Buffalorising has been redesigned.

Till Buffalo becomes 'EXCITING" then your not going to keep the young people here. We tend to go after the cities that are "HAPPENING" and Buffalo just still aint there yet. Yeah, we have Elmwood and Chippewa District, so what. What about a reliable transit system (24/7) to ease the parking issues? How about mega Retailers Downtown? (Places to browse and are open DAILY and LATE), how about bigger entertainment venues? (Cool Theme restaurants, IMAX theatre/more movie theaters, unique mega stores), Clean up Downtown? (Have cops out of thier cars and walk the streets, getting beggers off the sidewalks, stopping fights, etc.).
We are still a dull town with a dead downtown. If it were so cool to be here, our city would be "HOPPING" 24/7 ,but it is not. Buffalo is an old fashion town with old fashion values. All must be married have kids, go to church, blah, blah, blah- It's just not attractive for single and young people like myself. The mentality in this town is "Change is Bad" but yet you all want change, but then when something is announced your all the ones trying to stop it. Makes no scense to be in a struggling town with it's residence on a low self esteam problem.

I'm not sure who you hang out with, but I'm single, young, professional... nobody's telling me I have to get married, go to church, blah, blah, blah. Otherwise, I agree with most of your points (especially increased police visability).

eHowever, I have an issue with all the people complaining about a "reliable" transit system. If you refer only to the subway, then yes... it sucks. Nobody's going to debate that.

But there's a whole 'nother aspect nobody seems to address, and that's the bus system. I've lived in DC, Boston and NYC for a period before moving back home, and in each city my friends and I - and plenty of people in this target demographic - used the buses. People need to get their heads out of their asses and realize there's more to public transit than the subway. What NFTA should do (if they don't already... I wouldn't know, I walk everywhere) is offer a combo pass where for $X per month you can ride the local busses and subway all you want.

WZA-S,

They do offer one (as well as day and weekend passes), unfortunately, the fact you don't know that means they are not doing a very good job of getting the word out there. Our transit system is unfortuneately operated to be a means of last resort, not a choice for discerning customers like the systems in Boston, Portland, NYC, TO, etc.

How about simple steps, like schedules at each bus stop (or for starters the most frequently used/ destination oriented stops) so people will know how long they have to wait / if they have time to grab a coffee or pick up a paper without first going on-line and downloading a confusing schedule, or calling a poorly publicized and onerous info line. NFTA needs to fo these little things to attract the casual rider, because by and large, you need to become accustomed to the system, how it works and where it will get you before becoming a regular or even ditch the car altogether in favor of something (far less) expensive. Like any business, if your customer's first attempt is a poor experience, chances are they won't come back.

I'm 25, moved away for a few years and am back in Buffalo for friends and family now. Coming back showed me how much Buffalo really has to offer (it really does have a lot!) Granted, finding a well-paying job hasn't been easy, but for me it's the cold weather and endless grey days that have been the biggest struggle. It seems nobody takes the weather into consideration for why people leave Buffalo, but i think it's a valid reason.

The majority of the cities mentioned are college towns. You may want to read the article on Sam Hoyt and his ideas for UB

Amy-

I'm curious are you a transplant or are you originally from the area? Most of the people I know that have a similar perceived attitude to yours tend to be locals.

I'm a transplant, moved here, found a better job compared to where I was before. At first I was concerned about Buffalo, but after moving here I'm constantly amazed by everything there is to do around here. The only thing I really miss about where I grew up(Captal/Saratoga region) are mountains and lakes, but there's 2 really big lakes close by. Ellicottville is a suitable replacement for Vermont for me.

Granted, Buffalo may not be a 24/7 hotbed of activity, but I'm fairly certain that none of the other mid-sized cities listed are either. Besides, how many of them have a 4 a.m. closing time.

;-)

>> Buffalo is an old fashion town with old fashion values. All must be married have kids, go to church, blah, blah, blah- It's just not attractive for single and young people like myself.

Maybe Amy needs to get some new friends. Or is this based more on perception than reality? I'm sure some people think like this, but that's why I hang out in Allentown. There's something for everyone here if you care to find it.

Not to say there is not a problem, it's just that it may not be the problem we think it is, according to UB Regional Institute research, we're not losing all the brains we think we are:

"Do we have a ‘brain drain’ problem?"

"... a large majority of young people who migrate out of upstate do not hold college degrees and...the retention of upstate ‘brains’ may be higher than popularly believed."

read more: http://regional-institute.buffalo.edu/Includes/UserDownloads/population.pdf

A better bus system is so needed here. Why does NFTA even bother printing scheduals if they are never follewed. For instance, this morning, I WAS ON TIME! But after 20 minutes and no show,I called the info line where this snoody male told me the bus had left on schedual and I'll just have to wait for the next one. ..Well, this doesn't help after 8 in the morning in the City of Tonawanda and I have to be at my downtown office by 9am. To have more buses running, a schedual at every or at least most of the stops would be sooo helpful. The system we have runs on such odd times, especially on the weekends. If you miss one your stuck (depending on where you are) for over an hour. It's no fun when it's late and everything around you is closed, or during weather like this and it's cold out.
NFTA don't care about it's riders, I also find it ironic to have to sit inside those Wrap Around Ad Buses for a car dealership.

