Buffalo Rising Online

I would definitely fall down those stairs

Watch out for the stairs.....they'll get ya.

About those railings.... the house is not occupied (being lived in ), this was just gathering to show friends and neighbors what thing looked like. The owner tells me railings are coming soon.

Its proof that many of Buffalo's homes can either be restored to period or gutted into an open floor plan for contemporary/modern.

My hope is that Buffalo gets on the bandwagon with microturbines and heat pumps.

Heat pumps can save 30-50% in HVAC costs, then add a wind turbine to generate electricity and you can save on lighting your home or business.

The problem is intelligence and money. Even if Buffalonians have money, many do not have the intelligence to embrace such technology. Even if Buffalonians have the interest and intelligence, many do not have the money.

I reallize not everyone was lucky enough to have a father, those many who had a father didnt have a father that regardless of education knew how to use a hammer because for those who are handy....remodelling a home need not be a hugely expensive endeavor.

Tearing down a non-bearing wall is easy putting in kitchen cabinets from Mr. 2nds which actually has some nice units is easy pre-manufactured wood flooring today can be gotten at Mr. 2nds and done inexpensively

The only things I recommend hiring are roofing, gutters, electricity, plumbing and anything involving a load bearing wall. Pay the money and get it done correctly and skimp on the things that can be done by hand.

We can rebuild Buffalo into a shining example of classic, traditional, period, contemporary and modern. Buffalo is 60% empty so there is plenty of room to infill with contemporary/modern....and if we preserve/restore our post civil war (1870+) to pre WWII (-1945) then we can have some wonderful dynamism....infact, we can have some of the greenest and most dynamic urban environments in the northeast/great lakes barring but a few.

Buffalo is 60% empty? That is a staggering figure given the number of residents who are homeless or stuck in rentals that offer subhuman conditions.

I agree that geothermal heating and cooling is an underutilized resource in the area. So is solar energy.

This project is a great accomplishment for all involved. I love the deck and outside sitting area. The trees are a nice touch as well.

1800 square feet is more than ample for any family. We are too greedy as a country. The average american house is 2600 square feet, with at least 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a two car garage. This footprint is too big for the average 3 - 4 person family and is completely unnecessary.

The new american ideal is to keep it small and environmentally acceptable. This is our responsibility to our children. Our children need to learn to be more responsible and morally conscious than we were when we were their age. We are too driven by greed and status to give up some of the unnecessary things in life.

We should all aim for the middle class ideal. This is the middle path of ideals where no person is better or worse than any other person. “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”

I have a different take Quijibo...

I dont buy into global warming or that a house is to big (though I hate big SUVs and Vans and Trucks ... secretly wanting to drive them off the road, not yield to them or flatten their tires/scratch their paint LOL only partly because soldiers died for those 5 mpg pigs but also because huge vehicles are the bullies of the road intimidating everything smaller to give them the right of way)

Anyway...I digressed....people should think less about size and more about efficiency.

A property owner that spends their money on microturbines, heat pumps, insulation, windows, flash water heater, etc...is going to get more...bang out of their buck.

For example we have the technology today to make a 50mpg hybrid, a 50mpg diesel or a 50 mpg high compression gas or ethanol engine (aka turbo). People dont may have to give up SUVs, Vans, Trucks but they dont need to give up sport cars and luxury cars.

I agree 1800 is more than enough for most....but Ive been in large homes that have a crappy floor plan and Ive been in 1200 sqft homes that are open and cozy...and so well designed they are as good as 1800.

As I said...its not the car..but the efficiency of the car. Its not the sqft of the home but the efficiency and utilization of the home/business that you have.

Lastly, there are very few Buffalo businesses and home owners that understand the savings that could effect their day to day expenses if they just paid alittle attention to how they invest/spend their money on efficiency/utilitzation.

HOW MUCH?

great space...love the clean lines

It should be bigger and have an SUV parked beside it. :)

al-alo, the reason northern and western europe can have a socialist state is because the United States military is paying to defend Western Europe, Southern Europe, NorthernEurope and Eastern Europe plus Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Carribean, Mexico and Central America, Israel and a host of middle eastern countries.

Europe hasnt had to spend a fair share of its military budget on armements, troops, or national security...they couldnt even handle the balkans...and they cant even handle protecting their borders from immigrants much less nuclear missiles or an attack from Russia.

So please dont compare...Europe has been sucking from the teets of the US since WWII.

And as far as NY is concerned, its the downstate communists and socialists that are both controlling upstate politicians and institutions under a cloak of regional control and unfunded mandates....forcing upstate to pay cost of living buracracy that only downstate can afford.

As an example, the metropolitan bond forced taxes upon upstate for nyc subways. What did upstate get....a new bus!

Another example...the nys senate task force on high speed rail which taxes all of nys for high speed rail initiatives but where is the money spend? 99% is spent downstate.

ask the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Authority or the NFTA who they report to, who commands them, etc. They wont tell you their a regional organization prioritizing local high priority projects for albany...they will tell you albany is directing them what projects albany thinks are good for Buffalo-Niagara and WNY.

talk about unfunded mandates....do you know why we have somuch government in nys and particularly in upstate....because downstate issues aid in the form of matching funds. That means if you want aid and jobs, then in order to get your 50% or 75% matching funds in state aid...then you have to have the buracracy and pay for those services out of local taxes or lose the state aid. Its an incentive based unfunded mandate.....and in many cases there is no choice is providing the service even though albany will only pay a fraction of its cost.....a perfect example is medicaid.

if this house is really listed for 300k plus, it is a rip off

Buffaloweiner - I believe that you are on the cusp of an intellectual revelation as soon as you free yourself from the shackles of American thought.

