Bashar Issa should take a few lessons from Carl P on development in Buffalo. The guy gets it done!

At this rate it seems like a second tower is a no brainer! I agree, well researched all your p's and q's taken care of!

What part of the waterfront is does not have public access? we have a tiny development around a man made marina that has some condo's on it. From the point near "the hatch" all way to Lakawana [?] as far as I know is wide open public space to date. Also. from what I can tell is the whole inner harbour development is going in the same direction as places such as Boston and Baltimore....public arena's. Even in those cities, there is still some private develpment along the water.

I love driving down the 190 and see that building go up - signs (albiet small) that Buffalo is changing. Looks even better with the new HealthNow building across the highway.

Oh nonono...you poor silly dear, now I see where your hate stems from. You really are unhappy with your lot in life, please do not drag all the people of Buffalo into the gutter just becouse you and you friends are poor. There are all types of income levels for all age groups. In your circle the 21-30 somethings probably rent, in mine they are buying their first "starter" home or condo. In your circle the 30-45 somethings are buying a dreary rehab or tiny condo, In mine they are ugrading to larger homes with a 54" flat screen next to the wet bar. In your circle the 45-60 somethings are still working on the dreary rehab, In mine it's a second home on the Cape. Your friends are from Buffalo, so are mine. Maybe, just maybe if you had been an achiever instead of complaining your way through life, you'd be one of my friends...huggsy's

Thanks for the update on this project. It is very encouraging, especially because I am constantly hearing how no one in Buffalo can or wants to be able to afford a condo that sells for more than $300k. I guess this is proof positive that there are people in WNY that can and will spend big money on a condo in the city. While I agree that affordable condos ($150-300k) for the 21-45 crowd downtown would be a great addition to the scene, the 45+ crowd is also drawn to the city, and it's energy!

There are plenty of people making 6 figures plus in Buffalo. and many of them want to BUY a condo and live in the city! Are the Gates Circle condos available for pre-sales yet?

I agree much of the outer harbor was in the hands of the NFTA, Coast Guard or private entities (freezer queen, cargills). They all had fences and no trespassing signs up. hardly public access The new inner harbor plan is going to be the perfect balance on public and private space I don't argue there.

But the Erie Basin marina area has long been dominated by exclusive use condo's or parking for the boat slips or the Shanghai reds, crawdaddy's site. still not public. The little slice of public use space that wasn't a parking lot received and continues to be a very popular destination. The Hatch, and its bike path - veterans memorial park etc.. This is still mostly new in terms of public access to the waterfront. walk past the waterfront village sign and you will find it hard to even see where the water is as the condo's have claimed the shoreline for that whole stretch.

Our inner harbor will correct a lot of wrongs when done. But for 20 years there was little to no actual public spaces worth going to on the downtown waterfront.

Nonono....yeah, I guess I must be a...how did you say, an "arrogant and condescending prick". While I'm sure your two friends do contribute greatly to our region, they don't represent everyone in their 20's and 30's in WNY. I have quite a few friends who are the same age as me (33), who also contribute to WNY in a big way. They work at Geico, Ingram Micro, HSBC, M&T, UB, Univera, various law firms, and hospitals, and...well, you get the point. A mortgage payment between $150 and 300K is well within their reach.

My point here isn't that they are elitists or arrogant, but that they do exist, and are actually quite prevelant in WNY. These friends didn't graduate from Harvard or Yale, but instead places like Buff State, Fredonia and Geneseo. Today, many of them own houses in the suburbs. Almost all would prefer to live in the city...preferably downtown, but no one is going to give up tax deductible interest and appreciation on their homes in Amherst, OP, Lancaster etc. to live in an apartment in the city that offers none of the advantages of home ownership. A $1,400 monthly payment on a $200k condo isn't scary, but a $4,500 a month payment on a $550k condo sure is.

And Nonono, before you go on and accuse me of being born to wealthy parents, let me put that one to bed for ya. Born to a single mom on public assistance, I worked at a Kwik Fill to put myself through college, and my first job out of college paid me an amazing $17,100 a year in salary. Fun paying of $25k in student loans on that salary, but I managed. I'm well aware oif the struggles of getting ahead in Buffalo, but let me tell you that plenty of people are doing it everyday, and are successful contributors to our region. We are members of the 21-45 crowd, and we want to own and live in the city that we all share...If that's such a bad thing to you, then you can call me and arrogant and condescending prick as often as you like.

yes, and as a customer of the beautiful Rite Aid on Elmwood/Bryant I thank Carl P. for "getting it done"

or as a resident near the Greystone... way to get that done!!

I'm actually the condescending prick you all talk about.

Why: Let me simply say I am better than you all because, well because, I am. I get up at 10 maybe 11 am every morning, have a couple of coffee, watch tv and then take a nap. I sit around all day with a smile on my face, smoke a little, cook dinner then go out, maybe pick up a chick or maybe just get ripped. I aspire to nothingness, yet take great satisfaction in the fact I don't really ever have to work, probably never will. I was gifted a great deal of money, so I rarely worry, if ever.