I'm sorry, I just don't find this place very exciting. We don't have vibrant streets (Elmwood almost has it, but still too many surface lots and residential blocks to pass to get back to the retail areas, it's a mess). Our downtown is over run with bums and moody people, no retail, no fun places to go during the day or pass Chippewa St. at night. It's overall- Quiet, dirty and dull. We have neighborhoods outside of downtown that look like bombs have been dropped, and other areas where everyone wants to Preserve everything so no commercial developments takes over the sidestreets or expands on the major avenues. No one can just let new developments happen without their Two-Cents, Lawsuites and wanting every little project to look how 'They Want it" "Taller", "Should be here, there", and so on. Our politicians can't even make up their minds. First they fight to keep the Casino in Buffalo, now they are making up excuses like the land they have is not Indian Terriority......Did our local politicians ever listen or even taught that 'ALL OF THIS LAND (ON AMERICAN SOIL) WAS OWNED BY THE INDIANS BEFORE YOUR ANCESTORS ARRIVED"., And yeah, our Bus system is a joke, I say , dont waist your time trying to get a schedual or calling the info line, it'll only cause you more stress, NFTA don't give a s(**T about you.

I recently moved downtown from the suburbs. I just went a month without a car and had no problem getting to work in Cheektowaga by bus.

People in WNY need to change their attitudes. I have many friends that have moved here from other parts of the country and LOVE it here. # 1 thing they all notice is the negative attitudes people from WNY have about where they live.

One thing I have noticed about living in the city, people in the city have a much better attitude about WNY then people who live in the suburbs. It’s almost unreal how big the difference is.

Well UknOW is even a bigger bummer than I am!

For those who want to live someplace where things are always happening, a destination that is not the mall, cool street shows ALL YEAR LONG, safe urban streets (outside of Elmwood Village), better transit system (more buses, extended rail lines), hell, even a better Amtrak Station, more and better paying jobs, and so on.

UknOW-

I don't know, maybe I'm crazy. If you dislike it so much, why are you still here?

I can certainly understand your frustration, but seriously... Why on earth would you stay if you're so unhappy? This is something that just baffles me.

Although maybe I'm just misreading your comment.

newtocity-

My wife and I are both transplants and have noticed the same thing(negative attitudes). I really don't think most native WNY'ers realize just how good they have it here.

This is not very complicated. The fundamental root issue that makes young adults decide to live someplace is economic. Call it what you want - earning opportunities, job/career marketplace, "the economy", whatever.

This is the main reason people migrate from one nation to another (legally or illegally), as well as why the move from one place to another within a given nation. It’s been like this for thousands of years: people choose to live where they think they’ll be better off.

Friday’s Buffalo News pages D6-D7 reports the NYS Labor Dept announced Buffalo was the worst performing metro area in the state in 2006. We were absolutely last place: #10 out of 10, with a job “growth” of negative 0.9% over the year 2006.

Meanwhile, many insist with a straight face we’re having a renaissance or rebound, whatever, because some long overdue construction projects are finally happening, especially downtown. What this ignores is that while welcome, most of these projects are not big job creators (nor are they intended to be), and we have a big long term lack of job growth with no end in sight, especially relative to other parts of the U.S. where the economy has had boom after boom, Reagan's, Clinton's, and has been doing well by historial standards even under our current unpopular administration. Of course Buffalo is not the only city to be stagnant this way, but many states and cities have had much better success including those the article's letter writer mentioned.

Anecdotal stories of one Buffalo company or another are fine for momentary feel good thoughts, but aren't a substitute for having a healthy growing local job market as a whole. The statistics tell that story.

From that BN story Friday: While the local job market was shrinking at a 0.9 percent pace from December 2005 to December 2006, the state added jobs at a 0.7 percent pace and the nation was growing at a 1.4 percent rate. None of the state's 13 other major metropolitan areas lost jobs during the December-to-December period, and among the state's rural areas, only Yates and Jefferson counties lost jobs at a faster pace. While the rest of the country has been adding jobs for 37 straight months, the Buffalo Niagara region now has lost jobs on a year-to-year basis for four consecutive months, according to the labor department's preliminary figures, which will be revised in March. Despite the job losses, the region's unemployment rate was flat at 4.5 percent in December, mainly because the labor force shrunk by 5,700 people from December 2005 to December 2006.

And this is lowest in NY State – which is hardly fast growing itself.
Bottom line, we are the lowest job growth metro within a state that was one of only 4 out of 50 to lose population from 2000-2005. The worst performing metro economy in a very poorly performing state. And people still insist our problems are to do with our attitude rather than our business hostile environment.

I won’t get into the reasons much, but the biggest is our highest-in-the-nation state and local taxes. Spitzer’s proposed cut of less that 2% (2 billion/year out of tax revenues of over 100 billion) is a pittance that will still leave us far over national averages.

These aren’t the kinds of facts and figures usually mentioned on BR, but the job market decline and population shrinkage are the root cause of many other problems that are frequently bemoaned here, such as the outflow of young people, neighborhoods full of abandoned buildings begging for people to buy them, lack of retail choices, lack of vibrant streets, etc., etc. - we know so many of the symptoms by heart - but although they do aggrivate our problems those indeed are symptoms.

If you don't like it.....then leave!

I wanted to see life outside of Buffalo, I moved to Philly, then to NC and then to Cleveland a bit (all for work).

None of them were as enjoyable as Buffalo.

Philly was down right dangerous and dirty.
NC was one oversized suburb.
Cleveland was alright....but for me, wasn't the same.

All you negative people need to leave....
Move somewhere else.....
Then, i'm positive you'll appreciate Buffalo.

And for those of you that can't find anything to do!!!!
Why don't you spend 5 minutes reading this web page.
BRO lists about 5,000 things to do within the city limits.
????

