Commuter biking in Buffalo? For some people, the idea seems completely bizarre. But for those forward thinking people, (or those without a car), commuter biking is not a wacky notion. There are reasons, in the general sense, as to why this is smart. For those whose commute is relatively short, it’s cheap, convenient, and carbon footprint free. There are reasons, specific to living in Buffalo, that this is smart too. Regrettably, Buffalo’s transit system is woefully unreliable. I can get to my destination quicker by bike than I ever could by bus… yes, even in the winter.
But there is another reason, irrespective of its practical advantages, that makes commuter biking in Buffalo an interesting experience. You get to know the city and its neighborhoods in a way that car travel can never match. Such has been my experience.
For almost all my commuter needs, I used a bike to get around. Traveling to unknown neighborhoods either for work, school, or shopping afforded me the chance to think about what the concept of neighborhood really means. Being from Toronto, cycling through downtown and near downtown neighborhoods has always been an enjoyable and engaging experience. On the bicycle, you feel a connection to the streetscape, because you actually become part of the life of a neighborhood, even if you’re only whizzing by it momentarily. You can’t say that about traveling by car, which only isolates and barricades you from your surroundings.
Perhaps, therefore, it’s from years of cycling through Toronto’s streets that I’ve come to appreciate that sense of connection I feel with neighborhoods, even if I don’t know them well, or may never re-visit them again. Perhaps too, that’s why I found a sense of intrigue, and curiosity about traveling through Buffalo’s forgotten neighborhoods.
On the bike, you are more sensitive to the neighborhood environment around you. You’re made to think about it more because, unlike being in a car, you’re completely exposed to its atmosphere. This, I believe, is why I began thinking more about some of the neighborhoods through which I traveled. What moved me about two of them in particular, were the common elements they each shared. What inspired me to write about them was the images I conjured up of their vibrant past lives, and why I still have hope for their revival.
Living in Elmwood Village, I would frequently bike over to Guercio’s to do my shopping. From there, I would often continue down Grant as I made my way to D’Youville College, where I was attending school. As I headed south along Grant, I would imagine what the street looked like circa 1942, 1955,1963 – arbitrary years I’ve chosen when this neighborhood was teeming with retail, foot traffic and vibrancy. I had the same apparitions when on two occasions I had reason to cycle up to the corner of Tonawanda and Ontario streets. Sadly, an empty, but still surprisingly intact shell of what was once the busy and beloved Riverside Men’s Shops sits there waiting for a new life (or not if the developers knock it down as part of a Rite Aid expansion). Again, I imagined it being 1951, with a constant stream of people passing in and out of its front doors; men in fedoras, women wearing matching hats, coats and gloves.
And while it’s true, we can’t go back, we can look to the future. And while to some it may seem somewhat of a stretch, I do see a future for these two neighborhoods. Here’s why. Both along Grant Street between Delavan and Ferry and along Tonawanda north of Ontario, there is still signs of retail… not a lot, bus some. Grant has Guercio’s, a Rite Aid at Ferry, a Rainbow store, and Prish Moran and her investments shoring up the corner of Lafayette. Tonawanda St. also has a Rite Aid north of Ontario. Sure, these are not the stores of 50 years ago, nor the stores that indicate any pending neighborhood renaissance. But they are retail nonetheless. And existing retail is an indication of life… of neighborhood purchasing power and of neighborhood stability. Perhaps the greatest proof of that is that both Grant St. north of Ferry, and Tonawanda St. north of Ontario still support M&T bank branches.
To me, nothing indicates a greater belief in a neighborhood than the presence of a bank. They are anchors. They make a statement. They say, “We believe in these communities, and they are worth our investment”. Think about it. M&T would have long ago closed up their Grant Street and Tonawanda Street branches if there weren’t enough depositors locally to justify the bank’s existence. M&T is not a charity. Banks are in the business of making money. Therefore, the presence of M&T at these locations, in my opinion, is a good barometer of the viability and survivability of these two neighborhoods. And an indication of what might possibly be a healthy future.
This is exactly why the opening of two more banks along Elmwood (Evans National Bank @ current Elmwood Taco and Sub location and Bank of America at former Pier 1 site) is very good for Elmwood. People have lamented on BRO that the banks will only produce foot traffic during banking hours. People have lamented that banks are not places where people will spend their money locally. But it’s important to think big. Banks are a symbol of stability. Stability attracts new investors to a community. Neighborhoods, like EV, like Grant/Ferry, like Black Rock are all seeking new investors. And unlike flashy stores that can come and go in a neighborhood, banks are often there for the long haul… helping to keep some neighborhoods currently afloat like Grant/Ferry or Black Rock, and helping others like EV to downright flourish.
It’s interesting how this story would have never even been a thought, had I not been on my bike. Another reason why biking is not only good for your body, but for your brain as well.
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