Buffalo Rising Online

This is Buffalo ??!!! I like the way the proposed courthouse and skyscraper seem almost to be connected parts of a whole when viewed from the south. I am, however, waiting to see what negative arguments the gainsayers will come up with against this extraordinary project !!

oh yeah!!!!!! dynomite!!!!!!!!!!!

can we see a rendering with the giant union rat that will be out there next year?

Wow. This really is one of the sexiest buildings this city has ever seen. If anyone is attending the press conference today, it would be great to ask details about the design for the ground floor. Will there be retail shops hugging the sidewalk? Will there be a plaza area that serves a warm and friendly gathering area? In essence, extending the urban feel of the Chippewa district would be a good thing.

Also, will parking be underground?

But again, I will believe all this when I see it... after all this is Buffalo.

If this project succeeds, it could be a huge turning point for Buffalo and the region. An outsider without the typical jaded, hopeless, union mentality can see the potential that Buffalo has -- it's strategic location, low-wages, and let's face it, desperation, make it a place poised for growth. That is, if the locals don't stop him.

No photos of all the renderings on the walls from Queenseyes?

And I thought we were only allowed to seek tenents from Erie County. You mean we are actually allowed to go outside Erie county to find tenants and can do all of this with out crying to the local IDA or getting a state compact?

Add to that the end of the 190 tolls....

whew....I must now lie down in the fetal position for a while until reality returns...

I'm still waiting for the first NIMBY or BANANA to complain about the aesthetics of the proposed building or the negative impact it will have on the pigeon population...time for an enviromental impact study!

Small correction... the building will be located at South Elmwood and West Mohawk not West Huron.

News of such developments are exciting. People from outside WNY see the value of our location, resources, etc. From 40 stories, you can almost touch Toronto from Buffalo! For business looking for office space, Buffalo is a bargain. Good Luck Bashar.

"Make no little plans--they have not the power to stir men's blood," Daniel Burnham... architect of Buffalo's Ellicott Square Building

Honestly though,

Like the renaissance center in Detroit, one new tower does not make a city. But with all the other "smaller" developments DT going on, especially in the living realm, this is a nice big chunk on our way upwards on onwards...

Great urban design of inviting street level shops and underground parking is included. I don't see how one could complain about this preliminary design.

Hopefully the seeking of tenants from NYC, Toronto, etc to an "affrodable" (per NYC/Toronto costs) 5 star signature building will also get the ball rolling on this long overdo luring of out of town buisnesses to the area, and spur other new developments.

And just imgine the views from those condos.....

Should Mr. Issa's plans for this and the Statler come to full fruitation, I suggest pulling the plug on "Bass Pro" and giving him 60 million.

Should Mr. Issa's plans for tthis and the Statler come to full fruition, I suggest pulling the plug on Bass Pro and giving 2 million dollras a piece to 30 different retailers.

Having just returned from Europe I can attest that new and old CAN coexist.

This new project will fit nicely with New Era and what becomes of the Dulski Federal Office Building.

Build it!

Congrats Buffalo! That is a truly remarkable structure. If it indeed tops out at 600 feet (as reported in the News), not only will it be the tallest in Buffalo, it will be the tallest in Upstate NY - 11 feet taller than the Corning Tower in Albany. I guess it takes an outsider to show us what we're capable of. Just one favor, can you get this guy to come to Rochester too?

This is fantastic news! I hope this project comes to fruition. If they market this outside the region, I guarantee that they will bring in people from NYC and Toronto that want to cut costs.

Love love love the design... but I won't deny that my first impression of the proposed tower reminded me of Boston's John Hancock!

http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~yuanyuan/pics/Travel/medium/Boston-John-Hancock-Tower.jpg

Regardless, I'll take it! Awesome job!

LITTLE CONFUSED - Isn't this the same mixed use project being proposed for the Statler - condo's, retail, office, hotel - ????

Is it possible to have two enormous projects like this rigt across the street from one another?

Great news, but seems a little agressive.

Awesome! I love tall buidlings with setbacks. BTW, anyone know the status of the courthouse? Last I heard it hd one more political hurdle to jump in DC. The final '07 budget?? If so, that probably won't be until January/February. Darn. Anyway, much success Mr. Issa.

wow, this is amazing. build it! and if anyone starts complaining about this, please, go away.

i agree with retail help. Ax the Bass pro deal NOW. i would rather see millions of dollars flow this guys way. What a buzz this would create for our city. just imagine it.

Plus the economic impact of this project on our city would far outweigh any impact a BASS PRO SHOP would have on our economy. Why give tens of millions of dollars to a retail box giant when the failure risks are so high for retail in that area of the city.

The current market doesn't warrant a need for this much proposed space but it may in years to come.

Buffalo 2010 could be a very different sight compared to 2000. A decade of progess would be nice to realize....