Dear Boring people suck alwiutfsgvcoierfger:

Don't worry people are leaving. I though this post was about how to get more young people to stay?

I am in this demographic and a transplant from NYC. The reason my wife and I stayed was pretty simple. We did not choose Buffalo for what it is but for what it CAN be.... If something is bothering you or you want to see change - first be the change - then create it. You'll be surprised at what you can accomplish.

Those who complain about Buffalo often have not lived anywhere else. Buffalo is very much an up and coming city that's more affordable then almost anywhere else.

If those who have posted here are in the "demographic" then I am certainly concerned since there appears to be a low intteligence level considering all the typos and mis-spellings.

So, you're the leaders of our community. Be afraid, be very afraid...

Has Buffalo Rising ever acknowledged the existence of The Beast? I have shown copies of it to some visitors as some evidence that there are some people here with more radical tendencies. The Beast is very unique.

*This comment filter crap has got to stop.

Glass houses, quantum...

Glass houses, Quantum...

Also, please don't say the buses are a reasonable alternative to a fully-functional mass transit. I take the buses. Every single day, in fact. And you know what? They suck. I've had them pass me as I waited at the stop. Run so late I missed connections and was late to work. Run so early they came well before I was even out of work. Not to mention the times they just-plain don't show up.

To enter or leave the city you could be waiting an hour or two for the next bus, even at peak times. And god help you should they not show after business hours. You'll get an answering machine at the NFTA.
Shoot, if you want to go from, say, sheridan and the blvd to ECC North you need to take a bus into the city and then transfer to another out of the city! That's why people in the region as a whole don't use them, it's just not doable. Yeah, it's cheaper. But to some people they would rather pay than have a 15 min round trip commute turned into more than an hour. (true- that's my daily commute from Allentown to near ECC North, by car and by bus)

(seconding the motion to get rid of the comment filter... and hows about fixing the thing where including an URL in commenter info section causes firefox to crash)

Being part of the demographic and now being in Philly for grad school, it gets harder and harder to convince myself that I want to return to Buffalo. While there may be crime here, there also is a Center City that is actually alive, reliable mass transit and the Italian Market! While family and Redlinski's are two great reasons to return, my desire for true urbanism makes Philadelphia a better choice.

Of all things I find it amusing when people complain the Buffalo isn't a "hot spot of activity 24/7." What city really is? Maybe just NYC, and LA? From what I remember Boston shuts down at 2am. Most other cities do also. A few restaurants are open 24 hours a day, but what else are you looking to do?

So true on the Renaissance BS. Yeah, we're finally building things downtown, but these are not New Jobs, they are just buildings for jobs from the burbs or other parts of the city. So where are the new jobs? Don't give the BS answer ,,uh "Construction Jobs", because are'nt they part of a Union that wants and wants, stops trucks, delays construction?....Anyway, I too am so sick of the NFTA right now, I was late for work today as well, thinking the #25 was running late, well a half hour goes by and still no bus, called the so called Customer Service and after along ass wait was put through some rude guy telling me to just wait for the next one. I can see why people go postel on these people. I was about ready to go to the NFTA headquarters and kick this guys ass.
Also, we are a dull town, I was born here, moved to NYC for 10 years and came back to help a family member out. He kept telling me how Buffalo is changing for the better crap. So I gave in, a year later, I see the same BS happening here from 10 years ago. All talk, no action, crappy transit/bus system, high murder rate, never a cop around on foot downtown (which is where I work), seems like Main St. has MORE Bums hanging around than did a decade ago. So, to answer some of your questions, yes, I did leave, I only came back to help someone out and I am ready to leave. I've tried to stay positive here, read this site all the time, BUT in reality, this place just isn't happening, not for me. So, you can add 1 more to the list of people leaving this year.

\Oh wow, fun thread tonight! Well not the post itself....its rather half-assed and platitudinal, like usual. Where to start...

Cities are what you make of them. Of course, having cool friends helps a lot. If you know the right people to get drunk with (and hopefully sleep with) Buffalo can knock the pants off all the usual big city suspects.

Though, there is some validity to UknOW's rant. On the surface, there is little vibrancy to Buffalo. On most city streets, including Elmwood, it's mostly, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, houses, and more houses.......not very cosmopolitan in character. When adventurous types try rectifying this void by filling in the street with more mixed uses, all the self-centered (seriously, if you want to live in a neighborhood with no noise/activity, move to the fucking burbs!) NIMBYs crawl out of the woodwork to stop it from happening, citing all sorts of lame excuses like their precious little children on bicycles suddenly being run over by runaway hummers, thanks to a tenfold increase in traffic due to a dilapidated old HOUSE getting converted into ONE chic new restaurant.

Kelly has good points too. Besides the obvious ineptitude of the NFTA, I wish my firefox didn't crash as well when trying to display my web site link. This site's developers need to focus on fixing the small shit before aiming for Mars (and wasn't the new BRO supposed to be out in September??)

David is right about the Beast. They are unique for Buffalo. BRO/BRM probably doesn't acknowledge them because the Beast has had some not-so-nice (and sadly accurate) things to say about them. Like here: www(dot)buffalobeast(dot)com/111/product_review_buffalo_rising(dot)htm

BTW, the blocked URL for my site is: www(dot)buffaloguardian(dot)com ...
a nifty new Buffalo politics and urbanism-focused blog I'm still tweaking which will never resort of advertorial fellatio. Well...I can't guarantee the refraining from cunnilingus part, I just might have to cave in (har har) when I see a sexy new building with soft, texturized feminine features going up. Sadly, the likeliness of that happening is nill.

