Buffalo Rising Online

Just another result of George W. and his cronies legacy.

$100 bucks says the green grass stays FOREVER and the Tower is forgotten about after a few years?????

West Coast, Only some of the residents objected to the new tower--no need to blast all of them as "cantankerous."

23 stories is a long shot here in Buffalo. This city' mayor cannot even justify a 10 story complex on the nicest lot in the city. My money is with dangelo. Between the crooked politians, the bad economy, and the lawsuit happy anti development force of Buffalo: you can kiss this project goodby. Buffalo's motto should be "Status Quo because thats all we know!"

I like the building but still can't help but think that it looks oddly out of place on that site. It seems better suited to a square or rectangular site than one on a traffic circle. Maybe more massing at the base or some design feature that articulates the circle would help it fit better on this site a la the Time Wrner building on Columbus Circle in NYC? I hope that it gets built in any case.

That rendering doesn't even have the building in the correct location. It just kind of plops it down in the road somewhere. It should actually be to the right, somewhat blocking the building at the corner of Cleveland (or is that Lancaster?).

Tacky-historical though it may have been, in that uniquely American way, the restaurant nevertheless incorporated some beautiful materials. I wish I were near enough to be able to get the bricks of the chimneys. Is anyone salvaging?

cookjr: status quo (in the true sense of the Latin) can be something upon which a city can build. It does not have to always mean death or decline, or stagnation at best.

The smart thing to do would be to file a lawsuit forcing them to do the project in 2009.

On another note, I can't believe they are actually knocking down the historic Park Lane. Olmstead would be rolling in his grave muttering "not on my watch, not in my town, not in my..."

No shit. Some should tell Clinton bronwn (sic-sic); [add snob here].

Well, I hope the tower gets built because its going to be near impossible to redevelop Millard Fillmore Gates without the Gates Circle Tower.

Oh and I agree that the first floor would complement the circle much more if it embraced the circle up the the sidewalk on the first floor (atleast) like the Time Warner Building.

The big concern on everyones mind is the Linwood, Oxford neighborhood on the other side of Millard Fillmore Gates and Millard Fillmore Gates once its closed. This area was making great progress in coming back to life and its going to be a much harder struggle once the hospital closes....so for everyone in the neighborhoods sake...this tower cant get built fast enough.

im going with '0never

im just glad there is not another X there. that would be the pitts.

This will be a nice grassy little park for neighborhood residents to enjoy for decades to come.

true exWNYer, it will never happen now, they are announcing a good stall to let the project go. No tower, no statler, no casino, no peace bridge, no elmwood hotel, etc....like Binghamton, Corning and ithaca, Buffalo will be "cute" but not much else if these projects keep falling through...

This will get done, Uniland is one of the few that gets things done

I don't think they would have spent the money to design the building, fight the lawsuit, demolish the building if they really were not serious. Unless the economy and the demand disappears this will happen. There isn't anything in the way now.

onestarmartin- You said it best. Sometimes I believe that this is what alot of people want. A cute town with a few local shops, coffee spots, and bars. The projects you listed above have the potential to change the dynamics of the region. All we will have is history and poverty. Projects should not even be announced until they are reviewed and studied as financially feasible.

From the decisions made like the Wingate to the plans for the canal being post poned, I am disgusted and don't see this place EVER changing. Why do the powers at be say that the plans for the canal will be shown by early november and we still haen't heard ANYTHING. Now they are thinking about saving the Donovan? At this stage in the game, seriously. And pgf1948- Status Qou to the rest of us means same old same old. In Buffalo that means more years of decline and failure. We need a sense of urgency to get this city fired up. We need investment and growth now. We need a new international bridge, casino, hotel on elmwood, a plan for AMAS(knock it down), the statler, and we need these projects fast tracked. We have to stop blocking projects. Buffalo should welcome investors and new and different ideas. We should embrace investors with open arms, we should have a city hall that has an expedient permits process, and all developers should be welcomed not the choosen few(the ones that bank roll campaigns.) Status Quo is the wrong choice for Buffalo!

"No tower, no statler, no casino, no peace bridge, no elmwood hotel, etc....like Binghamton, Corning and ithaca, Buffalo will be "cute" but not much else if these projects keep falling through..."

"The projects you listed above have the potential to change the dynamics of the region."

1. Binghamton is cute?

2. These projects don't have the potential to change the dynamics of the region, though the bridge would have the best chance. Building a condo tower -- which I support -- won't bring new industries into town, or reform archaic state law, or whatever.

3. I don't see why Uniland would pay to demolish the restaurant if they weren't honestly planning to build.

WingKing-Its a terrible deal for Buffalo? What was currently at that site. A rat infested industrial wasteland sitting next to the perry street homes. Or we can have a tourist draw, free arts marketing, a 350 million dollar resort, a destination for out of towners, and something to do besides elmwood avenue and chippewa in a CITY. Who are you to tell people to do with there money. You dont think we can use 1200 jobs many of which are reserved for residese of the city, construction jobs, and resort jobs. Your views are small time, your a pretender, and this economy needs diversity...bimedical, education, TOURISM, banking,construction etc The casino would be a huge shot in the arm right now. The mayors for it, the county executive, and most of WNY. im sure you want to preserve those lovely houses on elmwood to. God forbid not a beautiful new hotel/first floor retail. Please get a clue.

...been to Atlanta lately sony? I know your pegging for this city to collapse. Please, hold your breath while your waiting.

