PBA Slumlords?
As reported in this Buffalo News Story, the Public Bridge Authority has some houses in disrepair in the Columbus Park-Prospect Hill neighborhood, and efforts will be made by a PBA hired, city approved structural engineer to survey the outside of the properties.
Because the homes in question are slated to be torn down to make way for a new truck plaza, an inside inspection is not planned, regardless of neighbor complaints.
Though worried that the homes are havens for foul activity, neighborhood residents also see a reason to keep and restore the 9 houses in question, in an effort to retain the infrastructure of the community. Kathleen Mecca of the Niagara Gateway Columbus Park Association said, "Vandals use the backyards as a racetrack. One slammed into a tree recently at 2AM. Prostitutes take their johns there, they do drugs there. There's no lighting, no security. They ripped the plywood off the back of 757, and you can see the graffiti all over the inside walls. And 771, the Col. S. H Wilkenson Home (ca. 1865) that they want to tear down, is an historic Civil War home."
Mecca was grateful for the meeting with the Buffalo Common Council as a result of the neighborhood group filing a hazzardous condition complaint. "It's historic that we had a Common Council that stood with us," she said. She specifically named Council Majority Leader Richard Fontana and Council Member David Rivera.
Fontana said, "They're no better than any slumlord…actually worse."
And Rivera said, the PBA must "take care of [their] properties like everyone else."
Mecca testified along with fellow residents, Elizabeth Martina, Peter Certo and Carole Perla at the Council hearing. Certo's statement from the meeting is as follows:
We’ve presented you documents that clearly state our case. What we request of this committee is a ruling on the status of the Public Bridge Authority relative to all other property owners in this city: must they honor the code like the rest of us, or are they exempt.
For over a decade, the Public Bridge Authority has left virtually an entire block of historic housing to rot, reducing the properties to a collection of hazards, and as a consequence, created an imminent danger to the health and safety of the neighborhood. If they are not held accountable, we have no recourse. We cannot even sell our homes and leave, because the bridge authority “pre-condemned” our properties when they announced their expansion plans. So, while neighborhood homes outside the proposed plaza footprint sell in a matter of weeks, nothing moves in the “condemned” zone.
We are captives and will remain so until the issue is resolved. In the meantime, must we suffer as well a grave health and safety threat while the PBA disingenuously ignores the same housing code we honor? Will the next stolen car driven recklessly in a PBA backyard not just crash into a tree but plow through the fence dividing our properties and run down my grandchildren? Those are the questions we need you to answer.
As a result, according to Mecca, Deputy Commissioner of Economic Development, Inspections and Permits James Comerford held a meeting with PBA General Manager Ron Rienas, and PBA lawyer John Gardner of Kavinoky & Cook LLP.
"I was invited to position the meeting by Commissioner Comerford, so I asked Rienas whether the PBA was bound by city ordinances. I was immediately told that we were not here to bash or make personal attacks. And then Gardner called me 'The Fighter'. I've been called an obstructionist, a hysterical housewife, fear-mongering and now 'The Fighter'." In the plans for the proposed truck plaza, Mecca's house would be immediately next to the plaza.
"There was a closed meeting with just the city and the PBa and their lawyer afterward," Mecca said. "We wanted more input, as a community concerning their choice of a structural engineer. We tried to put Tim Tielman in as a community interest liason. We wanted a process between the city, the PBA and the community. Ron Rienas, a resident of Canada, said no."
According to Mecca, she has since learned that the city is obligated to demolish the homes in question under the terms of a ratified agreement that committed the Peace Bridge Authority to Front Park improvements. "They made this deal between 2001 and 2005," Mecca said.
Mecca has a lot of burning questions, but one of them involves a single house on Busti. "The PBA keeps one house on Busti in pristine condition and uses it as a rental. Shouldn't they have to maintain all of them?"
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Geomike
"Public" (?) Bridge Authority? Clearly they are listening to the public.
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RaChaCha
Recently, the Preservation League of NYS and the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the exceptional historic value - for all of us - of this neighborhood and the cultural assets in it (parks, houses, churches, etc.). Recently, an architectural historian in partnership with the neighborhood has toured much of Buffalo's Common Council through the neighborhood to show them firsthand. And the people in this neighborhood are the kind of fine folks who care that we need to revitalize our urban neighborhoods - and the kind of exceptionally good neighbors that anyone would want to share a community with.
The fact that the PBA can have its foot so blatantly, roughly, and heavily on the throat of these neighbors - and the cultural resources for which they advocate so forcefully on behalf of all of us - is truly scandalous.
