I think one can see a difference in the usual standard double flats that the hotel wanted to replace and the Atwater house with it's turret and full medina sandstone porch if they were bing honest. You still may not agree to save the Atwater, but it was a higher quality house let to decay by the person who wanted it down.

The best that could have happened here was an integrated plan for the whole Elmwood side of the block. New street side buildings with parking in the back and/or below grade. Even this design is not all that bad. It's just just the two surface lots on each side of the building which break up the streetscape like missing teeth.

Good! I have many friends at work, that travel in from the burbs just to go to Pano's. He has a good thing going on the block. He has been an assest to Elmwood for many years. Shame about the Atwater, but is is gone...so I say good luck to him. Keep your resturant and Elmwood busy!!!

BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME what is the matter with you? please calm down.

TO BROKEEPSBLOCKING ME -- it's easy to understand why

How is this any different that what Lexington Co Op did? Both buisinesses tore down a handsome old building in disrepair for a new build to accomodate growth (jobs) in order to succeed in the nieghborhood that supported them. Do all of you boycott that store too?

thanks Denizen.

I would like to propose something regarding the misinterpreted comments on this site. My friends and I are an overly sarcastic lot and often get into pissing matches due to the lack of tone in blogs/emails/etc. (sound familar?) So when we post a sarcastic comment to each other on our blogs and such, we add a pipe like this.| It's the shift key plus the "\" key above "enter". So AtwaterLouse, your comment would simply be like this...

Oh yeahhh great - just freakin great, then they'll drive up our real estate prices! Are we willing to risk having the Creekside Restaurant crowd start Williamsvillizing of our quiant eclectic EV? What would visitors from Toronto say? Distas, come to your senses, sign our petition. |

The addition of the pipe allows everyone to recognize it as sarcasm/satire. I guess we would need a site-wide mandate and the end of a 2 day old article might not get enough attention, but you get my point. The pipe would allow for more freely wielded sarcasm w/o all the misunderstanding and hate. But what fun would BRO be w/o the arguments?|

So according to Frankster, and by the lack of arguments to the contrary, I am assuming that the Co Op and Pano's both committed similar acts of evil on Elmwood. So if everyone's boycott of both of these establishments (I do hope you boycotters are consistant in your beliefs and refuse to shop at Co Op) is successful we will have 2 struggling buisinesses on Elmwood. Two buisinesses that have fought for years to become part of the fabric of this community and are only trying to expand their buisiness within the confines of the strip like anyone else would. That will be awesome!

And what is next? ETS tore down an old house yrs ago to build their ugly little non-urban one story CMU building. And now they have the audacity to abandon it and move into the old BK down the street. Look at all that evil parking! So no more tacos from there. Spot coffee built new, I don't know what used to be there but I'm sure they could have rehabed it, regardless of cost/efficiency/needs/site issues. Nektar seems to be all smug in their stupid grey little box at the end of that block. No more Martini's from there! Speaking of which have you noticed how far back from the street Cecilia's is? Who let them do that? I refuse to listen to the smooth sounds of live jazz from there ever again!

Look, how about everyone recognizes that just because you live around the corner from a private buisiness does not mean you have any say in how they conduct their buisiness. If you are so concerned about maintaining every old building on Elmwood, save your nickels and buy them up, rehab them, and do whatever the hell you want with them. I promise you that as long as you meet the zoning ordinances, EV design guidelines (no matter how archaic), and any other regulations imposed by a governing body, I and other rational thinking people will stay out of your way.

This is a city. It is supposed to be dynamic and evolving. We haven't had much of that here, and while we should identify which historical gems to save, we cannot expect every building to remain forever. Buildings get knocked down every day, and new ones go up. I more than anyone recognizes the need to regulate and promote smart growth, but sometimes people want to knock down shitty old buildings in order to create something new and more efficient, and while certainly not in this case, hopefully something equally as beautiful. We have a wealth of historic homes around here, and a definate lack of vibrant small buisisnesses. Let's chalk this up to the constant evolution of Elmwood from residential into a healthy, vibrant commercial stirp. This won't be the last old home to go on this street.

I SUPPORT PANO'S AND I STILL SUPPORT THE ELMWOOD/FOREST HOTEL!!!!!!!!

The hot chocolate is really good there...

jerkface was my father's name, and his father's before that. thanks for shitting on my family ljcolucci.

Eisen: the Atwater House was not in a preservation district. The Preservation Board had no jurisdiction over its repairs. The usual (unenforced) building codes applied there as elsewhere on Elwmood above North St.

Jerkface: the Co-op got one hell of a hassle from neighbors for demolishing an existing masonry building. I know, because I was there hassling them. Ask the manager Tim Bartlett about it some time.

Everyone else: giving Pano a demo permit because his building was supposedly "decrepit" is rewarding demolition by neglect. It was perfectly habitable until he canceled the leases of his tenants and had his sons trash the place.