He even said that this is all private money and anything from the public sector is bonus money. What a great way to signal that Buffalo is pro-development. I'm not so eager to ax Bass Pro yet. That will bring a projected 2 million people to the waterfront. Some of those people will be the ones that stay at the hotel in this tower. That retail roject is much different from this. What the city can do is help Mr. Issa market this in Toronto and NYC. buy some billboards on the QEW so that the commuters stuck in traffic will see it every day. I have no doubt this project will succeed.

Almost giddy.... I might have to join MJ in the fetal position for a little while.

Let,Aeos see urban design, - on an underutilized lot - check - underground / structured parking - check - mixed use - check - iconic - check - awe-inspiring - double check

looks good from this buddy Architect / Urban Designer ;)

I actually really like the way the federal court and this building play off of one another, similar skins but one curved, one angled. It would indeed be a nice compliment to our history of excellent architecture.

What we imagine we create, we believe there is a god then god is in our lives, we dont then we don't see god. Elmwood Avenue was started and turned around in the 80's because people imagined and fought for that. It is time for Buffalo and the Region to RE-imagine ourselves.

This looks like a much better design than the one for the new courthouse with its setback. Here's an example of a design complementing its neighborhood instead of intruding on it.

I don't see what unions have to do with this.

As exhilarating as this is, it's worth noting that BRO has another post about Buffalo's efforts to host the National Trust's conference on historic preservation in 2011. While this new Issa building fills an empty space in downtown and adds new drama to the skyline, the proposed court house design will tear down a really fine building (interior and exterior): the Erlanger Theater, as well as a the oldest private home on Niagara Square. That's not a good gesture for a city that is becoming known globally for its architectural integrity.

So, new buildings can be exciting and positive, as this new tower promises to be. But new buildings at any cost and on any terms? No...that stance will continue to hurt Buffalo in the long term.

Anyone know the height?

mj worthington, we have some good stuff coming... soon.

600 ft.

This design is definitely Sexy!! The mix use of all in one is a plus and it's location is great! Win Win- I'm Excited

eric wrote - " i don't see what do unions have to do with this"

well what do they have to do with any project in new york state? take a drive by any new construction project that is using more non-union labor than union to see exactly what i mean. perhaps you should reseach the recent trial of local 91 union leaders. recently, you could have seen union labor's inflatable rat, along with their picketers outside of uniland's deleware avenue project, or outside of paladino's united office building(niagara falls), protesting the employment of non-union labor.

not that it will stop mr issa'a building, but i would think in a project of this magnitude in this day and age, their would be some non-union labor involved. this means picketing and a bunch of passing motorists beeping and yelling about something most of them have no understanding of. oh yeah, and a giant inflatable rat.

so there you go, thats what unions have to do with this.

Buffalo is an unpolished GEM!

I moved here from suburban NYC (New Jersey) several months ago, sick of the 1.5 hour commute to work with 8 million other people willing to pay $750,000 for a 900 square foot house.

You're right, out-of-towners see the incredible value Buffalo offers, both in commercial and residential real estate. Buffalo has the infrastructure, architecture, and history to become a first-class city.

It's too bad many of the locals don't share in this vision. The local media (with the exception of BRO) does nothing but add to the cynicism. Most of the naysayers have never left Buffalo and therefore don't know how good they have it.

As the population continues to swell over 300,000,000 and the traditional economic centers become too expensive, rust belt cities like Buffalo will see a turnaround as our free market economy corrects for inefficiencies.

Class A office space in a world class building is what Buffalo needs. Too many people are trying to bring manufacturing jobs back to the region. The brick and mortar economy is dead. We need information economy jobs to sustain the local economy. Just look at emerging cities like Phoenix, Denver, etc. This project mike give information based companies a reason to come to Buffalo.

I'm glad to see that Bashar sees the potential here.

Also, this region needs to undergo a national PR campaign to re-image itself. It's amazing at the reputation this city has in other parts of the country. Most people have never been here, but are quick to say, "Buffalo? Why would you want to move there? Doesn't it snow in July." I had the CEO of a major NYC firm tell me I was crazy for moving here. "Buffalo's dead" he said. Since the Blizzard of '77, national media has done nothing but stereotype Buffalo as a frozen tundra.

This project is very exciting! Buffalo is a national bargin and a project like this can help to inform the business community why they should move here. By the end of this decade...only about 3 years away....Buffalo 's new look will be taking shape.

nicely said Paul, the first step in REimaging ourselves to for US the People and Citizens of this region to stop thinking we are the worst place on the planet to live.

Once that is done the rest will fall in line. Word of mouth spreads quickly in the internet age

I still don't see what unions have to do with this project going forward or not. For my own part as a member of no union, I'm grateful to the union movement for giving people weekends, decent pay, health benefits (they would not exist for most people were it not for unions) and the country a large, prosperous middle class. Corporate industry and the union movement have both been warped into twisted versions of what they should be. But the day I feel sorry for a developer is a long way off.

But what a handsome building this is.

I thought it was 48 stories. What is the correct storied height?

Paul,

I hear you! I moved back to Bflo after 10 years. One of my best life decisions.

