Residents Voice Development Concerns
On Tuesday night, the 13th floor of City Hall was a time for residents of the city of Buffalo to pitch their ideas and vent their frustrations about the development of the city. Roughly eighty people were present in the chambers - including representatives from Senator Chuck Schumer's office and former Mayor Jimmy Griffin - though less than 20 spoke.
Many of the speakers thanked the Common Council for convening a meeting that allowed residents of the city to accomplish two things. First, they were thankful that the Council called a meeting at a time that was convenient to members of the community, noting that other public meetings in the past were often held at times when few could attend. Secondly, the speakers seemed appreciative of the opportunity to voice their opinions to a group of people who could actually effect change.
The speakers were each given about three minutes to voice their opinion - during which time a wealth of ideas and knowledge came pouring out. Popular on the agenda was the issue of the waterfront, the skyway and both the inner and outer harbor. Many thought that the skyway was a relic of the past and deserved to be torn down to make the waterfront a friendlier place to visit and do business. Jimmy Griffin, citing a report commissioned by his administration, told the Common Council that it would cost around $113 million to tear down the Skyway and replace it with a tunnel - about $100 million to engineer a new tunnel, and $13 to remove the existing structure. Griffin then reminded the Council that the Skyway would cost nearly $17 million to maintain in the next fiscal year.
Most of the speakers voiced support for a more accessible and open waterfront. Proposals were made to re-route traffic on the I-190 to create new access routes and ease the difficulty of getting to the waterfront from the thruway. A number of speakers felt that the city should forget about Bass Pro and forge ahead with other developments.
Neighborhood revitalization was another major theme emerging from the speakers on Tuesday night. For too long, communities such as the East and West sides have been forgotten about. Speakers implored the members of the Common Council to remember how important these neighborhoods and communities are to the vitality of Buffalo. Upon the revitalization of these communities, a renewed sense pride in the community and appreciation for the history that preceded it would come as well.
The most pragmatic speaker of the night was likely Blaine Harris, a small business owner and real estate agent, who noted that before changes can happen, the city must bring jobs back to its downtown core. With a sizable amount of the recent college graduates leaving town, it is imperative that the city take some action to entice them to stay. Mr. Harris also noted that with a new Peace Bridge to facilitate travel, the city could become a major international transportation artery to service the East and Southeast, much like Detroit.
Though most of the ideas voiced at the public hearing on Tuesday night weren’t new or groundbreaking, the passion and dedications shown by members of the city was. Hopefully the Common Council will take not only the ideas presented before them, but also the passion of the people into account before deciding on a course of action for the future of the city.
What follows is a list of ideas presented before the Common Council on Tuesday, March 20:
-Revitalize the West Village near downtown. -Create a public Square where the Aud is to commemorate important Buffalo figures such as William Donovan. -Install new and modern lighting for the Skyway to make it look appealing upon entering the city. -Move the U.S. Coast Guard station from its current location to a spot near Porter Avenue to open up the waterfront. -Create a weather museum -Institute design standards for downtown buildings in order to eliminate two and three story suburban types of buildings. -Rebuild the platform at the DL&W terminal and build a pavilion at the corner of Illinois St. to connect parking near HSBC to the terminal for future development. -Extend the Metro to the Cobblestone district and the BNIA airport and retain the theatre station. -Develop Main St. geared towards a ‘Metro community.’ -The city of Buffalo, i.e. the Common Council and the Mayor, needs to reassert its leadership. -Institute an expansive plan that rejuvenates the entire city and not just the waterfront or the downtown core.
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JBooth
While I was unable to attend the meeting I concur with a lot of the points above but would like to add the addition of the Bicycle Pedaling History Center within the inner harbor, calm traffic and create downtown Buffalo into a truly walkable and bikeable destination.
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jstraubinger
I'm glad that we're getting a report about this meeting that provides much more detail then the Buffalo News' story of the meeting that I just read on their web site. Thank you for the relevant information.
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Andrew
Since it has been shown that the cost of maintaining the skyway is more expensive than tearing it down, lets tear it down and re-route traffic to the 190. that defenately make the harbor more inviting.
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jen
Excellent article Steve.
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kfitz
how about the ideal of extending the university of buffalo campus downtown, or possibly moving the bills into the city?
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BuffaloFalling
*Yawn*
So does everybody feel good now?
An evening wasted with a rehash of the same tired ideas, the same woeful concepts, and nothing, and I mean NOTHNG, is going to come of it.
Was there anyone there from the NFTA, who still has control of the Outer Harbor properties? Was there anyone there from the ECHDC, who, like it or not, has control of anything that happens in the Inner Harbor? Was there anyone there from the federal government, or from Gov Spitzer's office? You want bridges, roads and LRRT extensions? It will require big bucks from the US and NYS, not butter and egg moneys from Golombek's or Franczyk's pork slush fund.
