Buffalo Rising Online

A national retailer!?

I'm curious enough to check, but my hope is that it is something bigger.

Bass Pro is moving into the New World Record spot. That was too easy...

My guess is a certain electronics store with a fruit in its name.... ;) One only can hope!

New flower pots and banners

this has more suspense than a JJ Abrams production.

I think it's less of a development announcement and more of milestone for Elmwood Ave and the city of Buffalo.

light-rail on elmwood...? trying to think more urban development-minded...

with ground-level retail...

ALL THE HIPPIS AND GAY PEOPLE DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF TOWN?

Our great leaders are at work… Elmwood will now be permanently closed to all vehicle traffic.

OMG al-alo I can't stop laughing!!! That was the funniest fucking thing I've read in a while...too good...man lol haha

and I'm eating a hummus wrap from Globe as I type LOL

al-alo I thought the same thing!

Maybe it is news of a grocery store taking over the old Quality / Latina's site... but then again I don't think that warrants its own commercial.

Maybe they are changing the name of the street so they can re-brand all over again

or maybe the Elmwood Boutique Hotel is back on the table :)

I think we're all gonna be upset tomorrow when this does turn out to just be an award or milestone or something

Northwest Savings Bank is moving to the strip?

Curves for Women.

CAN SOMEONE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SAHARA GRILL FOR ME?

And yet you all keep thinking it's development news.

Jefferson, a Curves for Women? What kind of starry-eyed dreamer are you?

I believe the Elmwood village will be receiving some sort of designation as a national preservaiton area... opening it up to receive federal and state grants for redevelopment and historic preservation. That's my best guess.

"Biggest thing ever"... and "not what QE was thinking, whatever he was thinking"... and "AWESOME"...

hmmmm....

- Some type of outdoor hockey game?

- Botique parking ramp?

- Renaming the street "Babeville Avenue"?

- America's Fair moving to Elmwood (with Music Is Art staying in Hamburg)?

- Pano to buy all vacant stores (Steel and Hamp have shoelaces taken away as precaution?)

I really really really want that 5 story H&M...

best guess. Whole Foods is buying Globe Market.

Ok..here it is...since Losman is not playing for the Bills..he will clean the village !

Just a thaught, this news is big enough for the Elmwood Village Association to announce but small enough that none of our lovely politicatos has joined in????????

The White Lady (aka The White Ninja) will reveal her identity???

Now, if Main Street only had cars on it - maybe Main would share some of the same success stories.

Family Dollar is moving from it's South Elmwood location into trendy EV and is launching it's upscale concept store, Family C-note (aka $100 bill).

Here it is...

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/s...wego_92707.php

Big deal.

oops...

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/september282007/lake_oswego_92707.php

The EV was named one of the greatest neighborhoods in America. Enough with the discussion about possible retailers lol.

haha I wasn't serious about the H&M. Even though I do love that store, I know how silly it'd be to have one on Elmwood. I live in the village- it's what made me fall in love with this city and move here. I hit up the local businesses multiple times a week. So with that said- put on a happy face, spacejoe.

Why are people from this city so negative? It's that disposition that is counter productive, and hasn't helped the city for years! In place that has a lot of problems, every positive should be celebrated! It. This is great for the Elmwood Village and the City as a whole. Now lets move on to other problem areas like the Fruit Belt and Main Street with a can do attitude.

Congrats, EV.

We already know it's a great area.

Just another excuse for the EVA to blow smoke up their own ass and raise rents for business owners.

If that's the big News that is great and all but not exactly BIG.......A big letdown maby

It is good news but not the big deal they are making it out to be. So we're supposed to get overwhelmed with joy because some guy came up with a list and included the EV on it? I'm not trying to be negative but these lists are subjective and will change next year probably.

seriously? I would have gone apeshit if I skipped work to go to Globe tomorrow morning to hear this. Good news?...yes. "For me it’s the biggest thing ever." news?...not quite.

A surface parking lot. With a port-a-potty.

What a cynical, sour barrel of comments (for the most part). It's especially vulgar to see people diss the EVA for beautification efforts. Maybe they should just take away all the flowerpots and banners and stop trying to do what they can to make the neighborhood friendly, livable, and beautiful.

If it is like good but not amazing i.g. free wifi on all of elmwood. I will be sad. If it is an Ikea...well move over bacon!

Congrats to the EVA, this is a huge honor that will help spotlight Buffalo to a national audience!

