Buffalo Rising Online

This corner begs for a commercial first floor. Will the deed restrictions prevent this? The property has been used for at least 35 years for commercial purposes with no complaints. Do the residents of this area just complain on a whim?

the real question is whether or not hans mobius has spotted bigfoot on elmwood yet.

@ marketwach

There were old tanks in the ground that were dug up and removed along with a fair amount of soil.

@marketwatch They are going to put up a nice vacant lot there and set up a counterfit purse business, to compliment the fake sneakers and sporting merchandise business that is across the street 6 months out of the year. Speaking of that though, these people who set up these corner deals with the knock off merchandise, its really unsightly and they are basically undermining legit business operations. There must be some recourse to eliminate that sort of practice that pops up around town.

I don't think EV's or the Hertel Business Assoc.'s boundaries extend to anywhere near that area. You can only extend non-profit efforts so far.

I'm not sure that any outcome resulting from the demolition of that section of Elmwood and Forest could accomplish being in keeping with the nature of the Elmwood strip since those old house ARE the nature of the Elmwood strip.

This will leave only a few house left on that block now that the Atwater is gone too.

Any developer taking on the Elmwood community concerning demolishing that half of that block is braver than I am.

Just please don't hire the architect who designed the new Birchfield-Penney up the street. I don't care for the way he prioritized "expressing himself" above all other concerns.

Please, the people that live near those property's would rather have a seedy corner to match their run down homes. I see another fight and more lawsuits in the near future.

I am not a big fan of this. The corner of Elmwood and Forest has the exact mix of commercial and residential that we say we want. These houses are the definition of the strip. They are funky adaptive re-use. They are part of the overall mix that makes Elmwood hip. This corner is hardly in need of redefinition. It isn't seedy nor are the neighboring homes. I am sorry but Penhurst never has been and never will be a seedy street.

If we, collectively, want a corner where this will make a difference shift it over to Grant and Forest or Delaware and Forest. Those corners can use some help and they certainly aren't too far from Buff State to be viabale locations for student housing.

Take them down. they are neither pretty or functional where they are anymore. It is time for Elmwood to have a proper gateway structure with commercial that welcomes people to buffalo's premier shopping strip. These buildings, even when full, detracted from this block.

I really liked the hotel idea and hope that the new project organizers are as responsive to the design as the other proposal was. Shame the neighbors ruined a good project on that one.

Replace authentic victorians with some neo-traditional big box dormitory. Perfect. The only better answer is to put a parking lot there.

Townline and al-alo... the issue of extending boundaries of of a "village" or non-profit neighborhood is really a moot point in the scheme of land use and zoning. A village association or non-profit does not have legal land use control, that rest with the municipality. So, you could extend the EVA boundary as far as you want, it will have zero impact on land use decisions.

However, al-alo, I agree that coming out in full force against a development after it's been designed and submitted as an applicaiton is reactionary and disingenuous and completely the wrong way of going about addressing the issues you know you have with the code.

People needs to be proactive. If you odn't like the code, pound on the city planning depts door and get it changed. I think there are EVA guidelines but they've never been adopted. So much for EVA's council representation is you can't champion that passage. And I heard somewhere that the city is seeking consultants to complete a city-wide zoning project that would update code throughout the city.

Excellent news! Its time to go out with the old and in with the new. Elmwood has reached a point in its popularity that those unhistorical, vinyl sided homes have to go. It is time to build to the street, have new "money" coming to the district, and expand. I thought the wyndam hotel/first floor retail building was absolutly perfect for that area. Personally, I think more can be done with this corner than just college housing. Buffalo has to be more progressive in embracing change and development. There will be a place that has those type of shops will do well in buffalo, elmwood has outgrown them.

Steel, can you take time out of your busy night life in Chicago to come home to Buffalo to help us little people save these houses?!

allentowndiva - Yeah, those houses on Penhurst and Lincoln are real hovels...

allentowndiva - Yeah, those houses on Penhurst and Lincoln are real hovels...

Unhistorical vinyl sided? That was sarcasm right?

WHAT A WASTE OF COVERSATION....don't do nothing or say anything until the NIMBY'S and the COURTS have their say...DONT EVEN SPEND THE MONEY ON ARCHITECTS OR RENDERINGS UNTIL!! EVERY ASS HAS BEEN KISSED IN THE ELMWOOD VILLAGE TO get approval OF ANY idea of development...Good Luck....only in Buffalo does history repeat itself...REPEATEDLY!! ANOTHER day of redundancy ..here in Buffalo and on BR.

Things change. While these houses may have made sense as part of the Elmwood "strip," they don't make sense as part of the EV. The street is transforming from these kind of adapted storefronts to denser infill and new builds. The sort of businesses that once existed in the Mobius buildings can move to other streets, and Elmwood can keep growing. That's a win/win.

Right on, Colin.

The type of business that has "outgrown Elmwood" would be welcome in the Grant-Amherst area. Buff State will likely expand in this direction making it more desirable for student housing and business. Amherst St. has already attracted business that look much like those in the early days of Elmwood.