I posted a while back telling everyone what a lot of nonsense and useless waste of time this would all be. My only disappointment is that it seems nobody got up and suggested IKEA IKEA IKEA... those words seem to always evoke warm and fuzzy feelings by the posters on this blog.
Hope everybody enjoyed the NCAAs last week, and for a few days we all got to experience what a real city should be. Felt good, didn't it? But sadly, Monday came, the people departed, and we are left with the silent echoes of an empty Main Street and the tumbleweeds bouncing down the trolley tracks...and of course, homeless wheelchair bum and his omnipresent stump and tin cup. Betcha he made a killing as well!
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BetsyM7
Thanks for the recap Steve.
Does anyone else wonder why ppl like BF even bother with BRO when they are so clearly not interested in being part of the solution here? Good golly.
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Jay
BuffaloFalling = douchebag
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Andrew
Mad props to Jay and BetsyM7 because Buffalo Falling, if you dont like what is going on here why do you waste your time looking and writing.
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UBMed
Flat Tire - $100
Flooded basement - $2500
Eternal pessimism and a group of cynics helping to keep Buffalo the same – PRICELESS
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Sulley
Like it or not though guys, he raises some good points, especially in regards to the appropriate people being there...
Of course, that being said, I also like all of the ideas displayed at the meeting.
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Rebecca
Thanks for the article.
How about extending the subway to North Campus and moving parts of the 'University of Amherst' into the city? The law school would be an easy start - it's a self contained building anyway.
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SteveP
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Buffalo Falling: If you reall feel that strongly about IKEA, then why weren't you there last night? Do you want us to tell you that you were right and we were wrong? Well sorry but we won't do that. People from the state and ECHDC were supposedly there (I couldn't pick them out of the room.)
Do you really believe that IKEA is going to solve all of our problems? I hardly think so. What makes it so different from Bass Pro? It still is a big box store that pays its employees paltry salaries. I think IKEA is cool but it depends where and how much of an impact in can make. In/near/around a mall or new shopping district/center then great. By itself than i'm indifferent. If I want something that bad I'll shop online.
The real travesty of the meeting last night was that I was the only person in the room under 23. That means the minds and ideas that lead us forward are either going to retire soon or have already planning to move out of the area because it offers no jobs (like me).
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sally
BuffaloFalling - If you or anyone else wants an IKEA in Buffalo then open one up. The only reason we do not have one is that there has been no one locally with the money to open one up. All of the IKEA stores in North America are franchises.
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BuffaloFalling
Thanks for calling me a "douchebag"... very adult and professional of you.
Where exactly did I say I want to sea an IKEA store on the waterfront? That seems to be the silver bullet of choice of the BRO crowd, it is not mine!
Now tell me --- did I say anything at all that was inaccurate? Are there not silent echoes bouncing down a quiet Main Street most time during the day?
Was there someone of power and influence from the federal or state governments, the NFTA, the ECHDC present to set a firm timetable when things are going to happen?
What is going to happen to the Aud now that Bass Pro is out of there? Will we wait another ten years of plywooded boarded up eyesore?
Who is replacing Opus/Uniland as the developer of the Outer Harbor?
Has one, even ONE retailer signed on to open a business on one of this quaint canal steeets on the Inner Harbor? Has Benderson leased one sf of space?
When id Main Street going to be reopened to traffic? Didnt we see sketches and hold hearings back in 2005 and marvel at the nice plans?
Those townhouses the other side of the river from HSBC Arena look real nice..where is the sales office? Can I buy one? And when will that bridge from the foot of Main to that land be open for traffic?
Oh and Cobblestone Lofts on Missiissippi Street.. when can I sign up to buy one of those place? I know Savarino said they'll be breaking ground any day now.
These hearings are feel good political grandstanding events, but they are nonsense! NOTHING ever gets done!
Please call me names and hurl insults at me if it makes you feel better.... but am I saying anything here that is inaccurate??
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SteveP
answer my questions first. You can gripe all you want but go there and do something. You're like someone that doesn't vote and bitches about who was elected. THis was your chance to voice your opinion. Way to be there.
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SerenityNow
Buffalo Falling, how dare you again fail to conform to the wide range of majority group think viewpoints deemed acceptable on this site? No wonder we don't have an Ikea, with attitudes like yours around here.
As the article said:
Buffalo Falling, can't you see how you just don't get it - deep down inside?
Sad really. But it's not too late for you. Redemption is possible.
