Buffalo Rising Online

I admire his stance, because he's right. But threatening to rip the building down over a this decision is freakin' idiotic.

Coppola said “Realize that when a Preservation Board dictates a death warrant to a business like Stillwaters that has poured millions of dollars into preservation, that the whole game has already backfired.”

Seriously, a "death warrant"?

Good for Mr. Coppola. He obviously understands what it is going to take to make a statement against a dictator and his Board. It is about time someone took them to task. Just because they have historical presevervation in their title doesn't give them de facto right to push and intimidate people and businesses around. Meanwhile their supporter lackies look on in a daze saying "they are doing the right thing becuase they have presevation in their title. Business is alway bad, industry ruined this country. blah blah... The Pearl Street Grille incident was a complete fiasco for the Board and Tim should of went to jail for obstruction for that. Shame on him again.

Way to expose the Board Mr. Coppola, and good for BR by actually tracking him down for comment. I half expected a one-sided attack on him, so props for that.

The funny part is that the board only affects Allentown (which as a whole is doing just fine) and the city wide preservation board has no legal powers at all.. so while he wants to "take a stand" in the end people can do anything they want to any building.

While I agree the Allentown board can be a bit... tyrannical.. sometimes you need to be to actually get something done. But in the end if they are going to pick their battles... they are doing a piss poor job of it. The buildings on Main Street that are literally falling apart. The print shop building that was demoed for a fake historic building. Let them people have a sign (better a nice sign, those buildings deserve it) and put your efforts elsewhere..

Is he for real? Coppola- a crummy councilman now expsing himself as a fool. Threatening demolition of history in order to make a point? Moronic. He calls the Pres. Board obstructionist when he was the obstructionist who held up construction of a downtown baseball stadium. Amazingly hypocritical.

Sounds like the spoiled little kid on the block. "You have to play by my rules or I going to take my ball home....Wahhhwahhhwahhhh!"

This has to be one of the silliest things I have ever heard.

This is some stupid childish bullshit. Stillwaters should be albe to build a damn canopy if they want but even without it they can survive if they continue to serve good food with good service. Knocking down a house doesn't solve anything. Grow up.

Boy, wouldn't this just set a great precedent for holding historic properties hostage till people get what they want. We all know the preservation and planning boards can be a complete joke at times with their lack of professionalism, but this is just being completely unprofessional in return.

Anywho, not like he'd ever get the demo permit, and if he did go ahead and demo without the permit, the city better throw his ass in jail.

To be honest I drive by there all the time and although I've heard of stillwaters and I know people that have been there I can say that I didn't know where it was. I think its entirely ridiculous that they can't build a canopy to keep ice off the steps and essentially a sign to label the place. And yes Tim is entirely irrational in the way he makes some decisions.

Townline, you wrote:

"Anywho, not like he'd ever get the demo permit, and if he did go ahead and demo without the permit, the city better throw his ass in jail."

Wrong. He owns it. He can tear it down. And he has the permit.

We may hope and pray it stays up, but the law is on his side to do as he wishes.

Just because he owns its, does not mean he's legally allowed to tear it down. Why would he already have a permit?

Tim Tielman, if you actually knew him instead of just believing ignorant BR posts about him, is about the most rational and intelligent guy in Buffalo. He's for smart growth and development as well as preservation of an irreplaceable urban heritage. He has done so much work to make Buffalo's architecture and history known in the world. I don't see a problem with a canopy, but maybe we should hear the explanation for the denial before pilloring Tim Tielman. By the way, this has hardly been an authoritarian Board; they have allowed many buidlings to be demolished in the past few years.

First to correct sbrof: The Preservation Board has jurisdiction over modifications to properties in all Preservation Districts and to local Landmarks. Their decisions can be overturned by the Council. They have an advisory role in all demolitions in the City. Maybe you are thinking of the Allentown Association, which is just a community group and has no regulatory function.

I find it very hard to believe that the owner of Stillwater has spend "millions" preserving the property. That's a lot money and Lord Chumley's (sp?) wasn't a dive.

What are the facts of the case? What kind awning the the Board reject? Did they reject it outright, or did they ask for modifications?