Star:

Check out CNN, they just imploded Atlanta. Nothing is left. They will be renaming it tomorrow at 3. My inside sources say the favorite is Wongma.

Colin: they are knocking it down for tax reasons, clear it off the books, has no bearing on a build/no build decision.

Onestarmartin, I'm glad you're happy in Georgia--stay there, please.

Eric,

This is very presumptuous, but I think a big part of Martin's heart is in Buffalo (as is mine, with nothing near as much as he to show for it). If you have had a deep connection with the city, the tie is never broken.

There is still an awful lot to like about the South. Not for everyone; not especially for me, either, but think of the American literature and music and character with its bases in the South. The trees! The Northern states have their own claims, but I still think of Faulkner before Wharton.

Hi pgf,

I love the South, especially Charleston, which feels like home. Atlanta is a place I don't understand... to each his own. But the day I tolerate anyone in that city making distorted pronouncements and derisive, simplistic swipes about my city is the day the confederacy blooms again.

My advice to Martin was sincere...I think he belongs in Atlanta, and I belong here in Buffalo. I don't understand Atlanta, and I don't think Martin understands Buffalo. People should live in places they understand...then there's a mutual sympathy that feels like brandy on a cold night.

Of course, your advice to Martin was sincere. We are not on these blogs if we didn't care so very much. I

Of course, your advice to Martin was sincere. We are not on these blogs if we didn't care so very much. In earlier times we beat our dogs, wives, children. Not a bad alternative, is it? A medium that allows real expression without consequence. God does bless!

@Ericoak, I have only been back in the big ATL for 2 weeks after 5 years back in Buffalo. My stint in Buffalo was like anywhere else, had the good times and the bad times. I moved back to ATL for reasons of my own [one being my partner got tranfered back], I never once in 5 years slammed Buffalo and raved about the South, In fact during my tenure in Buffalo I fought tooth and nail for it, financially, mentally and physically. Other than your comments here did you or have you actually done anything to improve or help the city? Go through 5 years of posts and try and find even one "how better is the south post" from me . I, like you make comments on stories being written about Buffalo. Like you and others who slam me [for no apparent reason] I watched projects happen, others fail and many put off by little minds. I have a boat in Buffalo, so of course I care what happens at the waterfront, I still own two property's in Buffalo, so of course I care what happens in the city. I have many friends in Buffalo, so of course I care what happens to the area. I still pay taxes in Buffalo so of course I can speak my mind about what happens in Buffalo. After restoring 3 homes in Buffalo and two store fronts I have had my fair share of run- ins with City Hall, so of course I can comment on them also. What I do not understand is why people like you and Sony are so hateful to other bloggers who are or may not still be in Buffalo. What is even worse is how you people slam other cities or people. Comments like yours and Sony's along with all the rest are read by people all over the world. I wonder how may these people dream of moving back home to Buffalo NY, read your nasty comments about how people belong elsewhere, or how glad you that LIKE your city, theirs is having problems and think to themselves "How stupid are these people and why would I want to live amongst them?" Have a good day...

Sony, I hope you are right, I am behind this project all the way, and you are right, the team players have the millions [along with a lot of others] to purchase in a tower like this. The way they travel they usually want "no maintanence" property's. At some point down the road, gates Hospital will move to the medical corrider and another tower complex will look too hot across the circle. If done right, Gates Circle will be "The Address" in Buffalo.

Binghamton cute???? Be proud of the progress and attempts at progress buffalo is taking. You think the East side is bad? Binghamton over the last 30 years has transformed from industrial powerhouse (was actually ranked in the top 10 of soviet nuclear targets during the cold war) to worn down, service industry only, brownfield capitals in new york. The city is turning into a war zone (thanks to its proximity to NYC) and if you don't stay for college in the area you move out. Quite a large populace relocates to Buffalo. Buffalo is on the up and up and it's hard to see if you're stuck in the'buffalo mindset'. I have a plan to invest in the downtown/ elmwood buffalo area because it's going to be a gold mine in the next 5-15 years. The EPA has been very busy lately inspecting brownfields because people (mostly out of towners) realize the huge potential to revamp and profit from the area. Instead of all this pessimistic talk, I'd like to see more people become pro-active in investing in the community. The reason everything has fallen through in the past because only the negative population voices and shows their public support (or unsupport) for the area.

Martin, I am sorry for the tartness of my first post--it wasn't meant to offend you, but it did, and I am sorry for that. I can't, however, agree with your self-appraisal of your posts here. They were often positive and constructive, but seemed just as often vaguely insulting about various groups of people, especially low-income people; they also sometimes carried a distinct derogatory tone about Buffalo, which I find extremely tedious, and intolerable, because it does nothing for the city. I am guilty sometimes of taking shots at what I think are overrated and self-important cities like Toronto and Atlanta, but they can take it. Their reputations are so fluffed that a little deflating of their egos is probably good for them. I do recall calling Goergia backwards once, and that was unfair--it is not a place I understand and I seized an easy term. Other than that I would not insult any place where someone lives, and certainly not in front of them, and never a place that is going through rough times. I don't think any place is "better" than anywhere else; I do think people can enjoy and find meaning in different places, and I do like to challenge our criteria for figuring out where those places are.

I try to do what I can for the city, but of course could do much more. But I am not uninvolved. Thanks for the work you did in Buffalo; bst wishes in Atlanta.