Jules - is it a brozne statue AND virtual plaque, or a choice of just one? With so many metal thieves lately, who will guard the statue? Can we at least get a grant from Albany to hire somebody to guard the statue? Then we'd at least have a statue, a grant, and one new job. And maybe even that virtual plaque too! Sounding a little better isn't it? Yeah maybe even without exaggeration the biggest thing ever. And probably not what QE was thinking, whatever he was thinking. Paging Sam.... we need a state grant for a bronze guard... or uhh a guard for our bronze. Sam... hey Sam over here...

We get a BRONZE statue! And some "virtual plaque" for the WEBSITE! Who needs more business, jobs, and grant money when we get THESE things! Huzzah!

Relax all. Since Taylor's miserably failed Downtown, they are coming to Elmwood. It has to be it!

wah wah wah.

The announcement was "all wind, but no rain." There are plenty of national distinctions/honors/media stories that go on behind the scenes here in Buffalo that are a part of normal business. I think Justin, being young, got a little too excited on this one. I'll give him an A plus for his PT Barnum approach that this was the greatest thing ever.

I was sort of hoping that New World Record said they were moving back to Elmwood.

Ummm... Jim...

My wife is an urban planner and she has allready posted similar comments to mine. Great news, congrats to the EVA and all the planners, but the hype lead the rest of us to believe it was something that would be as important to the rest of us. ie - major physical development.

There are alot of poeple who win design awards and such for projects in this community. UB School of Architecture won a national award from NCARB for the bus shelter and streetscape projects in Allentown a few yrs back. The shelter in front of Klienhans was on the cover of NCARB's national magazine. No one ever told the community at large that it was the greatest thing ever. I don't remember any videos or public announcements.

My gripe isn't with the accolades by any means. I'm a member of the Elmwood community and I will take great pride in this honor. But maybe the hype could be tempered a bit.

Rfranke, If you were calling me a jerk, I take no offense whatsoever. It still doesn't make this news so big that the announcement of the announcement of said "big news" deserved it's own commercial.

Mr. Azzarella, who you acuse of hysterics, is unavailable due to a family death. However, I would like to apologize personally for his enthusiasm, hard work, and excitement. Please, strip any happiness, fun or sense of pride and recogniztion from him NOW. Underpaid or unpaid, each neighborhood activist/director I know is doing a pretty thankless, neverending job up against a wounded city government and a planning board with little vision. And apparently a pretty poisoned and bitter public faction of citizens. As neighbors, and as people, perhaps it's time to lay off the constipated daily wine that repeats that it's never good enough, not big enough, not one the way I would have done it. Nothing. NOTHING that happens here, in and of itself, will be the answer. It's all the momentum in all it's tiny parts that will add up to something. Some of you should read your own history of comments as i just have and realize all you ever do is criticize. Or try to be clever at someone elses expense. Speaking for the happier more optimistic folks, it wears the rest of us out and brings us down.

It is good news, but stores are still closing on a daily basis it seems, because there isnt enough pedestrian traffic interested in venturing down to Elmwood still. We need a staple or two so people make more weekend trips to visit

What this ads is a Google factor for the EV. What it means is there are investors across the country looking for places to sink their money and now the EV gets at the very least a blip on the radar. It's just sad that national recognition came before STATE recognition. I don't recall seeing any NYC neighborhoods on that list! Hey Albany... this way... over here!!

besides Brooklyn that is... lol... my point remains the same

ah!... maybe it also means an active Wikipedia link (Allentown has one... what about EV)!

How can anyone say that Pano's makes a bad meal. Move out of Buffalo and then you'll yearn for Greek food. I would kill for a chance to have a chicken souvlaki dinner shipped down to me in DC.

Congratulations. I just spent the whole afternoon walking around Allentown and the Elmwood Village. Love them both.

Great news, yes. Love the neighborhood, yes. Frequent the neighborhood, yes. Market off of it, yes. Huge news, no. Huge potential with it, yes................ultimate outcome somewhat of a letdown b/c he city needs to market the neighborhood off this and still hope for results. Thus.......HUGE NEWS, no.

Scandy: "It is good news, but stores are still closing on a daily basis it seems, because there isnt enough pedestrian traffic interested in venturing down to Elmwood still. We need a staple or two so people make more weekend trips to visit " - You're right...we need a hotel so they can stay! - Build the damn thing already!!!!!!!!!!!! Those houses are not architecturally significant, knock them down, and the Granger residents can live with it, if they can live with drunks from Coles, Bullfeathers and Goodbar, and stench from Panos, they can live with a hotel, last time I checked, hotels don't make a lot of noise...

