Well we’ve all jumped on the Bashar Issa bandwagon and now most of us have jumped completely off it…but perhaps we should leave one foot on it.

The hysterics surrounding his financing of the Statler project falling through might just be an exaggeration. Issa insists he is merely applying for historic tax credits and that wait will take about 90-120 days. That makes sense…although I can’t figure out why he didn’t apply for them in the 1st place.

Issa adds that he is still going hard at making the City Tower a reality through ‘agressive marketing’.

” ‘We haven’t neglected the other proposition at all. We’ve invested heavily into marketing….I am in dialogue with several large hotel chains which are keen to me and the region.” He says wants a 40 percent occupancy before a shovel goes in the ground.”

The reality is that he has spent millions already on renovating the Statler and has an agreement with Wyndham to take up 70% of the tower. He purchased the land parcel for City Tower and has put serious efforts into marketing both his projects through two high-quality websites and even publishing a book about the history of the Statler.

His history is checkered and frustrating at best but I see the Statler project working out just fine by 2010 and although I doubt City Tower will get built at least at the height he wants…it has become clear that downtown has an underserved market that could withstand a couple mid-sized or one large-sized tower…with or without an out of town investor/savior.

There is an update about the Genny Block project in today’s Buffalo News business section.

I read earlier this year that it would be all office space-no residential and sadly that remains to be true. A significant residential element could have really helped the Theatre district become slightly more of a neighborhood and perhaps increase the chances of seeing retail that serves everyday needs of downtown residents.

Regardless, it is a great project-especially in a psychological sense. With new life coming to such an infamous block-it really legitimizes the things that seemingly only planners/planning fiends in Buffalo understand…there really is substantial investment going into making downtown decent.

Most exciting element of the project to me was this…

The redone buildings are expected to house a destination restaurant, offices and possibly a boutique hotel, but residences are not part of the plan. Although no tenants have signed onto the project, an out-of-town restaurant operator has expressed initial interest.

Good sign to see that an out-of-town ‘destination’ restaurant is interested in setting up shop in downtown without public handouts…

The final designs are out for the Rt. 5 along the Outer Harbor-a roadway that just screams out “I hope your stereotypes of Buffalo have been fulfilled thanks to this experience.” The skyway will not be removed but there are ways to live with the Skyway (bridge for 30 mph cars, light rail and pedestrians at the foot of Main would be nice).

The roads are straight, have great connectivity and most importantly-make sense.

I’m feeling the pedestrian trails though. It’s a unique part of the region but not inviting due to the infrastructure. These trails with historic interpretations will make for a pretty nice park-like experience…although I can’t see this being a hot spot to visit most of the year.

The enhanced connectivity should make it a bit more appealing to take the risk on a buisness venture, specifically ones related to water access. But until there is a great multi-modal connection from the Inner Harbor, seeing a booming Outer Harbor will be a stretch.

All in all a really nice project for something the NYSDOT came up with…here’s hoping there is no lawsuit and a quick and timely construction process.

Buffalo’s post-industrial life has consisted of nothing but stories of it getting left behind by the rest of the country as regions diversified their economies and new sectors of employment replaced factory jobs elsewhere.

Although there is no return to glory in sight, America’s recent economic struggles have come while the Buffalo region continues its slow climb out of mediocrity and in some cases-directly benefit from the rest of the country’s woes.

*Retailers in the Buffalo region have done fairly well and sale tax coffers have grown by millions thanks to Canadians as retail in America struggles.

*Recently Buffalo’s job growth topped almost all of Florida.

*Buffalo-Niagara house sales went up 8% percent while the nation went down double digits.

*And the debt-collecting service is bursting out the seams in Buffalo almost as the nation of debt struggles through unofficial recession.

I don’t want to cheer for the demise of America or anything…

NEMO homes has proposed some new townhomes to complete one residential area on the waterfront (views of water not included). They look pretty decent and are good just on the basis that it finally fills the empty lots around it.

Very logical project, and a good sign about the demand for middle/slightly above middle income living in the city.

But the opposition is strong. And I have yet to hear a good reason for it.

Buffalo Rising’s armchair architects/architectural scholars/urban planners/experts on society chime in.

Here are some choice quotes from the local papers:

“Looking at the proposed development compared to the existing homes, it is an absolute deviance,”

This one is pretty awesome:

Still, some nearby residents fear the project will hurt their property values, especially if it cuts into street parking options that currently exist.

“It violates the concept of Waterfront Village,” said Daniel Zak, whose townhouse neighbors the proposed development site. “Waterfront Village is a distinct neighborhood and is the result of 30 years worth of planning and development. If it is built, I’m going have to have a shuttle to bring people in for my annual Christmas party.”

Gotta love ‘time capsule-city’.

Buffalo News article
BizJournal’s coverage

The old skin of the Dulski Building has almost shed entirely with crews working on it at a pretty fast speed (weekends as well). So far I believe 9 of the floors have been occupied with a law firm taking two and Embassy Suites taking 7.

Foundation is starting to become visible at the courthouse site finally. Got a long way to go.

The condo tower at Waterfront Place has been topped off after 13 floors came up at a fairly quick pace.

A quick look at the bricks they’ll be using for the facade (gray ones for the garage floors (1&2) brown for the rest).

The more the ‘Canal Side’ project comes along the more I like it. To walk the Commercial Slip is a pretty unique experience albeit a sterile interpretation of the seedy canal district Buffalo once had.

Some interesting views and really good signage.

The ruins are one of the more unique elements of the project although I can’t say it feels super historic-since we’ve never seen it before it feels a bit like it was put there with the rest of the project.

The ‘facade” of what was a Lloyd Street building looks weird no doubt but the map/timeline at the base of it makes the design a bit better.

This will without a doubt be the most interesting public space in Buffalo and probably in the region. Hopefully Benderson is able to make full use of that fact.

Whenever it fit in my tight college-student budget I would go to a Sabres game but after a semester everyone jumped on the bandwagon and my routine of buying $17 tickets and sitting in $117 ones was no longer doable. In fact, I haven’t been able to go to a game since December ‘05 until I got a free ticket from my uncle last night for the game against the Leafs-a match-up I’ve always wanted to experience in person.

I gotta say the arena experience has changed quite a bit since the Miroslav Satan era.

One, it was sold-out.

Two, the new scoreboard is beyond beautiful.

Three, however, the fan types have changed a bit.

The “I’m young and loud and I’m going to use this sporting event to drink a lot of Labatt and be obnoxious the whole game because it proves my manliness”-fan is apparently no longer exclusive to the Bills, but the lack of tailgating and being indoors should prevent that from ever reaching Bills game levels.

As the game got worse and worse, the cameramen would seem to show more and more crowd shots and somehow these ‘fans’ would muster up the happiness and energy late in the 3rd period to jump up and smile and dance for the camera as their ‘favorite team’ withered away their playoff hopes. Wtf?

People complain about all the Toronto fans but you notice them so much because they’re actual hockey fans unlike a lot of the people in the Buffalo area who all of a sudden liked the team two years ago. I know I’m not supposed to say that but oh well.

But hey, these people buy a lot more merchandise and tickets than I ever would so everyone serves their purpose I guess. I’ll just be the cliche angry old man watching it on tv.

Couple more notes:

*For the record, if Ruff didn’t quit on Thibault so quickly in the season, Miller wouldn’t be giving up all these soft goals down the stretch.

*Kudos to the probably 9,000 or so Leafs fans who crossed the border to spend 100’s of dollars for the experience. They do a lot better job patronizing downtown establishments before games than Buffalonians do btw.