I can’t help but come to the conclusion that Buffalo’s vast post industrial wasteland is a huge opportunity for the city. As a kid I loved studying maps, especially maps of Buffalo. I had a huge pull down map of the city that beautifully illustrated all the roads, parks, waterways, and railroads. The colors and patterns made up a true piece of art. As I studied that map I made plans in my head for how to make the city better. One of those plans included connecting South Park to the lakefront. It seemed so logical. The water was so close and there was not much stuff in between. I was later excited to find out that Olmsted had originally planned for the park to do just that. Unfortunately our city leaders of that time did not see the wisdom in such a plan. It seems that lack of innovative leadership goes way back.
When you look at today’s satellite imagery this idea is so much more compelling. In the past the western portion of South Buffalo was heavily industrialized. It packed in almost every industry you could think of. There was food processing, oil refining, chemical manufacturing, and steel milling to mention a few. Over the years almost all of that industry has disappeared leaving behind huge tracts of poisoned empty land. Back in the 1970’s in a brief spurt of civic intelligence Buffalo created the Tift Farm Nature Preserve. Operated by the Buffalo Science Museum, the preserve is a magnificent wilderness in the heart of Buffalo. This land had laid fallow for many years during which time it had reverted back to a natural state and became a major stopping point for migrating birds. Its lagoons are the remainders of old docks ands lips. After many years it has gained mashes and full grown forests where once smoke and fire predominated. A large hill at the south west corner was formed after use as a garbage dump.
With the success of Tift Farm in mind I think it is time that Buffalo again assess the use of this underutilized industrial land and take advantage of an opportunity that is knocking on the door. All this land comes to the city at virtually no cost. Much of it has been abandoned by its industrial owners. Wouldn’t it be great to make this land over as a major new park urban park and recreation area. It could be filled with natural areas, new top notch golf courses, beaches, and heritage trails. Buffalo’s massive industrial ruins , especially the grain elevators, could be incorporated into a dramatic sculpture park. New pedestrian bridges and vehicular crossings can be created up river where large ships no longer travel. The River itself could become a museum of lake freighters . The park can interface with existing neighborhoods and link them to the water’s edge and new outer harbor developments. Existing parks can be integrated into a system that ties everything together. While we are at it, convert the downtown section of the thruway into a slower speed at grade parkway that connects Font Park and Riverside Park with Erie Basin Marina. Do the same with the Scajaquata and link Delaware Park as well. None of this is so crazy that it could not be done with the proper will and imagination.
This empty industrial land may represent a glass half full but , putting it to use in an intelligent and creative way could fill that glass to overflowing.