Umm... No..., stores on Elmwood are not "closing on a daiy basis". And yes a hotel would be fantastic, but guess what... we have several new condos, townhouses, and apartment buildings under construction. Most stores that close are soon open again with new owners. So the area is actually doing very well.

Actually stores are opening on a daily basis

I agree with people that the announcement isn't deserving of the hype. Is this a great thing for the community? Of course, but huge? I'm not so sure about that. Having been to Eastern Market on a weekly basis in DC, the similarities are striking, but the density and continuity on Elmwood just aren't there yet. I think the area shows great signs of life with the quick development of the vacant Jimmy Macs building. But the survey is right, the surrounding neighborhood is awesome to live in.

It would be great if the EVA could market this on a national basis and allow the city to use this information in their marketing efforts (if they do have any because I haven't seen an ad about Buffalo in a place where many ex Buffalonians reside) Let's hope the EVA can use this as a springboard for future development in the region.

Recently BRO had an article about Lorne Opler, a recent Buffalo arrival who is already up to his neck in community activities despite not having yet stowed his parachute. Justin Azzarella commented that Lorne "rocks the cosmo!" Well, Justin, a great opportunity to toss your words back atcha: you and Elmwood Village "rock the cosmo", and it's great to see this formal recognition of that. And also another chance to thank you for having dinner and drinks with a bunch of us in Rochester this summer, so that we could pick your brain about the success of Elmwood, and how we can adapt some of that to one of our avenues in Rochester. Perhaps we'll join you on APA's next list...

Although, as some have suggested, this honor won't suddenly turn Elmwood Avenue to gold, it will nonetheless be significant in many ways seen and unseen. It will help bring all of Buffalo national recognition, with people involved with planning and urban revitalization nationwide sitting up and taking notice. In New York, it will highlight a crucial ingredient in revitalizing our upstate cities: creating, nurturing, and sustaining great urban neighborhoods that work - I hope Dan Gunderson is there at the Globe.

Heartiest congrats from friends and fans to the east to Justin, Dan, Bob Franke, Tom Cooney, and everyone else - there's hundreds - who have made Elmwood Village into the success being recognized this week. Rock on!

Fucillo Chevrolet will be expanding into the former Latina Food Mart

I think that the fact remains that for alot of these stores and restaurants, the life cycle seems to be pretty short and the reason being is still lack of keeping people down on elmwood for more than a walk on a nice day. We have two awful wilson Farms, a huge open market where quality was, not going anywhere, DVD dot etc... New World Record is gone, but I do believe that space will be filled soon. I am excited about what will come of jimmy macs and the beer store. Lack of a better term, EV still needs a staple or a major reason for people to want to be there; 2 Boutique hotels places along the street would help

Being an urban planner, I think this is great news. We can use this neighborhood as a model to fix others and continually capitalize on our existing assets and architecture.I think someone mentioned it earlier, we need to get the traffic back on Main St. downtown It will get the momentum of prospective projects and those under construction going. The APA is not just some random guy, it is not a position, it is an association.

Maybe this announcement isn't sufficiently cosmic for some people, but considering how much we whine and moan about what we do wrong, you'd think we could take a break for a day and bask in the glow of a national organization patting us on the back for something we did right.

I hereby declare Tuesday, October 2 to be No B*tching Day on BRO.

lol the hippies and gay moved out lol gaustad u crack me up...knowin this town the BIG news is more like BIGGIE news...Wendys is moving in to compete with the crackhead BK down the street lolol

lolol? Moronic. As if he ever had Armani. Well, maybe 20 sizes ago.

Hello All!

It's pretty amazing to see over 100 people adding their comments to a BRO post. I apologize for being out of the thread. I have a personal family commitment that has kept me out of the office during this very (yup, I said very) exciting time.

I've read so many positive comments today, and yes - some less than positive comments as well. So what do they all have in common? The common line is that Buffalonians care deeply about their neighborhoods, their commercial districts and the Elmwood Village and we're not afraid to tell others how we feel. Personally I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am tremendously excited about this award and no amount of dampness in my Cheerios will hasten my spirits.

This award means many things;

1. Marketing / Branding Leverage (especially in the wealthy and nearby Southern Ontario market) 2. Designation as one of America's 10 Best Neighborhoods comes in pretty handy while writing grants to leverage dollars to further improve EV. 3. Community recognition. No one deserves this award more than the countless volunteers, financial contributors, members and business owners in the Elmwood Village. Everyone likes to get "The Gold Star" from teacher once in awhile and today it’s our turn.

