200k for a sign that has not been taking down. I would also like some answers for that one.

The helicopter and jet air plane next to the "red shed" got to go. Historians and others make such a big deal out of this place. It looks retarded and is shaping up to be a huge waste of tax payer money. It will attract no one in its current condition. It is a joke.

Get rid of the red shed....makes no sense...that was not part the erie canal..

Street acts down there are key. I was wondering the other day why the bumbs in this town are soooo lazy. They don't do anything for their change. Play an instrument, perform, juggle, do something!

Buffalo has the worst pan handlers in the country.

It's great to see this kind of development on the waterfront, but I have to ask, didn't they have anyone involved who had previous experience with historic or historic-themed development? The bridge looks good and the limestone blocks and sandstone cobblestones but many of the other elements look cheesy to me. I take issue with these: 1. The billboard sign which I've heard is coming down and much of the interpretive signage 2. The Commercial Slip lettering on the bridge 3. The fake "doorway" into the building basements 4. New wooden flooring in the basements? 5. Cut granite curbing???? 6. Steel bulkheads behind the canal walls and beneath the wharf really look out of place

Jay- rumor has it that Larry Quinn has commissioned a solid gold statue of himself pouring water into the canal.

flyguy, it’s not a threat. I don’t do graffiti. All I meant is that we can to some degree anticipate what happens in a public space. By exposing theses walls and building a patio for people to gather we acknowledge that the walls are not too historically significant and that a little spilled beer, some wasted bubble gum, bird shit or graffiti is OK and we will just clean it up after. Maybe we are treating this like Stonehedge and there is some sort of barrier surrounding that spot just beyond the photo. I'd much rather anticipate the public's behavior accept it and design for it than design something inappropriately sensitive and have to introduce oppressive security and surveillance.

A few things both good & bad as I had a look around on Tuesday...

1. What has been completed to date looks very nice.

2.Public space along the water is always a good thing and it looks like there is plenty of it between the Commercial Slip and the Arena.

3.New Naval Park bldg. looks great. Can't wait to get a look inside.

4. The Buffalo Place proposal to maintain the site seems good, but I'd like to know if they plan on bringing any entertainment to the area. Any kind of entertainment during the weekday lunch hours and on the weekend during the summer would be a big hit. They don't need 5 person rock bands. A guitarist, mime or other 1 person acts would be great and not real costly.

5.Spending 200k+ on interpretive signage that is now coming down because the ECDHC didn't realize how it would look. Are they kidding me. Did no one consider a scale model or a computerized image of this. Way to piss away 200 G's. Who is being held accountable for this?

6.What are they doing for public restrooms?

7.Light poles illuminating the ruins really looks cheap.

8.QE didn't take a picture of all the debris at the end of the slip. Once it is cleaned up for the opening, how will it be prevented from re-occurring.

9.Hopefully a couple of food carts will be allowed on site until permanent eateries can be established somewhere down the line.

10.When does the next phase get announced? Visitor Center, Museum, finishing the old street grid, relocating the Kelly Island Pumping Station.

11.Some of the exhibits in the Naval Yard need to be rehabbed or discarded. The PT boat in particular is embarrassing.

12.Security....Someone made a great point earlier about this and I hope it is addressed early on as this area will be open to the public 24x7.

In summary, compared to what this has looked like for the last few years, GREAT JOB. That being said, they have a long way to go.

Wow. These tiny changes have really made a difference. Good job so far.

I enjoy heading down there for the Naval Park, it will be cool to have a few new things to do or check out.

I too have noticed some extra people wandering around.

i'm not sure if there is one of those new crime cameras down there yet or not but can we please get one there ASAP, every time i go there and i see those foundations I just picture the day they are covered with graffiti.

How cool would it be if somehow the skyway could come down (or maybe that is an exit ramp)? Does anybody know if that is a possibility within the next, oh say, 10 years? Or is that ugly thing here for a long while???

nice progress. 11 people might not be a lot but it isn't fully open and 11 is better than 0. have to start somewhere. Once it is open and a shop or two open up I think it will be a popular place to chill.

So far so good. If the rest of the development (bass pro, cafes, shops, etc) is just as good, Buffalo will have something to be really proud of.

Now is to much to ask for a broze statue of Gov. Clinton pouring water out of a bucket! I think that would be cool.

At least re-do the exterior of the Marine Drive appartments.

If you didn't want graffiti on those foundations you should have left them buried.

good story BUT everyone knows that the fate of the Wharf District rests almost entirely on:

1) the demolition of the Donovan Building 2) the demolition of the Aud 3) the extension of the Commercial Slip and the rewatering of sections of the original Erie Canal and the original Main und Hamburg Canal 4) the construction of Bass Pro at the former Spaulding site.