Some of you people crack me up. You would be funny if you weren't so sad. You don't want the Williamsville crowd to crash your hipster scene? Get over yourselves. You're hip fishes in a small pond - nothing to brag about. The building looks great, but that BASTARD - He's got a strip of grass in front of it!!

BRO,

I am sure he is happy to have you defending him in such an intelligent and articulate way. I am sure he is proud to be associated with you.

For the record, I have not criticized the man. Just the project

I just hope we can saved those terrible eyesore to to the left. We must save those shanty, rodent infested hellholes for the sake of our children and superior moral lattitute. I concur with Denizen: "blah...blah...blah"

Regarding the previous post, self-centered and disrespectful would be consistent with the owner's actions toward the Atwater House. I was in town for a Buffalo Tours training session the day after the Atwater House was demolished, and strongly shared the dismay and disgust of my friends. While I'm a huge fan of the revitalization activites along Elmwood - we're working on transplanting ideas and strategies to one of our avenues here in Rochester - and I'm not by nature a boycotter, I will never, EVER, patronize this business. Many of my Buffalo friends feel the same way.

I don't like it because I don't think it is good for the street in general. It has nothing to do with public money or weather I voted for George Bush or not.

On the contrary, Eisen, the Preservation Board voted almost unanimously to recommend that that the demo permit be denied and the house be saved. I was there, and so were a hundred or more other people. On the strength of that vote, Masiello denied the demo permit. Pano then sued the City.

Pano got at least three offers of to buy the property. He turned away all buyers. Pano got an offer of free design advice from the local AIA chapter to help him incorporate the house into his expansion plans. He turned them away.

Denizen: Gee, tearing down a sound two-story masonry bulding to build a 1.5 story masonry building--doesn't really fit with the Co-op environmental ethic, now does it? Sure, the new building is good. But they could still have extended the existing building to the street, filling a gap in the streetscape without sending anything to the landfill. They'd have had more usable space for future expansion, plus the income potential from the upper floor of the old building, for less upfront cost.

Oh, and when your life is so full that you stop living vicariously on blogs, I'll consider your advice about getting one of my own.

Steel: you get best of show in the highly competitive Puncture Buffalo Pundit category. "It's about a city." Well said.

I too have and will never go back. the owner's attitude toward others is best exemplified by the fact that since tearing down the atwater house in the Spring, all Summer he's left the empty space exactly as is since the demo -- w/o bothering to even slightly clean up the remaining mess. to little old me, that's a big middle finger to us all.

short pano story.....during the elmwood festival of the arts, my girlfriend and i left our house on auburn near ashland. as we were leaving pano pulled up in his bmw, parked the opposite way of the traffic and parked his car directly on the corner of the street, blocking sidewalks and showing zero respect for anything/anyone around him and his car. both of our jaws dropped. i told him that he couldn't park like that, he just ignored me and walked pass . it was one of the most bizarre, self-centered, and disrespectful moves i've ever seen.

Boycotting Pano's would be so much harder if I'd had any desire to eat there in the first place. I don't understand what's so appealing about it. Anyway, let's be optimistic about these plans. Nothing could possibly be worse than what's on the site now, right?

Despite the project, the quality of the food will still be greasy spoon.

Eisen, What does the preservation board require to make it so expensive to fix the house- beyond what would be done anyways if improvements were made?

No Pundit. It is a discussion about much more than a diner. It is a discussion about a city.

It's interesting how the rendering doesnt show all the parking to the sides of the building! I still refuse to support this a-hole. I also had a run-in with this ignorant guy with no respect for the city....just his wallet. I'm sure the food will still be horrible and the restaurant dirty!

Well i'm glad everyone is boycotting pano's because the wait will be shorter next time I go. That place is always bustleing, i dont think you are hurting his wallet any. The new design looks great, he is using his own money, adding jobs (even if they are waiter jobs they are still jobs for college folk ect.), parking is behind brick walls, adding a second story. All this fuss why? Because he legally tore down a house? Houses are torn down every day in the city and left to be empty lots; cry for me. There are much more important things in life to worry about.

Just listen to yourselves!! Self serving BUFFOONS!!! You Elmwood Ave elitists, Monday morning architects and wanna be treehuggers ALL think that the city of Buffalo revolves around Elmwood Ave. GET A LIFE!! Wake up , theres more to Buffalo than this strip that seems to be the center of your universe!!....and embrace change and development for the sake of saving what is left of the economic structure that could encourage More development and investment. YOU all think that every old building must be saved so that it can be a museum . Now I know why this area s considered the armpit of the northeast!! oh ya..Atwater louse...dont get your hopes up..I doubt WILLIAMSVILLE would want you... your head is too far up...