Just set aside all your fact-based agendas such as details about what exactly the feds, NFTA, ECHDC, and Common Council each have lawful jurisdiction over. We are all Buffalonians after all, so why should such legalistic details even matter?
And stop pointing out as you did in your first comment that many in that long list of ideas keep being rehashed year after year after year, and that some are woeful ideas in the first place. It's very pessimistic to point those things out.
Just try to think with more your heart. Then you can watch last night's Council meeting on the public access station. You'll grow to learn that the ideas themselves are not what's important compared to the passionate dedicated feelings we have about them. We'll be glad to accept your apology and you can join us in sharing our feelings about all these ideas. It's a lot of fun! Maybe you can be the first to suggest a catchy name for our future weather museum!
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BenMcD
What I find interesting is that the premise of the whole affair seems to be what government officials can do to make things better. People need to understand that the government more often than not kills prosperity. The rule is that government creates oppression, private industry creates prosperity. This has been the case throughout human history and doesn't change because we live in WNY. This is a basic idea that we as NYers fail to grasp.
I'm interested to know from anyone who was there. How many people asked the common council, or any other government officials to sit back, take their hands off and let the private citizens drive the economic recovery of the city.
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knowledgedableone
I especially liked Tim Tielman's comment acknowledging the Common Council for actually having a meeting where the public could voice their concerns and having the meeting at a time when the public can actually attend(posy-work hours). It is a tragedy that we have such an extensive urban waterfront (I would like to see the statistic shoreline length compared to other urban settings) with NO PUBLIC ACCESS. If Bass Pro is given the land directly adjacent to the Erie Canal slip, that will just mean a giant box surrounded by parking lot, not a park promoting public access and small private investment. Likewise it is a tragedy that the City has little to no control of the land adjacent to the Lake. Leadership not continued bleeder-ship is required.
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Sal
Thanks for the article Steve. Unfortunately I was unable to attend. My comments would have been to ask the city to release some of their property for development. A few years ago the city conducted a sale of city-owned property such as the old fire station at Jersey and Plymouth. At that time I noticed a few other properties that could be sold off. This is a "win-win-win" situation because the city collects money for the sale, reliquishes property maintenance and can now collect property tax. Aside from the aforementioned fire station, examples of such property is the former Tot-Lot AKA Skateboard Park where the Globe Market now sits on Elmwood; and the parking lot on Wadsworth near Allen. The city also has sold property through BURA such as the condos at City Centre at quite bargain prices also!
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jeffrey
I was at that meeting. I suggested to go to the city's website, and you will find a lot of information that is being discussed on buffalorising.
A master plan was done in cooperation with UB's Shool of Architecture where downtown is divided into five areas: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Theather District, Government District, Education District, and Entertainment District. These are not the exact words, but you get the idea. The Medical Campus is almost done. The theather station should be saved. The building in 50 Court Street should be built. National or local businesses could start in the 400-500 Main Street block. ECC City Campus and the Federal Safety building anchor the Education District. HSBC Arena and Dunn Tire park are in the Entertainment District.
Buffalo has a lot of potential where tourism and family oriented destinations could be in downtown.
I am an international student looking for a GIS job, and would like to stay in Buffalo. My email is jc84hn@gmail.com. Thank you.
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Ken
Here we are nearing the end of March and still no decision on Bass Pro(even though we were told in mid January) that the extension to get a deal done would only be DAYS not weeks or months. In addition, not a peep about the Outer Harbor in months except for Opus, Uniland & the NFTA and the grand plan are OUT and the ECDHC is in.
Very discouraging.
I have this vision that the next time the NCAA comes here for the basketball tournament(in 3 or 4 years), that a casino will be open and as visitors spill out of the arena, they will have numerous choices for retail, dining & entertainment.
Please don't let me down.
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urbanboarder
jeffrey, are you a student at UB? If so, are u in the Georgraphy Dept? There have been recent postings for GIS jobs in the area from our list-serv. Also, check with Erie County?
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Zombo
Arguments have been raised that this meeting was pointless, in that it simply rehashed old ideas, out of which nothing will come. Should we then wallow in the ineffective execution of past endeavors, burry our heads in the sand, and cease striving to better our community? No…. I will not accept that as an even remotely plausible option. Everything we want to see come to pass may (and will most likely) not. But, rest assured that if we do nothing, if we keep our thoughts, opinions and, voices to ourselves, then nothing will happen. We speak, we write, we make our feelings and opinions known in the hopes that we will contribute to effecting some measure of positive change! We have all seen projects come and go like the seasons and to varied degrees we all mourn their passing. But, to hold on to these frustrations and let them be your basis of speculation about the future speaks to a very sad state of mind. So kudos to those of you who envision a future rife with possibilities and potential; and shame on those who seek through sarcasm to stifle the hope that we cling so fervently to.