WHERE ARE WE WITH PHASE II OF THE CANAL DISTRICT?

Once that happens then I think it will happen almost immediately that those empty sites on Prime, Lloyd, Hanover, etc will fill up with quaint restaurants, offices, apartments etc fitting to the period.

WHAT WOULD BE PHASE III?

In my opinion that would either be one of two possibilities. A rewatered Ohio Basin surrounded by a new convention, conference and hotel center.

or

lift bridges for autos and pedestrians over to the outer harbor Furhmann Boulevard where the wharf district could easily continue un-interrupted.

IDEA TO PONDER FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COBBLESTONE DISTRICT AND THE DL&W!!!!!!!!

Everyone knows that the NFTA occupying the first floor of the DL&W makes the 2nd floor practically un-accessable and un-useable. However, there is an alternative with the extension of Light Rail to the Airport the NFTA maintenance sheds on the first floor of the DL&W could be relocated to the Central Terminal paving the way for a full redevelopment of the 1st and 2nd floor of the DL&W. Perhaps even reconstruction of the demolished passenger concourse which would integrate the Wharf District all the way to Michigan.

You read my mind, UrbanGuy

Can't wait for the retail and restaurants to arrive.

Next steps IMO ...1) tear down the skyway and 2) convert Marine Drive Apts into condos.

The skyway must go. Yuk!

I Can't wait. When Ihave friends from out of state visit, THIS will be the first place I take them !!! Then off to the Falls.

Looks fantastic! I'll definitely be going down this weekend with the kids to check it out.

Are the stone walls going to eventually see replica buildings over them in the near future as part of the next phase?

i was down there last sunday i saw all the debris and a nice big rusty tire sitting under the bridge that said 'commercial slip' they need to clean that up and some how prevent it form continuing to build up, but all in all the smaller signs and such were very informative and interesting.. and extension of the slip would be nice but what really is the big deal about buildings being under the sky way its an elevated high way its not gonna fall down on you

Hopefully we have the foresight to save the foundations of other irreplaceable historic buildings that are deemed worthless and subsequently demolished.

There is supposed to be a pump installed to keep the slip water circulating so the debris doesn't accumulate.

anyone hear the talks of moving thursday in the squae to the waterfront? i guess this could be the spot, thatd be cool and would really draw attention.

I was down there checking out the new improvements last Satuday while we were on the MS Walk and I am really impressed with the changes made in the last year. It really is nice to see things starting to take shape. We are going to head back down there this weekend if the weather holds out.

Just curious ... was it ever proposed (or even feasible) to rebuild replica buildings on the original foundations? If it were possible, would that be "bad"?

The ruins are kinda neat too... just curious if rebuilds were considered too.

this is a great start, and the site looks better and better by the day. some sort of food vendor is definitely needed in this area. once people go down here, check out the site, the naval museum and hang out by the water they will then leave when they are hungry.

With all of our conversation about led lighting, the place that could really use some decoration would be the skyway. We could solve one of the problems of the skyway by simply adding light fixtures to the top of the pillars. These would not be your neighbors security lights, or anything thats on sale at home depot. But some kind of metal and glass globe fixture in the art deco theme. They would take away that disintresting space and replace it with a stronger sociability from down below. Now i can't really see a reason to build under this thing, but if they are planning on doing it, they must create some new architectural lighting for the skyway.

The demolition of the skyway should have been the first thing to happen.

Walking around down there I will always be looking up everytime I hear a car.

It looks great and I'm excited about the future, but please get rid of the skyway.

"The helicopter and jet air plane next to the "red shed" got to go."

*** I personally thing that its pretty neat the see the aircraft that has been used in the past. Where else can you go around here to see something like that? Maybe I am jaded because I am an aeronautics buff but I don't see a problem with them being in the Naval Park. It's not like it in the middle of Niagara Square, it's in the Naval Park and I think it's fitting. Just my opinion though.

~"If you didn't want graffiti on those foundations you should have left them buried."~

Huh? Seriously?

I have to admit...I have been a little shocked on how many people are already down at the site checking it out. For 15 years, I've been riding my bike down that way, and never have I seen so many people wandering around, especially near the terminus. One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, at 10:30 a.m., there were 11 people (not part of a group) walking around the Commercial Slip...just checking it out. At first I was skeptical of the drawing power of the site...I'm quickly becoming a believer.

Here are some more photos from the Memorial Day opening of the Commercial Boat Slip:

http://flickr.com/photos/14610035@N08/sets/72157605256232135/show/