I agree with your statement. I also think that Buffalo should keep it up for a while and give it a chance. I personally think that it would shed more light on the history of the area for both residents and visitors and the money is already spent on it so it won't cost anything additional to keep it up. Let's give it a chance!
First I enjoyed my visit to the commercial slip and naval park and think the overall project is first rate but the save the graphics has sent me over the edge....The graphic and interpretive design is extremely poor for a project this long in the planning process. It is all about refinement or lack of ... while certain components are very nice like the glass panels at the base of the ugly interpretive wall. This structure is ugly because the steel poles that supports it overwhelm the ghosted elements it supports (the only thing it improves is the skyway that now appears as a more refined structure). The commercial slip words painted on the bridge are an embarrassment to the community .. why not slap some Bills logos on it while we are at it (this should be changed if nothing else is addressed ) ... many great examples of ways to words to bridges exist on our railroad overpasses. The door are also one of those great ideas with no real way to execute that does not create more visual problems that solves. All graphics lack visual refinement ... just a little more review before they went to press would have helped a lot. All of these things I could look past if it wasn't for the fact that visitors impressions of our city and us will be made here everyday.... Thanks glad I got that off my chest !
Urban Guy...We are on the same page. I mentioned this in a post on the Commercial Slip Part I article. Why mothball something that cost 200k? Give it a chance and see what the visitors think. It scares me when the people in charge of the innner and outer harbor(ECDHC) are making knee jerk decsions like this.
Only in Buffalo would a few non-elected officials decide to scrap something that we already paid for before the taxpaying public got to see it. It's there, we bought it, lets see it.
the green "commercial slip" letters have to go - who is the "urban planner" that came up with this idea. Larry put down the scotch buddy.
It desecrates our history. Paddleboats down there would be a nice touch. Why is N. Tonawanda river walk so far ahead of us!? There were packed today.
Give the people a hot dog, fries, and a milk shake. They will be all set.
why the hell are non-museum/history professionals in charge of interpretive signage? you cant tell me this was a good choice.
what a joke. a sophomore in Buff State's museum studies program could have designed better.
I just don't think it works as a ghost facade, no one gets it because there are no other brick buildings down there to correlate to. The "windows" could work if sectioned into thirds and placed throughout the site or even a continuous promenade showcasing the type of work/trades that once made that area thrive. Place them closer to the ground so you can approach them and relate to them.
keep the glass signage and get rid of the prison fence.
And I hope someone put a nice coat of thompsom water seal on that boardwalk, otherwise that will have to rebuild every year. Should be interesting.
with the high price of gasoline we may have to re-open this puppy once and for all and start sending ships through here again.
Now we have a new and improved commerical slip to jump start Buffalo's economy.
Gaustad: I was thinking the same thing about the boardwalk....it really did suprise me on how cool everything looks and the possibilites are endless but they have to seal all of that wood to make it last!
My Aunt and Uncle (ex-pats from Chicago) were down there yesterday and loved it, and they made special mention of the interpretive signs. Since we've already paid for them, why not wait and see what actual visitors think of them?
I haven't had a chance to see the slip yet, although I drive by it on my way to work every morning...I think the signs look great, and I too hope they plan to keep them up or give them a chance. It seems to me that the slip has no context to stand within if there's no history to give of the slip and the area around it. Without the signage there's no relevance.
Taking the sign down would be a step backward. Energy/money/time/decisions should be focused on moving forward. It's a good start, let's use our limited resources to focus on what's next.
They're not proposing to eliminate the interpretive signage, just to move it to a different spot around there. They are proposing to remove the 4-story "ghost facade", eventually displaying the panels in the museum.
The criticism is that the thing 'acts more as a view-blocking billboard than its stated purpose'.
Harbor Corp. wants changes from ESDC
April 24, 2008 Business First of Buffalo - by James
The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. is recommending a series of changes to the $53 million downtown Buffalo initiative. ... The changes run from cosmetic to more extensive work such as removing the controversial four-story tall interpretive facade along the Commercial Slip that acts more as a view-blocking billboard than its stated purpose.
In a letter, written April 22, by Jordan Levy, the harbor development board chairman, to Empire State Development Corp.'s design and construction division, the recommended changes include:
- Removing the interpretative facade and relocating its glass map along the bottom half of the structure to another location on the site. The top panels should stored and used later in a proposed Erie Canal museum, Levy said.
- The lime green "Commercial Slip" lettering across an existing bridge be removed and the bridge re-painted to hide the sign's presence.
- Small signs offering historical information, perspective and back stories should be installed along the brick ruins from what remains of the Steamboat Hotel that sits alongside the commercial slip. A second series of signs designating which stones along the commercial slip are original should also be installed.
- Relocating see-through, glass historical signs along the railroad bridge walkway down to the commercial slip.
- Adding a second locator sign along the west side of the commercial slip.
- Building a temporary fence with a historic feel that separates the public portion of the harbor project from those sections still under construction.
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/04/21/daily36.html
We went to the Commercial Slip yesterday and were blown away by how nice it was. What is there is beautiful and what has the potential to be there is inspiring. Everyone visiting was very excited and spent time to take it all in. The most crowded area was in front of the huge sign. People took the time to read what was on the glass panels and look at the pictures of the people in the windows. People were very vocal about what they thought and to a person, many commented on how nice the signage was. People "got" the fact that it was a building facade. I agree with several posters above - the signage should be given a chance in it's current position and in it's current arrangement. The Marine Dr apartments detracted more from the view and the experience than this signage. (I can't believe someone isn't waiting in the wings chomping at the bit to develop that land.) The green commercial slip signage was distracting - I agree that there are other, better ways lettering could be added to the bridge, if it's even needed at all.
"Gaustad: I was thinking the same thing about the boardwalk....it really did suprise me on how cool everything looks and the possibilites are endless but they have to seal all of that wood to make it last! "
From what I recall, treated wood needs to age a bit before application of secondary treatments.
All the signage should go. Then they should hire a professional with some experience and do it right. Also, get rid of all the inconsistent elements such as the cut granite curbing, wooden floors in the basements, etc., and replace them with materials that actually would have been used in Buffalo such as sandstone cobblestones, brick, onondaga limestone, etc. Next, initiate an audit or an investigation and find out what they did with all the money that was spent.
Chris......that is about the dumbest thing I have ever read....seriously, get out of your mothers basement and join reality!
Add more historic buildings and leave the signage along. I changed my mind after touring it. It offers an intensive explaination of the development of Buffalo. I agree there is a feel of stadium construction.
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