Buffalo Rising Online

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Buffalo State College needs to build a parking ramp on the site of an existing parking lot. The parking ramp should be 3 or 4 stories. There is NO need to continue to pave over green lots. The only difference between Buffalo State and D'Youville is probably money, the land issue is really the same. Maybe even D'Youville should put up a 2 or 3 story parking ramp. Also, Buffalo State College should expand into the HH Richardson complex, for office and classroom space. Again, there are already building built, the state should recognize this and, thus utilize the space.

Don't let them get away with this.

Update: credit to Bob Franke for the entry image - and thanks, Bob, for the great quote.

This would be an easy one to move. (minus the additions)

how about some dorms on this lot???

I think everyone is wrong on this house. If it was in a residential neighborhood then it would be different but Grant, Rees...is a commercial district.

Now I agree that Buffalo State needs to present a plan before they go demolishing Now I agree that Buffalo State needs a parking ramp 3-4 stories

But the bigger picture is that Buffalo and the Westside/Black Rock area is losing millions upon millions of dollars because Buffalo State would rather turn down 10,000 student applicants per year than expand Buffalo State and the preservation board standing up for this house only justifies Howard in her recalcitrance and do nothing, accomplish nothing obstructionism.

These houses should go so Buffalo State can build a parking garage, dormatories, stadiums, baseball fields, tracks, small busines incubators, bookstores, coffee shops, teachers offices, etc (basically build up non-academic buildings off the core campus).

None of the non-academic buildings I mentioned should be located on the core campus!!!! The core campus is already landlocked...and if it is to have the future growth to add 10,000 students then its core campus must be reserved for academic buildings....particularly since Buffalo State is increasing its partnerships with UB (particularly in technology based areas).

It is critical to Grant Street, Amherst, Forest, Niagara, Tonawanda, etc for Buffalo State to take these homes and get them demolished so the campus can be expanded. I dont think the preservationists should stand in Buffalo States way on this house or the other houses on Rees and Grant....but I do think its fair to ask Buffalo State what their plan is for Rees and Grant for the next 5 years!

Lets just put it this way...everyone should write off the homes between Forest and the Scajaquada from on Rees all the way to West.

By sacrificing the homes in this area to Buffalo State we can secure the homes north of Amherst and South of Forest.

Again the big problem goes right back to Howard and her lack of accomplishments. A 5 or 10 year plan would put out to the community the future of Buffalo State Campus. If the community knew about how and where Buffalo State intends to expand its campus then the preservationists along with the community would buy in and shut up. I think everyone would love to see property values on the westside and blackrock stabilize if not increase because of an expanded Buffalo State, especially if an expansion included a small business incubator park and dormatories where employees and students could patronize apartments and businesses on Forest, Grant and Amherst to name a few.

Update (from Tim Tielman):

"Thursday at the Preservation Board meeting, I introduced two motions, and the Board approved, to recommend Italianate cottage at 649 Grant St. not be demo'd, and to undertake preparation of a landmark nomination. Normally, the Board has 30 days upon which to act on an app, then, depending on its recommendation, the city can issue or not issue a demo app. The nomination process leaves the timeline more open-ended; buying time to work out a solution.

The board received letters urging preservation of building from Grant-Ferry Assoc., Gregory Tanski, and Campaign for Greater Buffalo."

Note: Greg Tanski is the co-chair of the Citizen's Advisory Committee for the Richardson/Olmsted Complex.