Nowadays, this

crap gets built in the city center and no one gives a shit.

*pic courtesy flickr

I’ve written before about how architecture is indeed more important in Buffalo than it was before as we slightly move away from the “just build something” approach. That idea is still present and I’m guilty of on occasion as well. One may say that its all about money but good architecture doesn’t have to mean art museums and luxury condos designed by Gehry or Calatrava in world class cities. If a developer and an architect have any respect for the ground they build on and respect the ghosts of Burnham, Sullivan, Wright, Richardson, and Saarinen around them they’d do better-especially if you went to Harvard…like the guy who designed this-

*pic courtesy flickr

Buffalo will not have a building boom of Beijing proportions, in fact-it probably never will have a building boom. But things are and will be built in Buffalo, all I am saying is that embracing mediocrity is a self-fulfilling prophecy-whether through public policy or design.

The casino had the potential to serve as an entertainment anchor along with the HSBC Arena to help encourage business. And before you bring the Seneca Niagara analogy I submit to you that their (NF) project was
1. around minimal development
2. brought in revenue to pay for the new NF airport
3. put pressure on surrounding hotels to up the ante or die

One could argue the announcement of the hotel aspect of the project put some extra pressure on the Adams Mark and maybe even the Hyatt to make sure their upgrades were soon and of high quality.

A Buffalo Creek casino could have had some drawing power to developers needing an extra reason to commit to a store or restaurant or hotel on Canal Side. Since Canal Side is to become a regional attraction-having a large facility that draws people who clearly have a burning hole in their wallet who hail from Cheektowaga or Fort Erie or anywhere else around town-would help increase foot traffic at some small to medium scale.

In reference to the Senecas sucking in the poor who live in the Perry Projects or Douglass Towers- I have never once seen a pedestrian go to the casino, I’ve also never seen anyone get off an NFTA Bus to go there while the parking lot is packed all the time…I’m not buying the ‘exploitation of the nearby poor’ theory. Yes, a blue tool shed with slot machines has drawn in some not-so-fancy characters for the most part, but I can’t see the clientele base not evolving a bit after the completed project.

I think gambling is a stupid thing, I resent the fact that Buffalo got such a paltry deal on the project, and I think anyone who regarded the project as a great way to revitalize downtown is delusional BUT I think every project with drawing power adds up to eventually create a much better downtown. The more options one has when looking for things to do downtown, the better it is for everyone. The Senecas are in the game of profiting off of people who want to throw money away knowing that there is some sort of chance that they’ll get some of it back but the sad reality is that most of if not all these customers already waste their money on OTB’s and the Fort Erie Slots and NF Ontario Casinos-if your dwindling tax base wants to waste money, at least give them an option of doing so while giving back to the local municipalities.

To stereotype further, a bunch of old rich people in North Buffalo got together to sue because they feel they know what’s best for everyone else in the area. Whether they’re right or not is debatable. The Cobblestone District will continue to slowly evolve, probably into a quiet, high-rent loft neighborhood with some decent restaurants and cafes but they missed out on a chance to take a quicker path to vibrancy-perhaps a riskier one at that but Buffalo is in a position in which taking big chances might not be such a bad idea.

But apparently the issue has been addressed…

When Avant took the lead in the name game, there was some concern that Buffalonians would have a tough time pronouncing it.

“There was some worry that the Buffalo “flat A” would overtake the softer “Ah-vahnt,” said Uniland spokeswoman Judi Griggs.

To dispel concerns Crowley Webb hit Main Street and asked passers-by to pronounce Avant, along with two other possible building names. When results yielded a 90 percent success rate for Avant’s soft A’s, the choice became final.

The era of the housing project is long gone thanks to high concentrations of poverty, limited access to upward mobility, amongst other things.

With the end of it came section 8 vouchers to all, giving nearly-limitless opportunities to those from the aforementioned projects to live in the suburbs if they so desire.

And with that has come a trend suggesting the almost evenly distributed amount of crime throughout metro regions.

Perhaps a fair explanation of why Amherst crime has gone up while Buffalo crime has gone down?

Although I feel bad for a good family to get stuck with violent drug dealers around their homes I think it is fairly anti-social to assume that crime should be a problem for just a city. Perhaps if it is everyone’s inescapable problem, then society will take a far more thoughtful approach to solving the issues at hand. Perhaps the Sandy Beach thought process will be non-existent in the future.

Architecturally speaking the whole place is mediocre at best and urban planning-wise its a disaster. Making vast amounts of waterfront property private, parking in the front almost everywhere, and pathetic connectivity to the adjacent central business district-all mortal sins in the world of planning. Sadly, that is partly why this place works. People with money want to be downtown but they don’t trust it enough to live where they’d have to interact with the crazies and hobos and the non-existent criminals roaming around. Times have changed since the 80’s when this part of the waterfront became high-end residential-but the mindset has only changed for the better slightly.

What is good about this place is that it was able to attract people with money to pay property taxes in the city of Buffalo and to create some sort of residential/waterfront momentum while nothing else could. With it now attaining a fairly high density for Buffalo standards, it potentially creates the need for a nearby grocery store, coffee shops, clothing stores, and other everyday needs.

I’m excited to see this community finally get build out. Perhaps in the future as people need more sustainable living-the wealthy residents will demand better infrastructure that creates great multi-modal connections to their surroundings, creating a more vibrant downtown. For now, its just good to see the demand for residential space in downtown Buffalo to keep strong.

Its a great response but maybe slightly optimistic. I’m not sure how powerful a great waterfront and other cultural assets can make young people stay as opposed to simply providing jobs that college graduates are looking for but I do believe that Buffalo can be an overflow-type place for people and businesses that are priced out of Toronto or even Canada completely. High-speed rail would help accelerate such a potential trend. A Schengen-Zone type agreement would really help but that is an impossible feat.

With the aforementioned parks and waterfronts and museums etc etc Buffalo could indeed be attractive to businesses in Canada who want a US presence but see a bad image being attatched to having set up shop in Buffalo but to individuals I find that hard to be a population-adder

Anyways I’m not the expert so enjoy his very thorough look at Buffalo’s positive future…let me know what you think of it.

Meanwhile here’s an interview with Jordan Levy on WBEN…good to hear about Canal Side coming along and beyond exciting to know that retailers are going to sign contracts in the fall.

Nice to know things are actually coming together. Not just the infrastructure but the retail tenants. Curious to know what kind of buzz Canal Side is receiving amongst national chains.

And the Galleria is moving along with its expansion as the epic Regal Cinema has finally opened up. Honestly, when you look at the list of retailers to come to this part of the mall, most of them are chains I could never envision even thinking about coming here. I do believe people who are into high-end retail feel better about living in Buffalo knowing they can conveniently shop at Lucky Brand or Metropark, or Coach, or Urban Oufitters, and eat at Melting Pot, Cheesecake Factory, or Hyde Park instead of traveling to find these places…quality of life as they say.

Oh and the Maple Shooting Club retail project by Benderson is rumored to be anchored by Whole Food market (the perfect paradox for SWPL types in the city: “Whole Foods is here! But its in Amherst! Do I go or not?”). Word on the street is that PF Chang’s will also be there too. Interesting…those two tenants suggest more good stuff to follow.