Cathedral Park has always been one of those areas in Downtown Buffalo that on certain days looks urban and inviting, and on other days it looks urban and downtrodden. Maybe it’s due to its inhabitants that the scenario changes so much – visitors range from business people eating lunch to vagrants taking naps. The daily hotdog vendor tends to liven things up a bit, but there is potential that still goes untapped. One of my biggest pet peeves is that there is a gated children’s playground adjoining St. Paul’s Cathedral, yet I’ve never see a single child playing in it… has anyone out there ever seen the playground being used? The playground should be an urban asset used by all, not gated for the occasional use (or no use at all), even if it has to be transferred to a new owner.
A while back I received an email from Shawn, who passed along this tidbit, asking about the opportunities associated with the park on Cathedral Square. I would imagine that as traffic is returns to Main Street, it will have an impact on this park, as well as the surrounding areas. What does that mean for the future of Downtown Buffalo’s amazing asset?
From Shawn:
Every day on my way to work, I walk through Cathedral Park and have always thought that this would make a great residental area. I would like to see the surrounding buildings turned into larger apartments for familes and have Cathedral Park Tower turned into apartments or condos. I could picture this area making a perfect spot for familes given the playground right there. Maybe put a daycare inside to entice familes even further. Downtown is lacking apartments large enough for young familes and this could be a good location. Just wanted to throw this idea out there and hear people’s feedback as well as see if anyone knows how full those buildings are even to see if this is feasible.
*News on a couple of buildings from 2011 – see here