Buffalo Rising Online

Steele, I'm pretty sure, it was Anthony Masiello, who spearheaded the restoration. He was a state senetor at the time, and secured the money from the state. He grew up near there. I also believe that during the restoration they uncovered a mural that was done as a Works Progress Administration project. It s a mural depicting the history of the military uniforn.

Thanks for calling attention to this amazing, beautiful structure. I must note, too, that Niagara Street is a sadly under-looked treasure n one of only 2 still-intact Ellicott-designed radial steets that lead to City Hall / Niagara Square. It is THE gateway to downtown Buffalo from Canada. There are some absolutely GORGEOUS homes across from the Armory and, if the Peace Bridge / Plaza issues would EVER get finally resolved, they would be prime property on (what could be) a Grand Boulevard from waterfront to City Hall. I have been trying to find out what, in heavens name, ever happened with the Plaza-relocation efforts. "We" sued for an open process and to have the bridge and plaza treated as one but, the doors appear to have been slammed shut on keeping the public informed about anything other than the "final" bridge design. Does anyone know of a website that is up to date on the issue (and plan)? This one: http://www.peacebridgex.com/whatsnew.asp doesn't seem to answer the plaza questions. I thought this one http://www.nmgonline.org/ might have the answer but, also does not. The plaza plan is once again "secret" it seems and leaves several beautiful homes and a neighborhod in limbo. What's up???

The interior of the Connecticut Street Armory is breathtaking. The woodwork in the drill hall is truly spectacular.

Come see if for yourself and support a good cause by coming to Shakespeare in Delaware Park's 12th annual Fabulous Feast. Find more info about the Fabulous Feast in BRO's Now channel or by going to www.shakespeareindelawarepark.org.

Does anyone remember the local band Paper Faces? They wrote a song about the 1982 blaze called "Fire At The Armory" . Paper Faces played the Continental a lot. I think I still have their (vinyl) album at home... gosh I'm old!

I wrote the Peace Bridge Authority and the New Millenium Group about the proposed gateway project.

My question was simple. Why cant we start the Gateway Project now so that it will be completed by the time we start bridge construction (...redevelopment of Front Park and Niagara Street ... sidewalks, lamp posts, curbs, street reconstruction and building upgrades)

The answer is that all land associated with the Peace Bridge development is frozen until all the paperwork for the peace bridge is completed. When they get the go ahead to build the peace bridge then they also get the go ahead for the Niagara Street and Front Park efforts.

Thats not their exact words but its the jist of it.

Thanks Lou, for summarizing what you found out thru phone calls. A few follow-up questionsOe 1) when did you get this information? 2) when is "the paperwork" supposed to be complete? 3) where is this timeline MADE PUBLIC so regular folks can keep up with progress measured against a timeline and set of goals? My biggest complaint about this process is that "we" sued to make it open and, just after it started to look like an actual goal would be reached, the whole "open process" went back under ground. No wonder there's a lack of optimism in this town. We just get bounced around from one new start to another, instead of progress to an END. There should be accountability in an OPEN, accessible way by the PBA / PBX o otherwise residents and investors are indefinitely in limbo and the hard-earned victory for open-process was a sham!

Um well yes....Anyway, how 'bout that armory building? Isn't it just amazing?

comptart, this was the response:

"I would like to give you some information regarding the regulatory constraints of our process, a NEPA/SEQRA environmental review process; once we have begun an EIS we are constrained from implementing any portion of the project until the process is concluded and a Record of Decision is obtained. Other unrelated improvements that are not a part of our project may be undertaken if they have gone through an appropriate process. Once the project is approved is can be staged in an appropriate manner as long as that is considered in the documentation."

as far as a timetable, this was the response I got:

"We have received informal approval of an operating site concept for the Canadian SBM plaza from the Department of Homeland Security. We are still waiting for formal approval but are proceeding none the less. Of course we have not received full legal approval, that is legal authority agreed to by both governments to actually implement the concept, but hope that this will happen by September 2006. We cannot publish the DEIS without this.

Given that we now have an approved concept we must come to agreement with the City of Buffalo on local/ interstate connection options. Once that is done we must amend the Scoping Document, perform preliminary design, perform all of the traffic and environmental analysis, write the DEIS, and hold the public hearing. This will take the rest of 2006 and into 2007. Given that there is close cooperation among all the parties we can achieve a Record of Decision in August 2007, this will conclude the environmental process.

Once the environmental process is complete the implementation schedule will depend on many factors including the preferred alternative chosen, acquisition of funding, and contracting methodologies (e.g., design/bid/build or design/build). The absolute fastest that we could get a shovel in the ground would be the end of 2008 or 2009. A bridge of this magnitude, in this climate, would take 30 to 42 months to construct. Making the earliest completion in the middle of 2011."

I was very disappointed at the slow momentum but better to know than to not know! I JUST WISH THAT THERE WERE SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT COULD PUT A TIMETABLE ON NIAGARA STREET AND FRONT PARK.

Amen and ditto to THAT wish, Lou! An arrow on a gant chart would have been so much quicker and understandable.

comptart, Im guessing that because the new addition to the PEace Bridge involves redirecting traffic to Niagara Street and changing Front Park...their going to be put on hold until all the environmental studies and paperwork is done. Its a shame...they cant atleast start the downtown portion of Niagara Street up to Niagara Street...and the portion of Niagara Street from the Kenmore Border to the Peace Bridge.

Hey comptart, why not join eveyone else and call your elected officials and tell them to start work on Niagara Street.

And then there is that beautiful building too.

Steel:

Sometimes it take a kick to the head to change a stuborn mule.

sigh...

I remember when I grew up - back in the 50's and 60's - they used to hold the annual Home Show there - I was simply amazed that they would build a COMPLETE HOUSE INSIDE the armory - for auction to some lucky winner - the unions all had a hand in the construction - carpenter, electricians, plumbers - and it was landscaped by the local nurseries. Was always featured promenently in the BOTH papers (Courier Express on Sundays).

I always ran right to the "stairway" to see where the stair to the basement went (it just exposed the floor of the armory).

One of the things that excited me into becomming an Architect myself - as well as my sister.

Many fond memories of that building - the staircases, the fantastic (wood?) beams and trusses - and that "castle" exterior.

It's a shame they hold it now in that architecfural abortion of a structure called a "convention center" - people don't know what they're missing.

For what its worth....I think that something that would really help Connecticut Street, Porter and Niagara.....is to reconnect Porter Avenue to Allen.

It would allow the resurgent Allen/Elmwood/Delaware area to grow into the waterfront. Its a completely unnecessary barrier between them.

Think about it....in a near straight line it would connect the Life Sciences Corridor, Allentown and the Connecticut Street Armory, D'Youville and I think Front Park. Who in their right mind doesnt think that would be good for that area! What synergy?