Maybe if people from the suburbs are attracted by places like Pano's and learn more about what the city has to offer, then they might just think about investment and possibly even owning property here!!!!! What a rediculous idea huh??!! who needs suburbanites with all of their dirty money.......

Jerkface - Yeah that sounds like a good point -

How is this any different that what Lexington Co Op did? Both buisinesses tore down a handsome old building in disrepair for a new build to accomodate growth (jobs) in order to succeed in the nieghborhood that supported them.

- but the differences are clear:

Pano is a for-profit business man and thus greedy, while the Co Op is run by a non-profit group and thus inherently good.

Also, the Co Op has many items with hipster appeal such as free-range goat yogurt and organic fair-trade cashews. Such items might not be quite as socially benficial as, say for example exotic upscale micro beers - but at least they're way more cool and proactive than stuff Pano's serves which obviously isn't good since it appeals to such a broad customer range that includes average regular people. As some earlier commenters pointed out, Pano's food is clearly so geasy spoonish that they've never eaten there even once, and if they ever do go there it will only be so they can then start a boycott.

Pundit - All this hubub over a diner is because it's a slow news week. One of these days something more significant is bound to happen, such as some skateboarder teens might find a new parking lot to hang out in. Stay tuned.

Oh great, distas - then we'll be flooded with *outsiders* and their Williamsville attitudes and materialism and carbon footprints. Most of them probably won't even ride their bikes to get here. The block won't seem anything like it did in the 1800s. Won't we ever learn???? This is about a CITY!

I was eating at Creekside in Williamsville the other night and i thought it was funny that the group sitting next to us was talking about how they "hadent been to Pano's in a while!" and that they really wanted to go back soon. This suports BuffaloRitz's comment on bringing outsiders in to support Elmwood!!

I

This just makes me sad.

I still think the former Plate -Oh's had more charm...eating on the patio sucking down my gyro topped off with tzatziki sauce and bus fumes......ah, I miss that summer.

Didn't Pano win the suit in a court of law Frankster? Was the building a historic landmark? Was the the landmark society given clear instructions how to save structure of which was not followed? Does a private property owner need to consider offers on their property? Elmwood is a socialistic utopia. Get real

Nice post Jerkface, I raised a similar question earlier and I was told that the co-op building is mixed use. The mixed-use being that they have their offices on the second floor.

Oh yeahhh great - just freakin great, then they'll drive up our real estate prices! Are we willing to risk having the Creekside Restaurant crowd start Williamsvillizing of our quiant eclectic EV? What would visitors from Toronto say? Distas, come to your senses, sign our petition.

What about losing the unique urban fabric on the East Side? Doesn't it matter too?

Opps, sorry cut/paste goof up there - someone can mock me now, or deport me to Williamsville.

Ok Jerkface I sort of see your point. As the Simpsons character said “a sarcasm detector - oh that’s a GREAT idea. |

But if anyone has to mark their comments, shouldn’t it be the anti-progress anti-suburban kooks who actually believe that stuff? Some mark to mean “Yes this sounds too crazy to take seriously, but I’m really being serious.” Maybe a backward slash? \

Then when normal people read that kind of weird stuff, they can just assume it’s satire or sarcasm unless that mark its there. That would make things a lot more smooth. Ok JF I see what your mean. As the Simpsons character said “a sarcasm detector - oh that’s a GREAT idea. |

But if anyone has to mark their comments, shouldn’t it be the anti-progress anti-suburban kooks who actually believe that stuff? Some mark to mean “Yes this sounds too crazy to take seriously, but I’m really being serious.” Maybe a backward slash? \

Then when normal people read that kind of weird stuff, they can just assume it’s satire or sarcasm unless that mark its there. That would make things a lot more smooth! Besides, aren’t they causing the rest of us to suffer enough already without having to type an extra character if we joke on their extremism?

Calm down Judpatooti... Spaulding was just referencing a quote from South Park. And I dont think Spaulding has a car, he rides a moped powered by love and happy thoughts.

Just a little jokey joke

Looking simply at the architectural design (and ignoring all the social arguments that go with it)...

Does anybody know if those big windows in front can be opened. I've never eaten at Pano's, but driving by it always seemed like an awesome place to enjoy a meal outside on a summer night.

It says in the article that there is a patio (i hope that isnt referencing the upstairs patio bc thats just not the same), but large removable windows would provide the same atmosphere. I hope that this is what they have in mind and these won't just be permanent dividers between the restaurant and the street.

Joey, stop scratching yur nuts and think about it. The city does revolve around Elmwood Ave. And yes, Nickel City. It was once Carriage Trade ...some of our cities best pastries and cakes.

Pundit:

The ones just north of Bullfeathers have eschewed lawns for parking. Do they count?

Thanks for making my point. That's the most ill-maintained, unpleasant section of the Elmwood district.

There are no urban design conventions in Buffalo. It's all done by accident, ad hoc.