One more thing, GO SABRES! Tonight’s game nearly fried my nervous system.

Anybody that refers to his or her new site as nifty should be shot. And har har - what planet doth thou surface from dork? Can you please take some wind out of your sails before your schooner tips over?

This city is'nt even a real city. It's one big small town with plenty of hicks. I don't get what the difference is between Birmingham, AL and Buffalo, NY???Both pretty much in the same attitude towards the outside world, gays, blacks, modern (anything), change, etc....Why would anyone want to stay or move here if it aint happening?

I have to agree with Heather, didn't Buffalo get into that Top 10 List of most Segregated Cities AGAIN This year? And we wonder why only the hicks stay and the normal people leave.

bucky has a good point... last time I was in toronto, after leaving the club we went to (about two, two thirty am or so), I couldn't even find someplace open to buy a bottle of water or a late night meal. One of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and it seems to shut down before three AM.
The whole hopping 24/7 thing is an anomily known to very few places- Vegas, New Orleans, some parts of NYC (but not even all of Manhattan), and a few others. It's not the standard for large cities, not even close.

I think most would agree about the shopping and life in general is dead downtown after 5pm on weekdays and most all day on the weekends. Why with a Mall allowed to rot and dye and no retail left (or at least decent retail) on Main St. anymore, no retail organization to promote downtown to retailers, only 2 delis open (but not on Sundays) most of the time, even the coffee shops are closed on weekends (except for Spot), a movie theatre with a crappy sound system (doesn't draw a large crowd)....If we had major retailers and heck, even a MALL with decent stores, late night hours (to draw the after work crowd) and other entertainment attractions, then our downtown are wouldn't be so quiet. But, hey, look at the people running this place, they don't care.

I agree with "Justin", Terry and I live here full time by fate of the cards, it was supposed to be part time. There are many days I want to bolt back to Atlanta, but on the flip side we enjoy so much about Buffalo. We are staying not only becouse of what it has to offer, but because of what IT CAN BE... We are excited about being a part of that and making it happen.
As to the post itself, a transit system will not bring or keep people in the city, jobs do and at the moment the lack of is Buffalo's biggest problem.
Also, as to 24/7 activity? please, show me one city that has that! The fact that bars and clubs are open untill 4am here actually puts Buffalo on the cutting edge of night life.
The naysayers of this city are the ones that have never traveled or lived elsewhere and for the most part are unhappy with their own lot in life and tend blame everyone else for their sad little existence.

I've lived elsewhere, moved here for personal reasons and will be moving away for good this time! I don't see much happening here, our downtown is still dead, no new retailers (1 New Clothing Store on Main St.- WOW! and how many more years will it take to see more?). The people here are grumpy (yes, in the city too), increased crime, no police presence (yet they want a raise?), took over 20 years to catch a rapest/killer who lived right in your own backyard, residences still can't handle any new change (look at the Elmwood Hotel, and Proposed Condo at Gates Circle)-Petitions seem to be the only way to get you people out of bed in the morning here, I'm sick of hearing people on here say "If you don't like it here, move!" First of all, I AM LEAVING!. I'm just bringing my two-cents here as to why I am leaving. - Still a dull town with moody people, no fashion, lack of big stores in the city (they seem to only be in the burbs), a crumy Bus System that has has no sdhedual, (this is why most of you all drive here and then people like me who don't own a car cant's stand seeing downtown over taken by surface and parking ramps) -The powers in charge of this city should take it up with NFTA, but of course not, it's all Political, and no one in office HAS THE BALLS!
Your famous for voting the SAME LAME ASS PEOPLE BACK IN OFFICE, I bet if Joel Giambra and George Holt ran tomorrow, THEY WOULD WIN! and then the cycle will continue, it's so typical in this town. I moved away for 5 years and came back with a hope that things would have changed, and they have not...I'm outta here Buffalo!

I am sick and damned tired of all the endless negative comments about Buffalo and Western New York. To all these 25-34 year olds and also all the 40 somethings who think Buffalo is such a horrible, dull city, pack your bags and get the hell out. Granted Buffalo has serious problems and drawbacks but so does the rest of this world. There is no such destination as a perfect, problem free place. After living in Austin, Texas for almost nine years with its high rents, traffic congestion, an unfriendly, cold-hearted populace, and extremely hot weather I got fed up with the whole lousy situation and moved back home to Buffalo in February 2001. The South is not all what some of you people think it is trust me because I lived down south for almost nine years and it sucks. Buffalo is a much better city than Austin, Texas and it is probably better than Charlotte, Atlanta, and Miami.

I find cities such as L.A. NYC and Chicago much better off than this small town. If your into small towns, then Buffalo is for you. If you like VIBRANT Places than get out of Buffalo!

Buffalo has'nt been vibrant in over 40 years. People come downtown "just for the heck of it". It's all about work, jury duty and paying fines today. No retail, no street venders (besides the 3 hot dog venders in the summertime), no departments stores, no theme restaurants, no cool movie theaters, no big fancy billboards to catch ones eyes.....Just grumpy bummy looking people, cheap stores for the poor (seems to be all that's left in this town), a DEAD ASS MALL, with only two stores (ooops, not till Waldenbooks closes it's doors soon---down to like one store then), a transit system that is over ruled by degenerates after 3pm during the school time, don't expect to see any officers untill someones been hurt, other wise your left to defend for yourself. A city (sorry, small ass town) with an increasing murder rate (yeah, makes me feel safe to venture about, not). Oh, did I forget to mention, I just LOVE watching out of towners walk around downtown in shock at all the empty buildings and taking pictures to show back where ever they came from. Yeah, that's great marketing for this area, "Come to Buffalo and see Ruins". ...Hmmm all this and more, and you all wonder why my generation would rather live elswhere???Think about it people!

