at all, but it has to start somewhere.
What will it be after the constructions that are planned or are being built and after Issa? Maybe 1,000? Still not impressive but also a pretty damn good starting point.
Allentown does have it's share of problems being an island that it is to the decay, but it is also an area of great restaurants, hip clubs and live music.
Finally, having spent a night in Jackson, MS, I can see that you clearly haven't.
Buffalo may be in rough shape, but compared to Jackson, it is Paris. That is no exageration either.
I remember growing up always listening to my mom complain about the city going downhill hill ( I grew up near the BCT). I would ask what can we do about it? The answer was move. And there is the answer to why everything is decaying. Our parents told us not to waste our food, take care of our stuff, etc, yet the treated our neighborhoods/history as disposable. We have too much land and too much money in this country and we use it like spoiled children.
These decaying/at risk areas will be initially rebuilt/saved by the fighters and risk takers. Those who want to accomplish something inlife instead of just drifting downriver and touting it as an accomplishment. Once an area is up and running, hopefully the river will point back to it so the "drifters" can come back to add to it, once again touting it as an accoplishment of "thiers".
Yes there are "undesiralbe" elements, but they come with society. The society is metropolitan Buffalo and all of us in Erie county are a part of it. Some people think that moving out across the invisble city line frees them from being associated as such. They leave those elements "behind" while patting themselves on the back for the "wonderful" place they are now a part of. All the while ignorantly treating the problems as separate from them. If such was the case, Amherst would just as easliy have sprouted up where Albion/Salamanca/Cuba/etc. are. Well guess what, it did not. Welcome to reality.
Allentown has survived the worse of times. And from attending the garden walks, and general urban strolls, I find it to be a beautiful interesting place. I'm thankful to all those who took a risk on it . And to those like David from fixitbuffalo fighting for the areas that others have totally written off.
Here is another major city that Buffalo needs to learn lessons from and is very comparable to Buffalo in many respects. I am no fan of Cincinnati, Ohio but Buffalo has much more in common with Cincinnati than it does with f@#$in stupid Toronto, Canada. What Cincinnati has done with its once seriously troubled Over the Rhine district serves as a perfect model for Buffalo's east side and troubled portions of historic Allentown. It is time to take a serious long look at these other American cities and see what they have accomplished and what problems they still are facing.