A 3-4 story apartment building would do just fine at this location....skip the retail but it will need underground parking. Unfortunately, I dont expect anything to happen soon with the credit crisis being what it is....

The college strip on Elmwood is leaving (except for maybe the bars). The Elmwood strip is reflecting the higher and more mature residents of the surrounding area (an area which has grown all the way to Linwood and Richmond).

Still Grant and Amherst need some impetus so that they become the true college streets....where college businesses can be viable. Of course Buffalo State could facilitate Grant & Amherst if they chose by purchasing land and putting their sports stadiums and dormatories there and perhaps following RIT and moving their Bookstore off-campus. RIT has a 2 story Barnes & Noble with a Starbucks. Imagine what a 2-story Borders or Barnes&Noble or other college bookstore would do for Grant or Amherst!

The whole Grant Amherst would benefit if more non-academic buildings were located on Grant/Amherst instead of on campus.

Of course, Amherst has a special meaning for light rail lovers...the more Buffalo State expands to Amherst...the more justification there is to use the Beltway to connect Buffalo State to UB and Canisius.

Gaustad,

Not tonight I have to go to a rally

Steel, is it an Obama rally....you should empty your bank account for all the lazy welfare recipients that don't want to work. No wonder you like Buffalo so much. The land of food stamps"

infktion - this is Buffalo, people in the Buff fear change

GAUSTAD

How did I Guess you were a Palin fan

I'm not a Palin fan. I am a fan of not paying for people that are too lazy to work. you will learn the hard way my friend.

{deleted}

gaustad strikes me as a thoughtful, reasonable person.

jattea - thank you!

PaulB - he is part Muslim, studied the Koran, and has radical views.....he got elected because Bush is {deleted}

{deleted- off topic/racist}

Muslim is follower of a religion.. how are you 'part' muslim. My father is a Catholic.. does that make me 'part' catholic even if I choose to be a something else like a Buddist or Deist? Religion is something you choose not something that is inherited in your genes. So what if he sutdied the Koran.. maybe more people around here need to understand it more so aren't so closed minded to think that everyone who has ever touched the book is evil and a terrorist. I think gausted beleived one too many chain emails instead of trying to look up the facts for himself.

Let's not forget that Obama is a Space alien too, a Muslim space alien.

Now down with these houses. Let's see something good on this corner!

Obama has radical views? Like progressive tax rates, healthcare for all, and a return to thoughtful, intelligent and reasonable decision making.

He is also a Democrat, we can see how that party has turned NYS into a welfare state and Buffalo into a destination spot for those that want to feed off the tax paying public, so I guess now the social services crowd will get vouchers for free washers and dryers next while people like us will go from 15% property gains taxes to 30% in order to pay for the free washers and dryers.

Wasn't the sate senate run by Republicans for the last 40 years? Wasn't the Governorship Republican until just recently? Am I missing something?

"Buffalo as a destination spot for those that want to feed off the tax paying public?" I think our poor are home grown. Republicans and their wealthy supporters have cost the taxpayers more than any welfare program.

Steel, you are correct, the state senate has been controlled by republicans since 40 years and the democrates have their first significant majority in it since 1932... You can't just blame democrats for making NYS a welfare state.

Then again, talking to family in the south right now, where there are no safety nets or government help, they are on the brink of bankrupcy, losing their house and their jobs. I feel rather secure and confident the stability of our local economy and being in NYS but we will see how it all plays out.

sbrof - you won't be saying that when another building gets blown up. I don't know how he is part Muslim...you would have to ask him! Either way, his minister at his church in Chigao, endorsed the terroist attacks and shouts out "God Dam America" in his sermons. This is someone that Obama has know for 20 years.

In my view, the President of the US should not be any Muslim....

I agree McCain was a weak candidate, but have any of you ever served your country. I have.

Perhaps when you do, you might think a little differently.....Wake up people, these radicals believe that the white man is the devil....

I am glad (sarcasm) that you are so keen to dig into Obama's associations but fail to care that Palin is a one time member of the radical Alaskan seperatist movement that wants to exit the union at whatever cost.

I am also glad that I am not Muslim. I'd feel pretty awful about being American these days. I can't believe that it doesn't seem that anyone that ran in this election or the media has the guts to stand up and say that being Muslim doesn't make you a bad person. It isn't something anyone should have to feel compelled to deny. It is just great to see that McCain/Palin and idiots like Sean Hannity have all the ignorant, uneducated bigots whipped into a frenzy.

Have you listened to that ads that run on right wing radio? It is virtually 100% phony financial schemes and phony medications. Nough said.

Wow Gaustad. I knew you were ignorant and starving for attention on issues regarding Buffalo development. Its unfortunate to hear that attitude and immaturity transcends your entire personality.

{deleted- flaming}

not seedy my car was parked almost directly across from mobile on forest my freshman year of college during broad daylight and my cd player got stolen wind smashed, at 2pm on a sunny day... still haven't got my flaming lips -soft bulletin cd back