Thats exactly right Charger. We aren't hearing any facts about the situation, like so many other things we talk about here, its all about sensationalism. Coppola is an outdated Good ole Boy politician, who just isn't important in this community anymore. For him to have a say in anything, he has to resort to sensationalism. Its his type of attitude and "leadership" that has brought Buffalo to its "Bottomed Out" status of a few years ago. This city is clearly making a comeback and its because of so many people that are moving forward DESPITE people like Coppola. Continue to ignore his kind and they will die off and disappear. Lets not be pulled back into the crappy ways of yesteryear.

Al's
Stupid
Spewing
Has
Obviously
Little
Effect

sbrof, I'm confused. Did you say the Preservation Board only covers Allentown. So, like Al, I could buy a historical significant building in the City, let's say City Hall, and then buy property in Allentown. If the Preservation Board does not like my plans for Allentown I can than tear down City Hall. As an attorney, my skin crawls at the prospect of this loophole. The City needs to close it NOW!

Charger thanks for the clarification but the same reasoning applies. I own a property not yet designated a "landmark" but I hold the City hostage if doesn't do what I want --- very scary.

Charger if you think he hasn’t spent some serious money in the place, please feel free to walk in there and check it out. Afterward you be saying, damn they spent a lot of money in this place. Not sure it was a smart business decision to sink all the money into the place but just walking through it certainly demonstrates they have in fact dumped a lot of money into it. This is post Chumleys

Otherwise this make great political theater, ratchets up the emotion level. He obviously has no intention of tearing the place down, just trying to place a check on someone who thinks he's god but clearly is a couple stratospheres from it. When I worked for the City Teilman would not follow clear rules set forth commenting on demolitions, comment at the last minute with brief, vague comments, and was overruled by the courts it seemed like everytime. The guy is well intention but incompetent and anti-business. Just what we need…

THERE IS A DECAYED CANOPY AT MANNY'S TWO DOORS DOWN IN THE SAME ROW OF BROWN STONES!!!

It has been rotting there for 10 years.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

Willie1:

Just curious, but what color is it in your world?

Stillwater (no "s" people) is in a great great building. but the food is horrible and the service is even worse. I think that a canopy is a fair request because the one in front manny's looked great when it wasn't beatenb to sh*t. but a canopy can't save this place. a new name and a new chef might work- there rep is so bad that they can't and won't overcome it which is tooo bad.

the little house is too big of aloss for a Canopy infront of a bad restaurant. i see the point and admire anyone willing to stand up for what they think is right but this isnt worth it. find anther good pres. board issue to gamble the pan am house against.

Kelly, you're confusing the Preservation Board with the Department of Permits and Inspections. The Board cannot inspect properties, cite owners, or send them to Housing Court.

Al is confusing the Preservation Board with a day labor service. He says, "'Where were any of them over the past 25 years when I fixed, painted, repaired and preserved the little white house? " What were they supposed to do, show up in their grubbies and prime clapboards?

And this anti-business claim is laughable. Until actual preservationists were allowed to serve on the Preservation Board, it acted like a rubber stamp for the Chamber of Commerce, forgetting that it is actually an arm of SHPPO (State Historic Preservation & Parks Office).

The food at Stillwater is definitely the big downfall. I had a Fillet Mignon a couple weeks ago, $48, and it was the most flavorless piece of steak I've ever had. No comparison to their Backyard Neighbor, where I can get one of the better steaks in the city for under $30. Stillwater is one of the coolest places for a drink, but without a wholesale chef change, it'll never make it.

** Mother's being the backyard neighbor

** Mother's being the backyard neighbor, which always has the salads included in the meal, too!

woah, didn't mean to post that second one

My company is working on a project in philly where we have to have approval by the art commission for any exterior signs and awnings. All signs and awnings are reviewed yet people continue to build. Preservation Ordinances exist in nearly all major and many non-major cities. Coppola is just whining to get his way.

I wish I could think of something more intelligent to say - but all I'm coming up with is "What a tool."

I have to get involved in this.

To demonstrate that Al Coppola is in fact “preaching to the choir” and not just singing “a cappella”, I have decided to stand in solidarity.

I hereby pledge that if Stillwaters cannot get a canopy permit, I will cut off my own nose.

This is so stupid but it is driving me nuts that you people keep calling it stillwaters. it is stillwater. isn't there some kind of joke about people in buflo adding an s to the end or a the to the beginning of every store name?