I am at a national conference in Orlando this week. The snow jibes and "Are you crazy?!" comments are getting old. Just talking about the snowstorm to those that don't get it is exhausting. They look at me like I am supposed to be physically battered or in the process of signing up a moving company to take me back to California.

I cannot wait to see this project move forward!!

I think it's a great project, but it seems overly-ambitious. I hope Issa has done his homework. There's a lot of residential, retail, office, and hotel space planned for Downtown. I don't fancy myself a naysayer, but I'd like to see what a market study shows about the ability of Downtown to absorb several hundred high-end condos, equally as many new hotel rooms, lord knows how much retail space (if you haven't noticed, Downtown is not exactly a shopping mecca), and more than a million square feet of office space. In addition to Issa's glass tower and the Statler renovation, there is growing interest in Downtown from the Acquest-Uniland tag team, which has similar plans for the Dulski building. They have already completed one project (Niagara Center) in the same 4 or 5 block area. While no single project boasts the amount of space that I mentioned, if you combine them all, it adds up fast. This "new wave" of development could flood the market and wash more than one developer out of town. I understand the momentum that has been building in Downtown, but I'm not sure if Buffalo is ready to get hit all at once with this much new space. Unfortunately, I think the first horse out of the gate is going to win here. [comments appreciated]

Eric, you are clueless my friend...If you had any business sense you would know that the only people Unions benefit are Union members, not Developers, or Entrepeneurs, or business owners. Union labor is expensive, ornary, and unmotivated because they get paid no matter how the job is done. Trust me, Ive built several buildins with both Union and non union labor.

The union issue is a distraction here; I just don't see why reflex anti-union opinions should be part of the commentary on this project. It's as dim as saying that all corporations are bad. Many are, just as many unions are counterproductive. I grew up in a business, and I still can see that unions saved the lives of thousands of child and adult workers, gave people health care, and the possibility of not working to death for miserable pay. It's just history.

I just wanted to chime in on the union issue. I am not agaist unions, but I believe their time in history may have passed. They were absolutely necessary at the turn of the century when the Carnagies and Rockerfellers ruled the world. Without the unions the USA would not be what it is today. But now all of the anti-trust laws and the emergence of a global economy, the unions aren't quite as important as they once were. There are more than adequate employment related laws to protect the workers - all there because the unions fought for them so they definately deserve credit. But now, especially in union friendly New York State, the unions have an unfair advantage, leaving employers told how to run their business. This can really hamper development. People are reluctant to invest in upstate New York - mostly because of the unions.

My 2 cents.

Boy, give people a shiny new Photoshop phallic symbol and just watch the ecstasy on BRO! Geeze, some of you people should, you know, get a room or something. These orgiastic displays of affection make me wonder if you're typing one-handed.

Shiny new phalic or not why not be excited about some new development in our city? As a young professional about to leave grad school and enter the field I'm more than excited to see some positive news concerning the future growth of Buffalo. I'm one of the few graduates who believe in this city and would like to stay and watch it grow. Things like this begin to make the decision not to go to NY or somewhere out west a little easier to swallow, when opportunities for jobs are clearly more abundant elsewhere.

someone should photoshop the south buffalo rugby team into the rendering.

anyone ever see "the music man"?

Who remembers the Global SA project.. ?

back about 1962 it was announced in a banner headline in the Buffalo Evening News... three giant towers on the waterfront by

the Aud. A huge hoax and a flop. Oh well, this should be a go!!

I congratulate Mr. Issa for this planned project

Who remembers the Global SA announcement in 1952 - banner headlines in the Buffalo Evening news... flopped big time.

But this should be a go go!!

Forgive me for heading off topic, but saying that unions have outlived their usefulness is like saying that Vitamin C has outlived its usefulness now that no one gets scurvy anymore. Well, duh, skip the citrus fruits and watch scurvy make a roaring comeback.

Dump unions and watch unpaid overtime, 50-60 hour weeks, benefit-free McJobs, retaliation for grievances, employer spying, dangerous job sites, and all other manner of workplace oppression come back. Don't care for the word "oppression?" Then call it by its disingenuous modern euphemism: "stress."

Oh, wait, all this stuff DID come roaring back, because everyone got convinced that unions are unnecessary and evil.

Maid ....HIGH FIVE.

pretty nice..they should start building it soon

The building would be a caffeine shot in the arm, no doubt, but so many other things must fall into place as pre/co requisites that it may be stalled before it starts. I, more than anyone, would love to see Buffalo become a major industrialized center of the country, much less the world, but as long as we have 1000 people trying to make simple decisions it will never happen. Buffalo must become better at everything to make this dream come true; schools, development, unions, all to name a few. Yet what must happen first is the people of Buffalo must stop cannibalizing the city itself. This is truly one of the nicest places on earth to live, a good moderation of everything. If you don't see that then take a trip further out than Jamestown and you'll notice this. Good, hard working people, willing to do anything for their town, their team. Businesses know those are the people to hire, if only they were to take a peak up here...