Buffalo Rising Online

Looks Great!

Demo on the Aud should start in September.

If the Sabres ever make a deep May playoff run again this area is going to be rocking with boats tying up to one-another.

What's wrong with this picture? Hmmm... Oh yeah, it's the awful looking elevated highway overhead.

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan: "Misters Higgins, Brown, Quinn, et al, tear down this Skyway."

There is one issue that really needs to be addressed and that is that Naval Ships were not moved far enough down. Another 100 feet would have really opened up the harbor alot more, it is still a little closed off..

I would like a conversation about this, is it possible to move it?

This project can't be completed soon enough, I'm suffering from anxiety in hopes that the spring 2010 target is met!

There is one issue that really needs to be addressed and that is that Naval Ships were not moved far enough down. Another 100 feet would have really opened up the harbor alot more, it is still a little closed off..

I would like a conversation about this, is it possible to move it?

well there is more wharf and spots to moore opening up south of where those boats are off where the picture ends. So there is more space coming along. Give it time and we will see. Ideally what would happen not if but when this place booms is a pedestrian / car bridge to the other side of the River \ Ship canal so that people can enjoy docking along both sides of the harbor and just walk between them like what happens in NT \ Tonawanda.

Also if the demand stays high there is nothing saying that we can't continue to moor even farther south along the River adjacent to the DL&W terminal and HSBC. Just would have to put in some docks, stairs and a good connection between them and the Terminus. Not a big lift at all.

Nice photo. This one, along with the image from the 4th with the fireworks shows just how much of an impact that this area is going to have on the psyche of the community. Great job! Thank Tim T for getting something real down there worth going to.

Theres no way the ships are going to be moved again. They spent ALOT of money on that, I think the current position works really well.

I don't see the ships moving either, but I do believe there are plans for more docking space, closer to the Arena - as well as the proposed canals.

Those are some serious boats and serious disposable income, a few more would fill a serious restaurant

Awesome picture. I love the skyway. It would be even better treated as a work of art and lit!

Bison176,

I think that is an incredible idea on the skyway, since taking it down would take 10 years, why not incorporate the structurally sounds steel structure into the landscape

To the left where the pic is cut off by the navy ship, there were 2 really large cruisers, certainly a decent amount of disposable income right there indeed. We were heading in from the Wed eve sail races, saw these boats and figured that maybe there was a 'rock the harbor' concert or something going on, but it turned out nothing special was going on. We were a bit disappointed there wasn't a concert or some event we may not have heard about, but satisfied that currently it's such a draw in itself.

I agree that a car/pedestrian bridge at the foot of Main or Michigan needs to be moved to the top of the list in terms of waterfront development.

While it is nice that Ohio St. was just repaved and the zig zagging under furhman blvd/ rte 5 is being corrected, it still does not address the issues of easy access from the inner harbor to the outer harbor.

The skyway is not bad for car traffic, but pedestrian and bike access between these two is ridiculous considering you are a stones throw away from the other, when standing on either side of the river.

...and while I am on my soapbox, how is the plan going to get the coast guard off what would be an outstanding public park.

you could suspend one HUGE projection screen between the piers of the skyway to project the sabres of movies onto. The beauty of it is it would slightly face the water so people in boats or even Canadians with a good pair ob binoculars could see.

How cool would that be. Lets make some Lemonade!

Bison716 that plan is friggin awesome...i would much rather see this built than that stupid bass pro store...on another note i wonder how a public vote was held on what to name the skyway...i wonder if such a vote could ever occur now on what we Buffalonians would liek to see happen with this outdated roadway.

Right now there is absolutely nothing to do for a boater or anyone visiting the Erie Canal harbor.

I don't see Bass Pro building anything until the Casino is up and running.

This has been a real slow moving process.

Anyone know when phase 2 starts?

Although Manns tunnel idea i would have to say is a bit much...why not just build some smaller bridges like tehy have in pittsburgh or chicago to connect teh inner and outer harbors to auto traffic. I mean why do we still cater to the 20 grain ships that utilize our waterfront each year. Havent we learned anything? I mean maybe it is time to start considering getting out of the waterfront industry altogether. I mean look at how well big industry has treated us in teh long scheme of things. I think it is time to start catering to our biggest asset in this region our lake and rivers. It is by far our most important resource yet we continue to pollute it and exploit it.

livesintheburbs -- point well taken about the skyway. There is absolutely no need for it anymore.

Guastad -The canalside planners have no opinion one way or another as to the fate of the casino. Bass Pro is not contigent upon the completion of the casino.

nyc - HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?

DOWNTOWNJUNKIE - GOOD POINTS, but no one really has any common sense around here.

We need a small bridge connecting inner and outer harbor

I went to a presentation at the new york state aia Conference and asked Stan Ekstut what the team felt about the casino. He said it does not affect anything they are doing with canalside. Overall he said bringing more people down there may be a good thing (about the casino) but it's not going to have a major impact.

Side note on canalside...the architect needs another $65,000 for some finishing touches in regards to modeling and 3D imaging of the site plan. Also, instead of the plan being released in August, it will now be late September(which will probably turn into October or November).

http://www.buffalonews.com/145/story/413434.html

waterfront/skyway salvation sleeps dormant like a winter cocoon at ranwebber.com

I think this is an awesome start, but I was down there last weekend and there was not one place that I could spend any money. There wasn't even a guitar player that I could give my money to! It was a nice walk but needs some commerce...