It's predictable that the armchair developers who frequent this site wouldn't understand Mr. Coppola's stance. To the business owners that lose sleep over how they'll meet a payroll, the following statement is like nails on a chalkboard....

"If it were not for this volunteer Board, Delaware Avenue would be without much of the original fabric which gives the Avenue it's charm & substance."

What a complete load of crap from a pompous jerk. It's easy to pontificate when you don't have a dog in the fight. The old mentality that business will screw things just to make a profit, no longer fits. Business in that area markets itself to people who love the city. The board needs to be more flexible... it's too easy for customers to drive out to the bright lights of Niagara Falls Blvd. Granted, the business may have issues, but limiting their ability to attract customers only increases their plight.

Hamp... No one has to defend preservation, what still needs defending, and rightfully so, is when a group of people attempt to dictate what a property owner can and cant do with land they purchased and invested in.

I am not saying that the interference with property rights is always unreasonable- just that it must be questioned and defended EVERY time it is invoked.

I would also submit to you that the often hypocritical arguments of those at the head of Buffalo's "preservation" movement have made people skeptical of their motives and are thus more apt to question their motives.. because they certainly are not always looking out for the city's "beautiful urban fabric and abundance of great old buildings".

BenFranklin:

Great points on a number of fronts: armchair developers, and meeting payroll. You can't imagine the anxiety of wondering if your staff will get paid that Friday as you develop and drive you sales channel, and then you have to spend countless hours on this shit. liberal elistist with no concept of the demands of running a business and their crys for jobs, but only on their terms. F*** you!

You think the preservation Board is not anti-business talk to the owners of Pano's, Pearl Street Grille, Casino folks, Jacobs, Medical Campus, Stillwater, etc. etc. etc... Not anti-business my ass. Prove that they are not Frankster, as certainly their is overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

I was at the preservation board meeting that day for a permit myself. I can understand why they where turned down. they where number 20 on the list:

"Reguest to resubmit application to install a 5' w. x approx. 12'1., custom-built, non-illuminated, classic style[barrel], acryic entrance canopy to the front of a 3-story masonary restaurant..."

I believe the key word here is ACRYLIC. Everyone else in Allentown has to follow strict guideline. Hell my neighboors just shelled out 7 grand for 4 new windows becouse they have to be custom made in wood. I am sure if they applied for a "tastefull" canvas awning it would of been approved.

So, why dont they just put the damn canopy up anyways, what can the preservation board do about it?

On a side note, I do not always agreee with the preservation board. But in all fairness they do work very well with people who are well prepared and try to keep the historic integrity of the property they are working on. If you have never been to a meeting/delt with them then you really have no business commenting on them

The window thing is a tough one, these damn windows cost a fortune to replace, plus they are so big! But maybe this will shed some new light on Allentown and give the owners of these home a new respect. Gotta love these homes one hell of a lot to live here and renovate them!

Well I will admit that I have not read all of the postings first. Material aside...you could make this into a safty issue and have your lawyer and your insurance agent make this a mandate.

Good commets by Eliz--I second them

BR: why do you allow comments riddled with obscene insults? Can't there be some standards for posting here? The level of debate on BR can get pretty low even without the crassness, but allowing that kind of language lowers the tone too far.

Stillwater is a nice place and well done, however a canopy is not going to get people in the door and is not going to keep the sidewalk from getting icy, come on people, the snow goes horizontal here! I hope that the Preservation Board does not start adjusting their values every time someone like this tries to push the envelope. If they do, it will undermine every project that follows.

scarmina, Its not about keeping the sidewalk dry/thawed, its about the profile of the business. Further, if the owner wants to spend his money to put it up on his property and thinks it will help his business he should be able to, regardless of your opinion as to whether or not it will do what he desires.

EricOak:

If you are referring to my crassness let me explain why. I bust my a$$ in the business community trying to employ people and make the city a better place. I run into the same issue Mr. Coppola brings up and have seen it again and again. Working for the City in my prior I've seen it from the inside so please do not waste my time claiming unfounded criticism. Am I mad: yes; am I angry: yes; do I swear: yes; do I care: yes. The City has problems and we need to rectify them asap.

Do I think this is all theater: yes. Do I think he points out a problem: yes. If you can't take the crassness then sorry my friend, what can I say.