Buffalo Rising Online

Sep 29th 2005, 11:17am By queenseyes

If, and that is a big eifi, the Seneca Nation eventually builds a casino in Downtown Buffalo, the DL&W (Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad) train terminal is the best choice as far as location is concerned. I have been fascinated with the DL&W ever since my dad took me down to see The Cotter (Buffalois fireboat) when I was a kid.

The terminal is an awesome sight (site) on the river. I donit think that many Buffalonians understand how big this complex actually is. The upper level, which was the elevated concourse for train arrivals and departures, is massive. Not only is the inside massive, there are platforms that wrap the facility that allow for incredible views of the river and the grain mills. The DL&W is larger than life...

Everything is big. The ceilings, the beams, the columns, the windowsOe just the space in general. The only structures that it doesnit dwarf are the grain elevators and the HSBC Arena.

I am not overly excited about the idea of casinos in Buffalo, what I am saying is that if one is to comeOe this is the space. The terminalis proximity to the HSBC Arena, parking galore, the Cobblestone District, the Buffalo River, the Erie Canal terminus, The Aud, the Naval Park, the new bike trail, the Light Rail, The Atrium, the grain elevators, Lake Erie, and the marinasOe the amenities are endless. The fact that the Light Rail pulls right into the terminal is awesome. I always imagined a huge market (like the Washington Market in Toronto) in the upper level that you could just hop on one of the cars to get to. Just pull into the station, walk upstairs, and viola, youire there. But when is that Washington Market going to come? Whatis it going to take? A casino? Who knows.

The DL&W has an enormous upper deck the size of a couple football fields. Standing on this deck is an experience in itself. I would like to say that it puts everything into perspective, but there really is no perspective. There is however, a feeling of history. My dad told me stories of the thousands of people that used to flock to this complex on the river. The trains would come roaring in with steam blasting into the air, which would set off commuters into a frenzy of activity. On the other side of the terminal, big boats would pull up and tie their ropes to the iron stays along the side of the terminal and passengers would jump off, adding to the activity and commotion on land.

Now I know all the reasons that people donit want casinos here. They range from land ownership issues to the monetary related problems of gambling. Believe me, the last thing I would want to see is a project of this magnitude fail. The landowners could feasibly grab the closest wrecking ball and knock the structure down to the ground with one fell swoop. That is just one example of the many scary scenarios that ecouldi arise. But then again, if he Seneca Nation can turn the building into an operational, fully functioning building that is accessible to the publicOe well, worse things could happen. Itis funny, I keep hearing people say, iIim against casinos coming to BuffaloOe unless they renovate and save a building like the Central Terminal (on the East Side)i. So here we have another relatively obscure building located in an area that is crying for development. Is a casino the ticket? eThe ticketi certainly isnit more office space for the NFTA, thatis for sure.