Look, I think we all know what Buffalo's assetts and liabilities are.

To me the issue is two fold: downtown and the economy.

Now revitalizing downtown doesn't do a damn thing for the economy. What it does, is provide anincrease in quality of life for people who live here. It allows visitors to walk around and think that there is something happening here.

Now, either we are happy with the population that we have, or we aren't. No Fortune 500 companies are moving to Buffalo with 3,000+ jobs in tow. I read an interseting item about how ConAgra foods basically hamstrung Omaha, NE into getting every tax break in the books, and several that weren't or else they were gone.

The reason why Buffalo's economy is in the toilet is because it was never a diversified economy. It was based on steel. When steel left the USA, so did the people out of Buffalo.

For Buffalo to ever truly be a cosmopolitan city, it needs the downtown revitalization (which is happening) and it needs a truly diversified economy. If I were working for the city, I would target: Higher Education, Bio-Tech/Healthcare, and Tourism as the three main industries for the city.

Not only are those diverse industries but they also don't have the potential to be outsourced to Mexico.

Yes there's many problems, but if I were to make a pie chart of relative importance of factors causing our ongoing steep decline, the pie would be about 95% full with "Lagging Economy / Weak Job Market" and all other factors such as downtown issues, limited retail, and so on would all be sharing the remaining 5%.

Money talks, BS walks.

Sunday at Tops or Wegmans compare the Bflo News Help Wanted section with that of the Charlotte newspaper. Robert insists were "better" than them, whatever that's supposed to mean, but obviously we are much less desirable from the perspective of job creating organizations.

And Robert P, regarding your "To all these 25-34 year olds and also all the 40 somethings who think Buffalo is such a horrible, dull city, pack your bags and get the hell out."

Don't worry, thousands are doing just that every year according to the Census web site.

Injudicious, uninformed, brazenly generalizing as usual, Robert. Do you know, for example, the lovely cities of Charleston and Columbia, SC; Asheville, NC; and in-many-ways characterful and beautiful Richmond, VA? To say nothing of many smaller cities and towns throughout the South that cherish their architecture and history more productively than Buffalo.

The South no more uniformly "sucks" than Buffalo is a "much better city than Austin..."

Commentary like yours really gets to the heart of the matter and offers such substantial food for thought.

The "love it or leave it attitude" isn't very welcoming or friendly.

Why shouldn't we criticize Buffalo? There's a lot wrong with this place, and ignoring it doesn't change that fact. Cheer-leading is not going to revitalize Buffalo. I find ignoring reality more negative than anything else around here.

Buffalo IS losing population and economic viability - it is NOT an up and coming city, not by a long shot. All American cities are realizing a resurgence in downtown living, just like they all lost population to the suburbs in the 50s and 60s. Buffalo is merely following suit

Buffalo can't even retain its current population, let alone attract new people, which is exactly what it needs to do in order to thrive. Every currently successful city has become so by attracting outsiders, and today's Buffalo simply can't compete. Also, a diverse population makes for a more dynamic, interesting and creative place. Buffalo needs this in huge doses.

But how to attract new people? Buffalo is so far off of the national radar, I find that even people from the NYC area often don't know that it's located on the border of Canada, Lake Erie, etc. No one knows where Buffalo is, let alone anything about its former glory, the Erie Canal, historic architecture, etc. Buffalo unprogressive, too focused on the past and too closed to new ideas (like regionalism, for one) to be attractive to newcomers.

What makes a city vibrant is what it is NOW, not what once was or what it might become in the future. And with Buffalo's track record and lack of leadership on all levels, it's hard to believe that it'll ever realize the potential that it has.

As an example of lack of leadership and progressiveness, why doesn't Buffalo have a monthly art walk? Why can't gallery owners here figure out how to do what other cities have been doing for years? Even Albany, I'm told by an artist friend, has one. This is basic City 101, especially for a city with so much art.

Downtown is dead, the so-called city of good neighbors is centered around three or so neighborhoods while the rest of the city is left to rot. Local leaders, old and new, wait around for outsiders to come in and save those neighborhoods because they're too afraid to be urban pioneers themselves. The hypocrisy of so-called New Buffalo is rather telling. Lots of talk and cheer-leading about new loft apartments and restaurants and bars, but no political will to do anything real or of true substance here. All potatoes, no meat.

To paraphrase Gertrude Stein; There is no here here.

I'm off to pastures that I KNOW are greener. I just can't understand the mentality of this place!

As far as the demographic, what is really telling to me is that half of the people I know from high school and beyond have gone to college or grad school to become a teacher. While this is a respectible profession (my mother is one!) how is it that soooo many people feel this is the best career path. I just see it as an indicator for the area, people see great jobs in goverment and stability, but a lack of creativity and desire to change the norm. Just an observation.

Nick, if they plan to stay in the Buffalo area then a public sector career field is very smart. I've noticed the prevalence of teaching career choice also, and social work. Nothing wrong with those, but I agree with you that it might be indication people feel private sector careers are much harder to succeed in around here.

