Man on waterfront forced to arrange shuttle service for X-mas party.
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’.
New building? Great! When’s the lawsuit!?
Didn’t have computer access for a couple days but I have to have some sort of post on the new Gates Circle Condos…
They look hawtttt.
Oh and I think I figured out that “Lawsuit” is around step two or three in the official procedures for significant development in Buffalo. Rules are rules ya know?
The Buffalo News’ coverage
Here’s BRO’s coverage and EPIC comment section
*Photos courtesy WCP from skyscraper forums
Buffalo- the city that never changes
Craig at Northcoast sums it up perfectly…
This “suburbanization” thing is a complete myth. Every building is going to be built right up to the sidewalk. EVERY SINGLE ONE. The parking garages (at least one of them) is going to have 1st floor retail. From what I’ve heard, the Aud Parking Ramp could have a residential component.
When you look at the Canal Side plan, and the entire waterfront, Bass Pro doesn’t dominate the waterfront at all. It’s what we call “an anchor”. A big retailer that attracts smaller retailers around it. Without an anchor, smaller stores simply won’t come to the Inner Harbor and take the risk, it has to be a shopping destination to work. Not a park with some little mom and pop shops.
The cobblestone streets will still be there, the sidewalks will still be there, urban design and a respect for the architecture of the time it is recreating will be respected in accordance with the Canal Side plan.
I won’t yell at preservationists as a whole because its people like them who are the only reason today why we still have the Guaranty Building, Shea’s, and the emerging commercial slip and 1800’s ruins at the Inner Harbor.
But this is Elmwood Hotel type stuff right here. A fear of big change. A fear of the mainstream coming into town and adding a certain element of life that we’re just not used to in this city. Perhaps its a self-fulfilling prophecy…of never evolving and maintaining our national reputation of being a boring dump of a city (and yes, most people who actually visit Buffalo feel that way).
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bass Pro get annoyed with the lawsuit and just bailout. Leaving Benderson with a devil of a time to recruit attractive retailers.
The current Canal Side plan is impressive and thorough and could put Baltimore’s watefront to shame…yeah its that good.
We’ll see how this works out, but based on history I don’t see this looking so good for progress on Buffalo’s waterfront but hey…at least we’ll have another really nice greenspace on the waterfront that could maybe have like…people…and like…some local art events and like…maybe a summer concert…
Ah yes, life in the ol’ time capsule we call Buffalo, New York.
A different type of Taliban
The designs for the new Park Lane 20 story condo hasn’t even been released and there is already huge opposition.
Will someone tell these people they are living in a fuckin city? It’s quite simple, really. Successful cities in the civilized world build tall buildings…sometimes they’re pretty too!
You can call them NIMBY’s or BANNANA’s all you want, I’m calling them the Development Taliban.
No, its not catchy but it’s an appropriate name.