Though some may see this as shallow and meaningless, I am still better than you all, better than everyone. Better than that Peace Corp volunteer, better than Lincoln, better than, well better. I am God, I am Heaven, I am Earth. I am me....

I fully agree with you but at the same time, this capitalist shouldn't be allowed to cut corners and given the edge against others like him. The project that was in competition with him for the waterfront site was well regarded as something the whole of downtown could benefit from. It was the supported plan by the city's planning department. But Paladino used his political clout to get approved even when our own planners voiced against it. Sure both plans were created to make someone money. But one of them, city supported was given the shaft because he can buy people.

Next case greystone.. how come he constantly gets dismissed from housing court? How come the building inspectors that attempt to write up higher fines and punishments for letting this building rot fear gett fired, or held back from promotions for doing their job. How come HE can put pressure to get his way in the government. That isn't what either of us want. Sure he doesn't take tax breaks but he sure does leach the teet of government to get what he wants.

What about his court street building. He was given the opportunity quasi illegally to develop that site over the Main Place garage owner who wanted to put up another parking garage. I am pretty sure there were stipulations as to when construction should start etc.. to make sure this (nothing) doesn't continue to happen. But years latter when the city could have had construction jobs and increased parking capacity later the site sits vacant. IO even liked his proposal for the site more than another parking garage but he doesn't seem ever want to follow through with a project unless it offers quick easy profits for him. Except that the rest of downtown is left with the scraps of his schemes. I am sure the neighbors around his other sites are not enjoying his ventures are garbage piles up on court and bricks fall off the back of the greystone. But no one is fining him, no one is putting him in jail, everyones hands are tied because he has too many people's pockets lined.

I am looking forward to seeing the impact that projects like this are going to have in the 2010 Census. No one is expecting a explosion but seeing growth in several downtown block clubs or neighborhoods would be very good for publicity and real estate. All those figures of population decline are estimates and it will be interesting to see what parts of the city are increasing population as well as which ones are still hemorrhaging.

I think the point isn't who is rich and who isn't but that some are allowed to take advantage of, own something that others feel is common property. The waterfront isn't something to be divided for the appreciation of a few people's condo's but is an asset that should benefit the whole city. Waterfront condos ar efine, but when they choke out the rest of the city from appreciating from it then we have a problem.

The waterfront Village does just that, you have wonderful waterfront properties that only those few people who can afford to live there get the benefits from. No one is saying stop developing the waterfront and bringing people into the city for condo's but the rest of the city should be allowed access as well.

The west side lost much of its appreciated value once the 190 was build for suburban commuter traffic. Downtown is the same way. The waterfront is a resource that should increase the value of the whole city, not just the 200 people that call the waterfront village home.

Other cities have done this, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Boston, Baltimore all have invested heavily in PUBLIC amenities for their waterfronts. The results of which are neighborhoods that either near or far holistically grew in value because EVERYONE had access to these amenities. Our waterfront village benefits NO ONE except those that live there. It was short sighted planning that looked for the quickest return on investment and therefore the rest of the city isn't benefiting from what could have been developed along the closest accessible waterfront to our downtown.

hippies? really? sorry I am not old enough for my father to remember the real hippie era. The point is he isn't the saving grace that people like to think of him. Sure he does some ok projects now and then but along the way he allows buildings to rot because of his own, or at least the incompetent engineers that he hires, miscalculations. Don't forget he caused the cave in of the greystone roof when he tried to cut through load bearing walls.

Great job genius.

He used his political pull to get exclusive use of the waterfront property site when there was a better competing plan. I am glad he does get things done here and there but overall he really only is looking out for what is best for him and his pocket book. Not what is in the best interests of the city as a whole. Far from the ideal developer for the city.

I should have stayed out of the grocery business and focused on becoming a doctor... And finding a doctor wife

Glad to see more Italians moving to Buffalo... FORZA ITALIA!!

All I really care about is that my wallet gets fat. 20 somethings 45s, who cares. I want money, yah, that's all I want. This town can go into the dust bucket for all I care, I just want to make to make sure that none of that dust gets on my BMW or over my Italian threads. Poverty sucks, please stay away!

Money, money, money....that's all I want....

Hey BuffNy: Summertime and the living is easy....catfish are jumping.....

BuffNY - take it easy on the poor guy -

Carl Malone - keep doing what your doing - you a playa! I want to hang with you! Serioulsy!

TJHorner - good for you - I wouldn't take it! I agree, that there are plenty of people that live in the Burbs that can easily afford one of these condos, build more.

hey, Im ready for the 2nd tower to get started

how important is it for you to tell us how little you do? Buy some more time and have it mean something.

You're right carlmalone, [deleted: hateful rant] Get a life, get a job. Do you have no self-respect that you can't work? Did your mommy and daddy really spoil you that much. Your time will come and you will be a poor, uneducated bum wishing you did something with your life.

sounds like a daisy if I ever heard one