thursday december 4th 2008
Give the people what they want.
queenseyes
I think that I would like to start off this post by commending the three Common Council members who were bold enough to ask for today's bizarre Waterfront Village decision to be tabled. David Franczyk, Mickey Kearns and Mike LoCurto all stuck to their guns when it came to holding off on making any hasty (and potentially tragic) decisions regarding our waterfront. Unfortunately, their headstrong stance was outweighed by the rest of the BURA committee, and the rumors are flying as to why a craptastic design would even be considered for our architecturally significant city.
During the meeting I had the opportunity to see, for the first time, not only the Specialty Restaurants plan (presented by "developer" James Pitts) that would deface our waterfront, but also the Ciminelli boutique hotel proposal (pictured) that dwarfs the chosen project in so many ways. Is there even a question as to which one would be best for…
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West Coast Perspective
A development team has been selected for a vacant commercial site in Waterfront Village. Finally. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency this morning named Specialty Restaurants Incorporation as preferred developer for the prime 1.4 acre parcel at 10-15 LaRiviere Drive. The owner of the adjacent Shanghai Red’s restaurant is proposing an uninspired, four-story, 100 room Wingate Inn.
buffalorising
Blog culture is becoming more and more respectable with each passing day. Though it remains a profession where it can be hard to earn a living, it is still a way for amateurs to spread their opinions and share with their readers specific interests. Chris Hawley has taken his passion and created a blog with it dedicated to the Hydraulics. The Hydraulics is Buffalo’s oldest manufacturing district and Hawley wants to uncover everything about this industrial site, from the people, to the events, to the places and news that is related to the heritage of this area.
Hawley is an urban planner and amateur historian who works for Howard Zemsky, the individual who restored the vacant Larkin Terminal Warehouse. Hawley is on his own mission to write a comprehensive history of the Hydraulics and while he investigates, he is operating …
Eli George
It’s hard to believe it, but my grandmother is only slightly older than Mickey Mouse. She would have been just four years old when Mickey came to life for the first time on November 18, 1928 in Steamboat Willie. His first film had no sound, was black and white, and premiered in New York City, but from a humble beginning, the singing, dancing mouse has gone on to literally change the face of the world and cartoons as we know them.
It’s not every day you turn 80 and though he’s as robust as ever, you should almost be calling Mickey “Gramps” at that age. However, Mickey is much more than just some old cartoon character, he’s the face of Walt Disney, an icon known and loved the world-over, and truly timeless. The Buffalo International Film Festival (BIFF) is planning a birthday party for Mickey and everyone’s invited. You don’t want to miss out as this birthd…
buffalorising
As a Buffalo resident, the NFTA fare hike is no doubt looming over your head. The two-step increase will begin on January 1st, when the fare raises from one dollar and fifty cents to one dollar and seventy-five cents. Then, on July 1st, the rate goes up another quarter to make the cost of riding the bus and train two dollars. There has been a lot of outrage over the increase as county legislators decry it as too harming to the poor and middle class and NFTA frequenters lament the added strain it will put on their wallets. Some feel the NFTA could do more to cut costs before jacking up the price to ride the train and bus while the NFTA states that they've done all they could, but are dedicated to doing all they can to try and help their riders from suffering the full brunt of a fifty cent increase.
There are opinions on both sides of the issue, but Sam Hoyt has taken the …
STEEL
South Buffalo gets no respect. It is separated from the main bulk of the city by major industrial areas, a river, and an expressway. This divide is not only a city divide; it is an area wide divide. If you are a south-towner you stay south-town and vice versa with the northerners.
BRO has been accused of being Elmwood centric. To an extent this is true, not due to any plan but, because people tend to report on what they know, and most of us just don't know South Buffalo too well - with this nasty "divide" and all. Every once in a while we venture past that divide to report on this somewhat sleepily comfortable part of the city. Hopefully this is something we can do with more frequency in the future. Often, after reporting on a certain place or event we get correspondence from people offering more information or suggestions.
buffalorising
It wasn't the call from Gov. Paterson, but Mayor Byron W. Brown, along with members of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors, spoke via conference call with members of President-elect Barack Obama’s intergovernmental transition team.
Yesterday's phone conference included a detailing of President-elect Obama’s top priorities upon entering the presidency, as well as issues regarding the White House Office of Urban Policy, administration personnel matters and inaugural activities.
Participating members of President-elect Obama’s transition team were Michael Stautmanis, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the transition team, Nick Rathod, Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Transition Committee and Stacey Brayboy who serves as liaison for the National Conference of Democratic Mayors.
“It was an excellent opportunity to join mayors…
buffalorising
Fares starting at $1! Say what? NeOn Bus, a service of Adirondack Trailways and Greyhound Canada, now has stops at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Henrietta on its New York to Toronto route. That's good news for students this Christmas season.
With two NeOn round-trip schedules each day between New York and Toronto, stops are scheduled at Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Henrietta. The coaches are new and environmentally friendly with extra leg room, free Wi-Fi, comfortable seats, video entertainment and power outlets.
"Tickets can range from $1 to a maximum of $85 for the trip between Toronto and New York. I'm not sure about Buffalo to either place because we just started that today," said Abby Wambaugh, NeOn spokeswoman. Tickets are available in advance online at a low fare, or right at the bus doors for full pri…
wednesday december 3rd 2008
Lighting The Elmwood Village For Good
queenseyes
Now that the Elmwood Village has landed the distinction of being one of the Top 10 Great Places in America, I can't wait for the day when the city switches up the street's lamp standards. If you look at historic Allentown, you will see that the street lighting is attractive and effective. It places the importance of the neighborhood experience on the sidewalk, rather than on the cars. As we see the highway cobras being replaced (finally) in our neighborhoods, our commercial districts are in need of the same treatment.
Below you can see what direction one designer is heading when it comes to rethinking utilitarian street lamps. In this day and age, why do all street lamps have to conform to a certain look? If it behaves like a street lamp, then artistic and environmental elements should at least be conside…
buffalorising
Tomorrow evening, Ron Rienas, General Manager of the Public Bridge Authority, will meet with former State Senator Al Coppola in order to discuss the Peace Bridge and plaza expansion once again, and word is that Hillary Clinton is sending representatives.
In addition to the aesthetics, health concerns and historical impact to the immediate area, final funding has not been previously disclosed and is obviously an important element in the ongoing controversy over the entire proposed project. Now in the draft stages, will the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) bring forth details about the funding that will cover the project? Will Rienas be able to respond to this question tomorrow?
It has been said that the total cost of the expansion and the bridge could come to $700 million, so this is a …