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MRodgers
Zombo! Thank you!
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RPreskop
Buffalofalling, You are too negative, you might have some good, valid points but your overall attitude towards Buffalo is too negative and it is getting on everyones nerves. I was at that council meeting on tuesday evening and it was quite a pleasant experience. I was the one who spoke in opposition to wasting 66 million tax dollars trying to accomodate BassPro and stated that they should tell Bass Pro to hit the road. I also mentioned that there should be no more small, suburban style office buildings allowed to be built in downtown. That new five story Uniland building on Delaware Avenue is an outstanding example of suburban style, low-rise cheap garbage that should be prohibited downtown. I also mentioned that all the abandoned grain elevators on our waterfront are deteriorated eyesores that should be demolished in order to improve the appearence of the waterfront and attract investment and development. I am neutral about the skyway. It was a great learning experience for me and I hope to be able to attend common council meetings in the near future.
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Prudent68
Good article Steve and good subsequent commentaries in this forum. As a longtime resident of WNY, I have witnessed myopic decision making in Buffalo and Erie County for more than 30 years. I'll forego the litany of bad decisions. Most of them are well known. The Buffalo News reported today (City & Region, 3-22, p.1) that U.S. Census Bureau estimates indicate Erie County population decreased by 3 per cent, more than 28 thousand live bodies. This is a rapidly aging community. The most valuable resource, well-educated, young men and women, is being drained. It's very disheartening. It feels as if Buffalo is dying a slow death by committee. Somebody with a brain and spine (must have both), MAKE A DECISION. Signature Bridge, Companion Bridge, Tunnel? Please, chose one and BUILD the damn thing. The Aud? Loved it. Many fond memories. Demolish it. One more thing. Why is Buffalo NOT positioned a "college town," one of the best in America? UB, Buffalo State, Canisius, D'Youville, Medaile, Daemen, ECC City... all within 10 miles of each other. That's a lot of brain power and academic heft.
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SerenityNow
RPreskop, congrats on your speech to the Council (saw you mentioned in today's Buffalo News about that), and I agree with most of what you said to them - 2 out of your 3 points anyhow, pretty close!
But here you're not quite right to say "getting on everyone's nerves". BuffaloFalling and BenMcD were among the few in this thread earlier who *didn't* get on my nerves! :-)
Well, actually most others are fine too. I do get bugged by comments that try to silence opposing views and tell people to go away, or attack people in blanket statements rather than refuting specific ideas. If BRO site owners ever want to tell anyone to go away or shut up, that's within their rights, but IMO all commenters should stick to issues, not try to chase anyone away or launch general attacks. Probably my attitudes can annoy people too. I guess all of our nerves can get frayed by views with which we strongly disagree.
I think there's a difference between what you call a negative "overall attitude towards Buffalo" and what I see as more of a "negative attitude towards most government development projects in Buffalo".
It's possible to want the best for Buffalo as a city yet also believe the vast majority of government project ideas would do more harm than good. The big list of past failures that people write sometimes might look overly negative, but to me those make a larger conceptual point - simply put, the whole strategy of "Let's brainstorm about what tax funded projects our politicians should promise us next?" is a wrong approach. That's not being negative - it's expressing a different philosophy. BenMcD summarized this very well a few comments up.
Instead of seeking more and more new development project ideas (many of which are just bad ideas and that's why they eventually fail such as converting Aud to a Bass Pro), Buffalo would be better served if Mr. Golombek and the rest of our Council would just focus on more basic responsibilities such as looking very closely at spending/budgeting over the course of the year and providing better oversight of the many depts to help make services better and less costly, dealing with troubled properties, streamlining business permits, and so on - many other important basic things we could all list.
Those kinds of issues don't sound exciting but really add up to bigger practical impacts on whether people want to live here than the creative project type ideas such as most things in the new laundry list at the end of the article.
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Reno
Am I the only one in this town who sees Buffalo Fallings points? No wonder the smart ones have left this town already and NOTHING GETS DONE HERE. It's back to the same old status quo. All talk, no action. "Downtown Renaissance"...WHERE? A few new lofts and still no retail. Main St. to re-open to traffic? Was suppost to start this Spring and then we are told it will start Next year. Bass Pro? Just another two weeks till final announcement....Yeah, we've been hearing that line for the last five years. So, um, while downtown rots away with no retail activity and your all still whinning about what stores should be where even though noone has come forward with any plans yet, some of us would rather be in a city that is alreay happening. (it certainly isn't Buffalo)
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jeffrey
There is a document about downtown revitalization in general. It starts with a public/private partnership where atrractions and destinations are created. Housing follows, and when the demographics are right, retail will appear.
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