Robert Preskop
Maybe you're the one who should leave!
You seem to hate every other city but Buffalo, it's only a matter of time before you hate this city too. You haven't been back here long enough to be the expert that you think you are. Like I said before, big companies are moving to places like Austin and Atlanta, not Buffalo.
Why don't you tell us again about the Golden Horseshoe in Canada that will save us, OH wait ! you hate Toronto too.

Only jobs offered in this town seem to be Fast Food and Wal-Mart. Pick up a Job Finder and they try to make it seem like a position at McDonalds is glamorous or something...It's a joke. Most city residences don't want to see national retailers downtown because it may hurt the businesses on Elmwood Ave. So...Downtown is left to rot with no place to shop.
Tourism!!!!!!! Ummmm, didn't over half the staff during the famous Red Budget get laid off? And isn't the CVB still struggling to promote this area with little money being with held by the so called County Government because they don't want to give up the Bed-Tax to the Convention Bureau as it was originaly intended on over a decade ago? So we can forget about promoting our area right now with these pigs in office. - THEY DON'T CARE!
We have an increasing murder rate, no police walking the beat anymore and still they want a raise and threating the public by saying "They will Strike if need be"...I would so fucking move away from here ASAP if they did go on strike, can just picture the kaos that will cause on the city streets already burnt out from the riot days of the 60's and 70's.
We have old bitty's who want to PRESERVE EVERY MOTHA FUCKIN THING EVER BUILT IN THIS DAM TOWN! Not every house is worth saving, not every one story building is worth saving, If a celebrity had never lived or visited or a famous architect designed it, IT'S NOT WOTH SAVING. True, we have nothing but Houses, Houses, Houses on every street in this town. It's not walkable in most areas, and most of the old shopping districts are in ruins and most areas of town are segregated. Heck, even in so called Gay Allentown is'nt even safe for a gay guy to walk around at most times. To get robbed, called "FAG" "FAGGOT" by passer bys walking by or driving by. UMMM yeah, "WELCOME TO ALLENTOWN STRAIGHTY!".
And lastly, for those who keep saying "You don't like it here, then leave"....Well, ass hole , "THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE" ...Not many people like it here and the proof is in the census numbers and this posting.
DUHHHH!!!

Why is it that most all of the Buffalo-bashers, errrr, the self-proclaimed realists, are horrible spellers. No wonder they're leaving town to find employment. They're illiterate!

Why is it that most all of the Buffalo-bashers, errrr, the self-proclaimed realists, are horrible spellers? No wonder they're leaving town to find employment. They're illiterate!

"people see great jobs in government and stability"

FWIW, this is normally a sign of high corruption in an economy.

For reference, check out the wikipedia site on rent seeking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking

Dave,
Hey Mr Know-it-all, I have lived away from Buffalo for twelve years total. Three years in the US Army which was divided between tours in Seoul, South Korea and that horrible, poverty-strickened, shitty place known as Louisiana probably the most corrupt state in the USA. The other nine years I was in one of America's most overrated and unfriendly cities- Austin, Texas. After living in the South, I have come to appreciate Buffalo and Western New York more than ever because despite our serious problems and our depressed economy we have it easy here in Buffalo. Yes I get thoroughly disgusted wiith this city at times because of the serious lack of progress , lack of good paying jobs, and the persistant unprogressive, backward attitudes towards anything new or differant. You also made a very false and stupid statement saying that I hate every other city except Buffalo. That is very far from the truth because Buffalo is definately not my favorite city but at the same token it is still a very good city with tremendous potential. I understand your frustration with the lack of progress and change in this town but you need to keep in mind that the grass is not always greener in other parts of the country and overseas. Every place has its serious problems and drawbacks not just Buffalo and WNY. As for violent crime, if you think sunbelt boomtowns like Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis, Houston, and Miami are safe secure cities you are very horribly mistakened. Even smaller charming cities like Charleston, SC have their serious urban ills so get off this stupid bullshit that southern cities and states are utopia compared to Buffalo because they are definately not perfect problem-free places like you damn, brain-dead fools are picturing them to be. All you crybabies in both the 25 to 34 and the 40 something age brackets need to wake up and smell the coffee and get a life and stop your persistant bitching because it gets on everyones nerves after awhile.

you're the crybaby here...

you sound like a 15 year old...

you need a reality check... (if Buffalo is so easy, why is everyone leaving?)

you're making Buffalo look worse..........................

No I am not the crybaby here it is you guys that are the crybabies with all your endless, juvenile complaints about Buffalo and WNY. It is people like myself who make Buffalo look good to other people because we are thankful what we have because things could be a lot worse. If anyone sounds like a 15 year old it is you Dave that sounds like a 15 year old constantly crying and complaining, it is you with your baseless, idiotic criticism of Buffalo that is making our city look bad. Why is everyone leaving Buffalo? It is because all the stupid, idiotic bullshit in how other places are better to live in than Buffalo that is falsely misleading a lot of people to leave here only for many of them to be disappointed later on because the grass always looks greener elsewhere until you get there. Yes our economy is still depressed, but other parts of the country are having their serious economic problems and upheavels not just Western New York. The wage scale down south is horribly low and housing costs are astronomical. You had no legitimate right telling me I sound like a 15 year old because it is you Dave that needs a reality check big time because you are obviously wet behind the ears. A large number of you 25-34 year olds are lost in life and do not know what you want and if you think that moving to some so-called hip and cool sunbelt boomtown is going to help you cure that problem, you all are in for a real emotionally painful shock. Oh well you guys are just going to have to learn the hard way.