America does not need the huge military machine that we all pay for. America is not under the threat of attack, yet we have the largest military of any country in the world. Why, you might ask? For aggression of course. What you refer to as policing is really the policing of thought.

We use our military for imperialistic purposes. We use our military to bully other countries into seeing things our way. We continue to amass tanks and planes in the way that a bully builds his muscles. We display our show of force on the weakest, letting the others know not to try to challenge.

We do not need the military that we have, we are leading the parade in terms of military size, other countries are building their arsenals to protect themselves from us, it is not the other way around.

Did gaustad's infinite wisdom bring him/her to that conclusion? Obviously do not know the area.

$322,000 for this place. If your going to dream. Dream Big. Just like the $194,000 for the 1 bedroom places on Chenango. HaAHAHAHHA

$179 sq. ft. Thats CHAPIN PARKWAY or Penhurst Park prices not Ashland?

I think knock_knock has been knocked_knocked. UYou are out of your fuc*&in mind. Get a grip and stay on topic. Have you seen the house?

Can anyone give up any more negativity?

What in the world does the military/industrial complex have to do with this terriffic renovation of an Elmwood Village property? Price out any new build in this neighborhood and you'll find that it is less per sq ft and also unique as a single family.

heather- I started to agree, way off topic, but then you pick on Buffalo public schools. Its the POVERTY not the schools. Do you really believe suburban schools would do any better if they faced the challenges that Buffalo as the 2nd poorest city in the nation must deal with every day.

flyguy Yes, I’ve seen the house it’s a very cool place. But, the average sq. ft. sale price on that block of Ashland is $70 sq. ft. from 2005-2007. According to the city of Buffalo web site residential sales. Basically a new house priced out of line with the neighborhood. Does the furniture come with it?

The west side has seen a great amount of prosperity in the last 5-10 years The problems of poverty and population loss still persist . Speaking from a person that just sold his house in the Burbs and moved to the west side 2 weeks ago.

Ikea sells a house just like this for a tenth of the cost....some assembly required

A small single house one block north of this house, 204 Ashland sold in three days for $319.000 (listed in recent home sales for may 2008) 167 Ashland is a double listed for $329.000 and 80 Ashland afew houses down sold last year for $297.000 The prices have really gone up on Ashland in the last few years. And they seem to be selling. But I do think this house is a little over prices because there is no basement or garage. My guess would be that it would sell for $260.000 It is very nice and in a great neighborhood.

flyguy, do you own the house ? What do you care?

I am glad that the property is finally appreciating in downtown Buffalo, but 300k plus will get you a pretty nice house anywhere in Erie County. I would have to think twice before spending that kind of money for 1800 sq ft on the west side.

Elmwood still has a ways to go. There are two trinket stores, and the same bumbs hanging out on the corners.

Gaustad maybe you should be on Amherst/Snyder rising! Why do I care? I live in the neighborhood.

They say it is all about location. If someone is willing to shell out $300,000 for this then more power to them.

I had no idea that there was a home and garden crowd and that they were so influential in swaying public opinion. Let's hope that they have the incredible insight to garner enough support so that we can repopulate the City and rebuild the Eastside.

Outstanding job with the renovatin, however...

Most of the people who work in Buffalo, including myself, could never afford such a price tag for this house. I can only speak to those people I work with, my friends and the people they know. That constitutes quite a few...

I bought my place nearly 6 years ago, 1384 sq.ft. in Tonawanda, close to South Campus UB for $74,000.00, more than three times less! I have even invested in the house to improve it's character and infrastructure and it's still not nearly worth that much asking price.

I am sorry, but even after such a beautiful renovation, and an improvement to the city, there are not many who can make this a reality in their lives around here. I am not saying that it is bad, but who is this really helping?

MichaelB- I agree few could afford this house. The only way to lower the cost of renovation is to increase the pool of skilled workers. If our vocational schools were able to train a new generation in restoration/ renovation skills we could renovate the housing stock and provide employment and a sense of pride to these students.

Flyguy, Wiseguy, I also own in the neighborhood.

Seeing how you are such a "know it all," tell me how much higher the houses are going to go in the Elmwood Village before they crash. There are not many people in this area that can afford 300k plus.

I would rather see real estate go up gradually.

If you haven't noticed, there is a major real estate crash almost everywhere in the country. Buffalo always lags the rest of the nation be 1.5 to 2 years. Prices have already started to correct. Look at the waterfront, totally overvalued, almost NOTHING has sold all summer. Prices are already down 20% and going lower in to the winter.

Buy at the peak and get slaughtered. The equity you have built in your house may take years to recover.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a "Real Estate for Dummies" book over at Barnes and Noble.

A 1800 sq ft house selling selling for 330k is ridiculous for this neighborhood.

You also failed to mention that 4 unit just sold down the street on Ashland for 180k and it has enormous cash flow. Its over 5000 sq ft. with beautiful wood work.

You don't know what you're talking about.Would you pay 330k for this house or 400k to live on the waterfront and pay 12k/ year in taxes?

The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!

Bini, this house is worth 225 - 250 tops.

330k is 183/sq foot - real high for the area.

Most home are selling for 120-130/sq ft. and this as after major appreciation!

I am a simple man , I love the house , 1800 square feet is way more then then any one needs , hell I am happy with 900 square feet .. bump for cool house .. we need more like this in buffalo .....

There is another property available that may be of interest to people interested in this one...one of the cottages on Little Summer. Listing is here: http://www.gbbourne.com/template.smpl?arg=property_search_listing&crf_id=1310186

gaustad, My opinion your rite on. This place is over the top A+++ renovation. But, it should have been targeted in the 225 - 250 range. You never know till it sells???