If there were no design conventions, we would not be able to instantly say, This is a streetcar suburb from the 1890s. Or, this is an immigrant worker cottage neighborhood. Or, this is a post-war strip mall and subdivision. And so on.

No, because when someone builds in Clarence, they're welcomed.

Really? Clarence residents uncritically accept everything and oppose nothing? How about this headline from the July 25, 2007 Buffalo News? "Clarence frets Main may become traffic nightmare," about unwanted new development. Or this one from June 7, 2007? "Residents assured on roundabout." You make your neighbors out to be automatons instead of people who care about their environment, too.

Mr. Pizza has parking in front. So does Wilson Farms. There's a huge honking parking lot next to Blockbuster/Brodo.and Buffalo Fleece.

Those are not two-story storefront buildings like Pano is trying to emulate. Mr. Pizza was a gas station. Wilson Farms is a convenience store; again, a typology like a gas station that has the design convention of a deep setback fronted by asphalt. Buffalo Fleece has the patio for Globe on one side and a storefront on the other. The lot belongs to the forgettable brick medical building north of Globe; again, not a two-story storefront commercial building like what Pano is trying to do.

The point is not the grassy strip, the point is that not all development is improvement. Clarence is just starting to figure that out. Buffalo has known it for decades.

Thanks for playing, though.

Some of you people crack me up. You would be funny if you weren't so sad. You don't want the Williamsville crowd to crash your hipster scene? Get over yourselves.

I thought it would be clear that stuff was satire, but maybe it was too close to what some people really think. (btw, does that move it from sad back to funny?)

Do any of you know what was there before pano built his restaurant next to the "atwater house"? Yes, thats right a PARKING LOT!

Pundit: you're being unusually disingenuous about building typologies. It is entirely appropriate to site a house with a lawn in front. The Atwater was built as a single family house before it was converted to commercial use. Name one single family house on Elmwood that is sited with porch or front steps right up to the sidewalk line.

Now look at the neighboring commercial buildings on Elmwood. Name one two story storefront building with a setback and planting strip between building and sidewalk. Putting planting strips up against commercial buildings looks as lame and backward as putting parking lots up against houses (which was highly detrimental to Grant Street). If Elmwood wasn't so blessed with good urban design conventions and precedents, it would not be the huge success that it is.

But if you like your commercial buildings to have lawns and shrubbery ensembles, we have lots of nice office parks and carefully landscaped big box stores for you. Suburban places follow suburban design conventions, and that's OK. I don't see Buffalonians demanding that Clarence start converting buildings to mixed use, add second stories and ground floor windows, build out to the street, put in sidewalks and on-street parking, lower traffic speeds, and expand mass transit.

Likewise, urban places should be free of demands for suburban design conventions.

Doc......read my previous posts, im clearly on your side brother. my bad if my sarcasm wasnt clear enough

You dumb fucks, dont you have anything else to do! Get a life. I care about what happens in this city as much as anyone, but this is so small of problem. We have a great deal more to worry about in this town. That restaurant will creat more jobs in the neiborhood and bring bussiness to elmwood! How is that a bad thing. If you dont like the way the building looks, then buy some land on elmwood and build your own. Stop crying the atwater house is GONE!

Aslong as the price of my ham and feta omlette doesn't increase, i'm all for it!!!! Actually, i'm glad it's finally going to happen. I'm just suspect of how the parking situation will really work out. Time will tell and prove right or wrong.

Franskter is hilarious. Out of touch and factually inaccurate. Luckily Buffalopundit, although as you say we are arguing over a strip of grass. the decisions are not being made by Frankster and others so let him simply spew his vision of what he believes is right and let us pass what is right, provide rules to follow. Rest assured Frankster's contribution to the process is meaningless besides his posts on this forum, no biggie, rhethoric without action is pure bullshit plain and simple.

Oh, and who is blocking Pano? The headline of this story reads: "Pano’s Receives Stamp Of Approval."

Did anyone know what the Atwater house WAS before Mr. P had it torn down? Be honest...

Joey, I think you're right - Williamsville people always look annoyed when I tell them their architecture is too suburban, their easy parking is hurting rainforests, and their consipracy to hide all their violent crime is not fooling me one bit.

Pundit, the grass in front of Atwater was good because it replicated vegitation that might have existed on that spot in the 1800s. Pano's proposed strip of grass is clearly another insult to urban planners everywhere.

Joey, stop scratching yur nuts and think about it. The city does revolve around Elmodd Avenue.

What lawsuit? Who filed a lawsuit? Pano has his approval and customers are free celebrate or bemoan the design and patronize or boycott him as they see fit. Welcome to the free market.

Thats right folk, if you remember all that was there was a big fat parking lot. That man stuck his neck out and did somthing with that place. What have all of you done? Thats right not a darn thing but bitch and cry about a man that has done more for that block than anyone!