Um, most of us want to live "Where the action is". Where "HOT JOBS" are available. We don't have it here in the B-lo. Not too many jobs here in the world of entertainment, national publications/magazines, celebrity assistants, high end retail (Prada, Gucci, etc) which pays a hell of lot more than Wal-Mart. Our downtown is dead! No shopping available (at least for anything decent) all the national stores are in the burbs (what kind of backwards area is this?). I'm sick of hearing how other places have thier problems too, and it's all about who you hang out with, blah, blah, blah. ....It's also the enviroment, and Buffalo, sorry to say, does not fit everyones style. Some want to live where people still dress up "just because", where peope are more "open minded" when it comes to gays, developments, cultures and more. I find many people in this area stuck in this old school mentality with "Gay is a sin", and women here dress like bummy men. I'm sorry, don't call me a "Fag" and you look like a dyke. It makes no scense to me at all.
Offical politicians in local office you all keep voting for because you cant' handle having someone "New" with no connections in office. All talk and no action town, the last city to put in a Pedestrian Mall while other cities across the nation where tearing theirs apart of in the process of because they "Didn't Work". But, this is Buffalo, home of stubborn people, it must work here if so and so says it can. Miserable locals who have never been outside the area and who believe this city is 'Normal" and think it is in fact an actuall city.
Buffalo is not a city, it's one big town with a few high rises made to look like a city from a distance, but up close, it's one big hick town full of empty lots, little life.

So Robert, if all these yound 25-34 year olds really figured out that the grass isn't always greener and decided move back, would we still be losing as many people each year as we have been for the last 50 years? If your point were true, we wouldn't be having this problem or post discussion what so ever, these people would find out how wonderfull Buffalo truly was and move back, right? Maby the grass can be greener else where and Buffalo is just missing something?

There are plenty of reasons why WNYers have negative attitudes - because so much has gone so wrong for so long. The facts bare that out. No jobs. No waterfront development for generations.

There are plenty of reasons why people never move back, too. Sometimes, believe it or not, the grass IS greener on the other side.

If you guys think Buffalo and WNY are racist, homophobic, and anti semetic there are very large parts of the South that is much worse. You think that being Jewish, gay, or black is easier down South, you are all in for a rude awakening. Violent attacks on gays, Jews, and blacks is still a serious problem down South. Many of the Southern sunbelt states are overwhelmingly right-wing conservative Republican in case you guys have been asleep during the last two presidential and congressional elections. I have lived down South for a total of elevan years and it is not all what you guys claim it to be. Yes there are plenty of jobs, but the wage scale in most southern states stinks. The cost of living in many southern cities is much higher than in Western New York. The prevailing political and social views in almost all of the South is very conservative and strongly influenced by religion, especially fundamentalist Christianity. If you all think New York is a corrupt state, try living in Louisiana which is ten times worse. Trust me, I lived in Louisiana for two years while I was stationed at Fort Polk. The remaining nine years I lived in Austin, Texas which is probably the most overrated city in the country. The wages suck, the people of Austin for the most part are heartless and unfriendly, housing costs are very high and the Austin Area is choking from horrendous traffic congestion. The stretch of Interstate 35 through Austin is probably the most dangerous superhighway in the USA. I have travelled to both Atlanta and Charlotte and those two cities are no damn better than Austin. It is the same damn troublesome scenario of too much rapid growth and not enough infrastructure to accomodate the fast growth. Trust me on this one, you are better off avoiding the South altogether. If you can't find anything decent here in Buffalo, then try some of the other northern and midwestern cities. Not all the northern cities are depressed, backward, and unprogressive like Buffalo.

Of course cost of living is so cheap here, The lack of jobs, and pay is a great reason for that! With people moving away daily, we now have a large number of vacant homes in our surrounding suburbs (Big story in the Buffalo News just the other day on this subject.) But, oh, wait, yeah, Buffalo is great, and we are going through a change ((What Bull Shit)))
Just yesterday, I was waiting for my bus at Delaware and Chippewa in front of Strabucks, when this homeless bum kept bugging me for change, then yelling for other passer byers for change and attention, even knocking on some womens car window in the parking lot of Strabucks...I felt like I was back in NYC during the 1980s. But, wait, Buffalo is so great, no problems here right?

Sometimes, the morals and attitudes of south lurk in the hearts of many in the Buffalo area, but I find it worse in place like the City of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda area...gawd what hicks they are from the mullets to the accents (why do most guys in this area think it's alright to leave your home with a shower, a shave, ratty looking hair, very old clothes on your back (and un-washed) and speak with a strange southern mumble accent, (yet they are born and raised here?). I don't get it, Is this really Buffalo, NY? A Noth Eastern City? It certainly doesn't look or sound like it.

Oppps, sorry, I actually ment to say to leave the house "without a shower"

Robert Preskop
That was not my post calling you a crybaby, and I never said the South was so great. All I said was that business is building and moving to cities like Atlanta. (it's a fact)
Look at the rampage you went on without paying attention, this is why your opinions are not respected here.
Who cares if you like the south or not?obviously many people do. And we don't need your history over and over again.
I did live in Atlanta for 7yrs and most people there are very proud of thier city, unlike most people here in Buffalo. I'm embarassed to show my friends from the south this rundown, boarded up, tired old city.
It doesn't look like too many people agree with you.