As posted earlier this announcement and corresponding award is just the tip of the iceberg. Even more great things are to come and yes, this designation will help expedite the good things in coming. I hope you’ll all join EVA in celebrating this achievement tomorrow (err, is it today already?) at 10:30am in front of Globe Market Elmwood.

Congratulations everyone!

Truly yours,

Justin Azzarella Executive Director Elmwood Village Association

So I'm supposed to have heard of this "american planning association" or something? I mean, so what. Even West Urbana, Illinois is on this list. It's not like planners are suddenly going to drop what they're doing and flock to West Urbana or the Elmwood Village or anywhere else. Maybe you can contact the winners from say 2002 or something and ask how much of an effect this amazing honor has had. You'll find the answer is NOTHING. But Elmwood Village is nice. Lots of quaint boutiques selling women's clothing and stuff. It's better than the vast majority of neighborhoods in Buffalo, at least you don't see boarded up buildings every 100 feet

Let's make this clear, I live in Amherst not Lancaster. And the blight has a couple of miles ago before it reaches my doorstep. And if it does, I'll just move. I'm not like you people, I have no attachment to where I live. Rather than make positive changes to better a declining community, I just walk away and find a better community. It's fast and efficient and has a 100% chance of success. You might want to consider it.

Last guess! Um it will be tax free to shop on elmwood!

Actually, the only people who care about this award are the in the cities that were selected.

It's not tax free zone. This was in the Buffalo News in an article on tax free zone...

The plan to boost downtown retail got a cool reception from Christine Pine, president of the Elmwood Village Association. She called the sales tax free zones “unfair competition” to small businesses located outside of the downtown core.

“It doesn’t seem right to me. I think it will be very unpopular among merchants located in neighborhood shopping districts, like the Elmwood Village,” Pine said.

I also don't think it's an award from the American Planning Association. Too much hype for that. Well we find out soon.

Anyone find out? Or was it that APA thing....

Sorry to find Ms. Pine's reaction to a tax free zone less than inspiring. How complacent we've become to just accept tax upon tax. Glad that she thinks she's being 'fair', but what does that have to do with economic competition? Do you think the governor of NC says....'gee, our taxes are lower, that's unfair to NY...'

Ms. Pine might do well as a montessori school teacher, but soft leadership like this leads us to less than optimal outcomes. Reduce taxes anywhere you can, and let those with higher taxes fight for lower ones.

"Let's make this clear, I live in Amherst not Lancaster. And the blight has a couple of miles ago before it reaches my doorstep. And if it does, I'll just move. I'm not like you people, I have no attachment to where I live. Rather than make positive changes to better a declining community, I just walk away and find a better community. It's fast and efficient and has a 100% chance of success. You might want to consider it. "

If this is so fullfilling, why are you even here to bitch and knock down others who are actually trying to accomplish something through hard work and effort, something that they can call their own?

At times this place feels like high school with the bullies getting worried that those "beneath" them might actually be accomplishing something worth while that they never had the dedication or talent to do themselves. Please explain this behavior beyond just being jealousy. Of coarse anyone here could take the easy route and just keep moving out. Then we can all act dumbfounded as to why the blight grows and our taxes are too high. What concerns you if they choose not to just move and actually take on some responsibility and a chance of failure?

Congradulations to the EVA for this honor and their hard work and everyone else in the neighborhood. For helping perserve our history and to give us a unique urban place in our area to enjoy. I know many of the people around here feel a bond and responsibility for where they were born and thier inherited history. We all make Buffalo what it is: either by what we do or what we don't do. Its always nice to know that you have vested nieghbors who care and stick by you and your invesment: monetary and emotional.

Genghis' comments were troubling. It is that lack of concern for neighbors/neighborhoods that led to me fleeing the suburbs and relocating to the Elmwood Village. Can you imagine living in a "community" where people only worry about protecting their own image/stuff?

Needless to say, I did not find the recognition to be a surprise. I moved here because I knew that Elmwood was a great neighborhood. However, I also need to point out that the EVA was the biggest factor in me discovering how great the Elmwood Village is before I moved here (from out of town). Good work Justin and EVA. Keep celebrating/promoting this place. Even if we in the Village already know that it's great, others need to be informed of the obvious!

so no new Bills stadium and the hippies are still here?? oh well back to the drawing board...congrats anyway..and platt4 stick to your day job, and stay outta here

maybe we put a little more stock in the announcement...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/02/BA2KSIAMB.DTL&tsp=1

san francisco already has...and they certainly didn't need the recognition

If you over hype a good thing it takes the positive shock value out of it. Instead of "Oh wow thats cool" you get "what all that hype for that". Regardless congrats eva on the award.

