Buffalo Rising Online

fugly

Does anyone know what was here before this was built?

Well, I thought the clock tower that used to be there was fine, they used to host skateboarding tournaments there from what I've heard. This building is nothing special, looks like an inexpensive solution. It's nice to add density. At least the parking lot is in the rear. Hey, I've got an idea for a series, low cost high class building materials and methods for multi story buildings, I'd be taking notes on that one. There is vacant land around the city that needs new buildings, you can't always renovate. I absolutely love the old Skyroom (building across the street) I wish someone would turn the upstairs into a movie theater or something. Such a prime location.

PS the old clock tower was deteriorating and needed repair.

If a less expensive building allows for better care (granted...a bit of a leap), they may have a waiting list for residents. Agreed, it's not the prettiest building ever, but if it's allowing some elderly people to remain in a neighborhood they've lived in most of their life, good for them.

hmmm... interesting. This building seems like they had some good ideas but a lot of bad took over.The good is that it comes to the sidewalk instead of having the suburbs setback and the vertical red supports/pillars/whatever break up what would otherwise be bland, concrete walls. Which of course is the major downside to the building. Its bland and un-interesting. The few windows this building does have are sparce and have no architectural appeal. The roof line should have just been kept straight without he "mini-gables" in the center. I give this building an aesthetics grade of D+.

of course i have neither the money nor the resources to build anything better anyways so...

Much better than the waterfront townhomes! /sarcasim

Nice site planning- bollards to protect the too-near corner is a nice design touch.

D+?!?! FAIL!!!! Someone revoke the architect's license.

I went to see OMD there

I used to skate my summers away in the little urban pocket park that was here. Being able to ollie up onto the clock base and then back off was a personal benchmark of my youth ;) Unfortunately I never had a camera back then. It was pretty run down and neglected but made a great little skate park. And we always kept it tidy and swept up so we could skate.

I guess at least this was built to the street and an attempt at infill? And yes it is senoir housing.

The nice thing about the old skyroom across the street is also that all the parking is at the rear and the store fronts are at the street. I was always too young to ever see a show up there, but my mom said it was a great concert/bar space.

I agree with wizard; they're trying to make something new look old -- and did a piss-poor job of it.

It reminds me of the one monstrosity brick church on Main Street in the University District - I want to say its Linwood Church; they tried to make it look old fashioned; but it looks stupid to me.

grrrr

I agree with wizard; they're trying to make something new look old -- and did a piss-poor job of it.

It reminds me of the one monstrosity brick church on Main Street in the University District - I want to say its Linwood Church; they tried to make it look old fashioned; but it looks stupid to me.

grrrr

It is an interesting first example. It is one that tries to conform to urban design principles (built to the sidewalk entrance on the street, density etc) but falls short of many others like porosity and blank walls. Architecturally it is bland as wizardofza pointed out it is tough to materially create something old via new materials. It is difficult to create and design new buildings that function and look pleasing following good urban design. It always ends up feel 'historic fakey."

Also a shame that across the street is a building that could have houses this function. But alas I guess I would rate this a C... It could have been a nicer buildings with better design but it isn't the worst thing I have seen built around here.

It reminds me of the senior housing on Hertel.. without the storefronts on the bottom.

Good observation Sobrof but those store fronts on Hertel make all the difference.

It looks like this first floor can easily be re-done for commercial space if needed.

SUPER 8 Motels and Walgreens look better than this.

AFTER READING ALL OF THE ABOVE...NOW I understand why developers just keep walking away when ANYONE mentions...."BUFFALO".

Right on Lany V. Architects provide a service to their clients. Thier fiduciary responsibility is to their client not to the public's personal design criteria. An architect cannot dictate to a client program, scope, or budget. They can, and should, advise on those topics but would not be serving their clients or their profession by advancing thier own agenda. Would you like your doctor or lawyer to do the same? I would think not.

Perhaps the client wanted 'historic fakey'. Perhaps the budget dictated cheap finishes and small windows. Perhaps the program didn't call for first floor retail. Assuming any of that, the criticisms of this building should be passed on to the client, not the architect.

I agree that this building has major design flaws, and maybe that is due to the some of the designer's choices, but to sit at your computer and shit on someone and call for their professional liscence to be revoked is far more offensive than dryvit and cinder block facades. I'm all for critiquing the design, it certainly deserves it, but presumably no one here knows how or why it looks like this.

I think a lot of people paint their homes in ugly colors and do a piss poor job maintaining their lawns, shall we call for them to be forced to lose their home? Many local bars serve beer I find to be bad tasting, shall we have their liquor liscences revoked?

Right on Lany V. Architects provide a service to their clients. Thier fiduciary responsibility is to their client not to the public's personal design criteria. An architect cannot dictate to a client program, scope, or budget. They can, and should, advise on those topics but would not be serving their clients or their profession by advancing thier own agenda. Would you like your doctor or lawyer to do the same? I would think not.

Perhaps the client wanted 'historic fakey'. Perhaps the budget dictated cheap finishes and small windows. Perhaps the program didn't call for first floor retail. Assuming any of that, the criticisms of this building should be passed on to the client, not the architect.

I agree that this building has major design flaws, and maybe that is due to the some of the designer's choices, but to sit at your computer and shit on someone and call for their professional liscence to be revoked is far more offensive than dryvit and cinder block facades. I'm all for critiquing the design, it certainly deserves it, but presumably no one here knows how or why it looks like this.

I think a lot of people paint their homes in ugly colors and do a piss poor job maintaining their lawns, shall we call for them to be forced to lose their home? Many local bars serve beer I find to be bad tasting, shall we have their liquor liscences revoked?

damn double post!

I am thinking that the call for revocation of the license was rhetorical in nature.

THANK YOU. This building is an eyesore. Ask anyone in south buffalo. I liked the old sunk in gathering area with the non working clock tower. It had character.. a little clean up and it would have been great as was.

They destroy a small public square/park space

Actually simcoe, speaking as an architect, the client has a huge impact on the quality of what gets designed and built starting with their choice of architect and on into their directions during design.

Its fair to citicize both the client and the architect for a failed project. Architecture is always a reflection of its circumstances. In this case a visionless architect meets a visionless client with a dull program(senior housing) in a neighborhood without alot of opinions on aesthetics.

Simcoe, You must be a very rude person. LanyV and Jerkface made a solid contributiuon to this discussion without being offensive. They were right to point out how ridiculous it is to ask that "Someone revoke the architect's license".

sorry STEEL for basically repeating what you said

Simcoe, If I remember correctly from a previous post Lany V is not an architect. I'm not sure why architect needs to be capatlaized either, but whatever. Maybe Lany V is just not an a-hole.

I get that no one actually was calling the local chapter of AIA or the NYS liscencing board. It wasn't so much the literal action I was railing against, it was the douchebaggery and myopia that allways pops up in any post about aesthetics. It's allways the same formula...innocent post about a building, a few intelligent comments and critiques, gradually more moronic comments demonstrating a complete lack of understanding regarding design, followed by shitting on architects.

Yes, it's more than likely that whoever designed this doesn't have a bookshelf full of Pritzker Prizes, but I would also assume that they didn't go into the project w/ a grand vision of dryvit and psuedo historical pilasters. I'm preaching temperance, that's all.

"Finally, it is not really true that all aspects of building design are subjective. Studies show that most people agree that certain building shapes, colors and proportions are more pleasing than others."

Uh, that's still subjective.

Talk about adding a new terror to the prospect of death. This building does it for me. Indefensible in any way other than saying a dog house at least protects a dog from the rain.

Rising,

You and I might just be able to work things out. That was genius!