Detroit has all the attractiveness of downtown Niagara Falls,NY before the Seneca Casino. Isnt it ironic how the city that was once built by the capitals of the auto industry (and its suppliers) has as much respect for and desire to keep its historical buildings as its auto industry is to respect and keep its history of cars.

Well, it means that Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago will be the only Great Lakes cities that respect their past while embracing their future.

While I deplore the decades of lost economic growth and the toll it has taken on our families and communities.....we should be greatful that it slowed Buffalo down from tearing down so many of the buildings that we are now saving. Buffalo is going to have a large swath of a historical district moving north and a downtown with large swaths of land open for high density expansion to the south and to the east.

In short, the future of Buffalo may resemble for of Montreal and Quebec and european cities with old districts and new districts. The historical districts are marking old Buffalo and the east and south sides are marking New Buffalo. Yes, Buffalo is going to pave the way for having the best of both old and new.

Buffalo can't host a Super Bowl, we don't have a dome stadium. Do you expect all those VIPs to sit in the cold? :-) When we build a stadium downtown in a few years, with a dome or retractable roof, then we can host a Super Bowl.

Not to worry. Our leaders very wisely put the Ralph in Orchard Park so there wouldn't be any pressure on downtown buildings should "Buffalo" every host the superbowl.

No the grass isnt greener. Id much rather be from Buffalo than Detroit.

Starting with the Sheas, Buffalo has grown to appreciate its architectural heritage. The Sheas has taught us to morn the loss of the Larkin Administration Building and the DL&W Concourse and the Buffalo Savings Bank and St Pauls Cathedral, the Iraquois Hotel the Bank that was at the present main place mall and many other lost structures including the German Catholic Orphanage which would have made great apartments for the Olmstead designed Humboldt Park.

However, beginning with the Sheas.....we have saved the Central Terminal, the Greystone, AM&As, the Statler, the Richardson, the Sullivan Prudential Building and many others. Unfortunately

I think that the lesson that has yet to be learned by Buffalo (but has been learned by Milwaukee, Chicago and Cleveland) is that new downtown structures must be as architecturally significant as the surrounding structures if not more so.

One has only to look at the HealthNow Office Complex to reallize what a total architectural abortion this building is compared to City Hall, the waterfront townhomes and the Wright designed Boathouse that are adjacent to it (just like the hotel that looks like a prefab trailer sitting under the skyway is an architectural abortion too)

I was in Detroit for the Superbowl and parking was abundant and cheap only blocks from the stadium. I paid only $10 for the entire day!

We better hurry up and tear some stuff down. Detroit is going to have more shovel ready sites than Buffalo. We should don't want to fall behind Detroit in the race to eliminate everything.

I'm sure we could have a downtown stadium, and host a super bowl without having to destroy a bunch of historic buildings-it sounded like it was more the city's choice rather than the NFL making them-but i could be wrong.

I find that much of detroit's blight can be summarized by looking at a website known as forgottendetroit.com. Some of the content of this site makes me happy that we in buffalo are able to retain and stablize some of our most important structures.

Look beyond the glitter and shine of a superbowl and you see the failure of detroit to retain and celebrate its most signature structures. All of a sudden the fabric of urban character is torn.

We all like to complain, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

But what about the shovel ready sites. We will never reach Detroit's level without the shovel ready sites. All the obstructionists are keeping us from having more shovel ready sites.

lets not get crazy- the waterfront townhomes do not represent great architecture

is it of the opinion from the general population that buffalo is better off than detroit? i sure hope so...

No doubt..After checking www.forgottendetroit.com, I'm glad Buffalo doesn't have the type of eye sores, high rises and emptyness as Detroit has in their downtown center. Buffalo is much better and more vibrant.