I'm actually pretty tired of the recognition that Elmwood (I loathe the term Elmwood Village) receives as some recent phenomenon, as if Forever Elmwood or EVA caused some remarkable renaissance. I grew up off of Elmwood in the 70's & 80's and the area, even at that point, was arguablly the only thing the city had going for itself. In fact, at that time the street probably had an even more eclectic mix of shops/businesses as well as possessing a more genuine quality. Today the area seems to be brimming with pretense and an absence of a soul.

http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/neighborhoods/elmwoodvillage.htm

I like how they've annexed most of Allentown in their definition of Elmwood Village.

Jealous of Elmwood? I think not. I could move there if I wanted to, but I choose to live in the suburbs. I don't have to worry about crime, urban decay, the usual suspects. I am not knocking Elmwood at all, I really hope for the best for you idealist types. I just don't have much faith in the city. Buffalo's track record is, shall we say, less than stellar. For decades people have had ideas for revitalization, and they led to... look out your window. You got to bet on the horse that you think is going to win. My horse is Amherst.

I never said blight has reached my front door. Perhaps something you and your Elmwood friends got at the hemp shop is confusing you. That "ago" way back up there should be "to go", if that's what this is about. Sorry for the typo. I'm not exactly living like a pasha either, but I don't have to worry about my car getting stolen. Now I wouldn't say people in the city are wandering blindly as you put it, although that characterization does apply to certain more idealistic contributors to BRO. Look, you're welcome to bet on any horse you want. Go buy one of those loft-things downtown. Go to Delaware park and enjoy the benches.. oops aren't any.. ok then the beautiful trees.. oops there was that October blizzard.. ok then the grass. Send your kids to school in the city (just make sure they pass the entrance exams). I'm just stating my opinions. Does this have to be the pro-Buffalo only site? Every article in this cybermag is so gushingly pro-Buffalo. They hyped up some obscure award that no one cares about, it is my internet civic duty to state the opposite side of this story. Because in a democracy all viewpoints are tolerated. There are over 150 comments in this thread, I can say what I want. Now bug off.

Genghis, I'm generally not one to engage in a pissing contest... but your views are seriously out of step with reality. It's fine that places like Lancaster make a certain small segment of the population feel warm and fuzzy. Some people prefer pergo over oak. Don't get defensive about it, or worse, offensive towards the Buffalo supporters. What you lack in sensibility, you overcompensate for with your willingness to expose your lack of depth. Let the good people carry on their work, without getting in a tizzy that your precious suburban abode is ...well, maybe a tad vanilla for the folks here.

I have one last thing to point out, before I stop with this thread because it's getting repetitive. The people taking the other side have this belief in their utter superiority: "What you lack in sensibility, you overcompensate for with your willingness to expose your lack of depth." or like RisingDamp making these artsy references to make himself feel superior, or that other guy who said I must be jealous of him for living in the Elmwood strip. Look, I've made my point. You people can go massage each other and talk about how Buffalo will be the Silicon Valley of the 21st century once the American Planning Association's new top ten list gets out. Have fun.

Poor Genghis. It's good to see that you've broken this down into 'sides'. Must make it easier to keep all of these issues straight in your head. Good/bad, black/white... did you expect to get a pass when you bash Buffalo on a decidedly pro-Buffalo forum? As to your making a point, I'm not sure I found one. Did you hit the 'Add your Comment' button to soon? Oh these darn computers... they can be so complicated.

tjc246- Would I take Elmwood over any section of Transit or N. Falls Blvd? Please. Yet to me while Elmwood has gained quite a few intangibles over the last 15 years, at the same time it has lost a great deal of integrity. I see a lot of parallels between Elmwood & Queen West. The latter is a great place to spend an afternoon but for anyone who walked that same street 10 years ago-before the glitzy high end retailers shot the rents out of the atmosphere- it too has lost so much of it's original appeal. Also, the farmers' market, free summer concerts, community gardens, & hanging flower baskets? Those are hardly things that define Elmwood. If those are the greatest accomplishments of the EVA then that is very disheartening. As I noted before, Elmwood thrived just as much if not more w/o the EVA 20 years ago.

tjc246-Your contention cannot be that the rise of property values in "pockets" of the city (including Elmwood) is due to the EVA rather than a litany of other causes. Look, I don't have some vendetta against the EVA, to reiterate, I'm tired of the common perception being that Elmwood was some lost cause before any non-profits got involved. My memories of Elmwood 20 years ago are purely subjective, but I guarantee it was just as dynamic as it is today. Back then there were no grants or incentives for businesses just pure determination.