We have all these hotel rooms and new living spaces downtown and still we wait and wait for any new retail to open. I took a trip on my lunch break today and find the only (new books) book store downtown is officially closed in the Main Place Mall, took a trip to the upper level and it is still so depressing to see nothing up there, half is still a blank wall with offices behind them and the other (which is the walkway) is full of empty storefronts. Then took a walk down the ever depressing Main St. (Pedestrian Mall) with no retail or any sort of attractions to see, just boarded up windows with For Sale/Lease signs in every one of them and a few bums asking for money near Lafayette Square (Don't they need Permits for that?..lol.)
I've noticed a few out of towers (looking very lost) wondering why nothing is here. ...How very sad indeed.

I wonder if Robert is an old retired man who is an Art Nut? Sounds like he doesn't walk around downtown much or take risks going into areas of the East Side or lower West Side. I wonder if he even walks around the city ALONE at night (off Elmwood, off Chippewa St.)? Just wondering what this guy is all about to say how great this place is for people my age (I'm 25 and ready to leave this dull town). With lack of good jobs, one needs only to pick up any local classifieds and look at how great they make Fast Food, Factory and Retai Jobs seem here. I'm not interested in working for McDonalds or Wal-Mart, I'd rather be working in a Fortune 500 Corporation making mucho $$$, but that dream seems so scarce in this town. I want to be able to walk at anytime of the day/night in a city and feel safe, shop at National Retail Stores with going to a Mall (ewww), being able to just wait for a bus or a train without worrying about a schedual (most cities offer this service every 5-10 minutes during rush hour and 15-20 minutes off peak EVERYDAY!!- Not here), I want to be in a place where you can wear what you want, act like you want (liberal) and noone will pick you out and make you feel like your sooo Taboo (other places are very open to different lifestyles, mixed race couples, funky looks, and so on---Here it's rare to find anyone open enough to even try it for fear of a family or friend finding out...Like, I said, most fear being themselfs here, it's crazy),, I want to be in a place where "Things Happen", new buildings go up all the time, over all city planning is taking place and not just talked about like here, a place where rules are in place for developments (must be urban friendly) which makes developments happen quicker with out the approval/law suites from the public (Too many examples to name for this town, to easy).
Over all, I'm sick and tired of the BS in the town, it's same old status que, old school, dull and boring. Yeah, I'm a local, and witnessed this city die.

I can not believe the crap that are huge generalizations that amount to opinions posted in this thread. Before I sound off on that, though, to Errkkk...what kind of idiotic post is that? There's a saying that says to never get into an argument with a moron because it may be hard to tell which is which, but I can't help myself here. I live in the City of Tonawanda, shave, shower and go to work every day wearing clean clothes and speak understandably all day long. The same can be said for all my neighbors and everyone else I know in the City. I do Research and Development on ceramic membranes and already have three patents and two pending. I don't know what demographic or concentration of people you encountered that you are referring to, but if you talk like you type then they sound like your kind of people.
I'm also not going to sit by and let the City of Buffalo be bashed, either. It's not that I have an endless stream of sunshine falling out of my ass while wearing my rose-colored glasses, but there sure seems to be a lot of people posting in this thread complaning about there being no jobs or anything to do. If you don't have a job then you should be working on your resume and be on Monster.com instead of here. If you do have a job then I wish I had your disposable income if you have exhausted all options for things to do and spend your money on if your last reort is to rag on Buffalo or announce that you are leaving for Utopiaville. This site is supposed to be for people that aren't diluted about our problems and challenges, we have the news for that, but for people to have an outlet to discuss the silver linings.
Of course Buffalo will pale when it is compared piece by piece to the equivalent parts that are better in other cities, any city would. All you bashers are standing firm proclaiming you are just being realists. If that were true I think you would re-word a lot of your posts. Buffalo is not the only city with crime, bums, weather, taxes or corruption. But that is not all we are about. Shut off your damn computer and get your ass out there and experience it. If you truly open your eyes and do something other than piss and moan, you'll hopefully start to appreciate what you have in your own back yard.

Gilda,
For your information, I am a single, youthful looking, physically active 45 year old man who does get out and walk around Buffalo day and night. I find it offensive for you to say that I am afraid to venture onto the east side and lower west side. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very well aware of Buffalo's serious urban problems and shortcomings and yes I think this city can be a much better place and yes I am not happy about Buffalo's current scenario but running away is not going to solve the problems. If you guys think that you are automatically going to land a high paying hot corporate job in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston or anyplace else down south you are all very horribly mistakened. Yes many corporations have moved down south primarily to cut the tax burden but also to reduce the employee wage burden. Wages in all sectors of work are much lower down south than in either the northeast or midwest. You need to keep that in mind. You are not going to be earning the big bucks early in your professional career. So get that fairy tale out of your heads folks, its just not going to happen because corporate America does not work that way. You have to work your way up the corporate ladder.
Dave,
I am sorry for the false accusation against you regarding someone calling me a crybaby. However, you made one error after that by saying that I don't pay attention. Dave, I am not ignorant and I do pay attention to the issues at hand. It is some of these people that continue to live in a dream world thinking that if they move to a booming southern metropolis all their problems will be solved and it is just not true. I am speaking from a solid decade of experience living in a southern state but some of these 25-34 year olds along with some of my fellow 40 somethings all have this chip on their shoulder acting like they are always right. Yes my opinions are not popular because they are imploding the myths that many of these people believe are true and that is just not the case. It is time for these people who are bashing Buffalo to wake up and smell the coffee.

im interested to know why the naysayers are even READING Buffalo Rising.

and contrary to popular belief, if you read the 2000 Cencus...our demographic is one of the largest.