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Buffalo21stcentury
Why not resolve the situation once and for all and ask the PBA to take out extra bonds to relocate the houses in question as infill for the west village and westside?
When one compares the cost of delaying the bridge and demolition and other expenses...relocating those houses...seems like a much cheaper compromise.
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comptart_lws
Buffalo21st: re-locate an entire neighborhood of 100 year old homes, trees and community!? are you joking? Move the F*ing COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC to a better-suited crossing!
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heathersmiles
Tear them down or repair them, either way it is more of our tax dollars at work. Move the bridge or keep it for non-commercial traffic, either way the taxpayer is going to lose. This is our problem in NY, we can't make a decision or stick with a plan because of everyone's individual interests, some like the plan and others hate it, but the overall impact is felt by everyone in the area. The impact is shared by those who cannot find a decent job because companies will not locate major operations in Buffalo due to the prohibitive taxes and ineffective government. The impact is shared by the residents who weren't consulted in the first place, and then have to spend their time and money to fight a project that probably shouldn't have been considered. The impact is felt in yet another abortion of a public works project in Western New York. The impact is felt by everyone until they finally have enough and leave the state, looking back while shaking their heads at the shameful state that Upstate New York is in.
We cause these problems over and over again. We elect ineffective leaders and vote the party line again and again, and then we wonder why nothing ever changes and we cry about our kids leaving the area. Well people, there isn't a damn thing for them to look forward to in WNY anymore. We are hemorrhaging severely, but we see minor changes as huge triumphs in our own delusional way.
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blackrocklifer
comptart_lws- Your right- "move the COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC to a better suited crossing" Diesel truck bridges do not belong in residential neighborhoods.
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Buffalo21stcentury
yea move the trees too...you are such a moron....looks like we found a candidate for town idiot.
do you have any idea the amount of money that has been wasted over the last 10-15 years...every single one of those houses could have been moved back and forth 5 times or more.
no one says the entire neighborhood of 100 homes has to be moved....but they could probably move 50 homes....or enough that the community and the neighborhood would be satisfied.
for the record...Id rather have a commercial bridge in grand island and the peace bridge passenger traffic only.
truck and rail traffic could easily be redirected to the whirlpool bridge, too!
for the record...Id like to see the international railroad bridge expanded too!
but the peace bridge is paid for with 30+ year bonds anyway...relocating some homes is going to amount to pennies over 30-50 years....and would be more than offset by ending the lawsuits, protests and delays.
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whynot
blackrocklifer Oct 30th, 20:55
This home could have been moved somewhere nearby. Moving structures is pretty routine and has been going on since the early days of Buffalo.
We should apply the same argument to these houses and move them out of the way, after all moving houses is pretty routine in Buffalo.
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blackrocklifer
heather- "Our tax dolars at work"? Our tax dollars mainly go to subsidize sprawl. " Prohibitive taxes and ineffective government ", is not the reason for lack of good jobs. American business driven by greed moved jobs south and finally overseas selling out our citizens and the country that made their success possible.
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blackrocklifer
whynot- In my neighborhood many homes were moved especially in the mid-1800's when the area was rapidly growing. A whole block along Tonawanda St was moved to accomodate the American radiator plant expansion around 1920. In 1957 a couple of homes were moved during the construction of Thruway. Like I said, pretty routine.
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whynot
Exactly, so let's do it... let's find a buyer for the houses and figure out where to relocate them. It should be relatively easy and routine, given the discussion that we had on 10.30.08.
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blackrocklifer
whnot- The answer is to move diesel truck traffic out of residential areas.
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gaustad
blackrocklifer - do you ever agree with anything that anyone writes. You think you have all the answers, but never a realistic solution. The Peace bridge is in a bad location, but it is not practical to move location at this point.
It is people like you that nitpick every suggestion, while NOTHING ever gets done, while everyone around the country shakes their heads at our stupidity,reinforcing their decision to never move home.
American Business jobs move south becuase southern states are "business friendly, " unlike NYS.
Get a clue my friend, upstate has some of the cheapest labor in the country, there is no reason why we should not be able to compete.
Have you ever left blackrock?
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gaustad
I HAVE A GOOD IDEA - LETS JUST PICK UP THE ENTIRE CITY OF BUFFALO AND MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE - THAT WAY WE CAN JUST START ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!
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whynot
BRL - I thought that this was about saving houses, not about the truck plaza. We were discussing the feasibility of moving houses to save them, not about the pros and cons of the trucks. Is that your agenda here? If so, then we can redo the article to just talk about your disagreement with your NIMBY attitude towards this development near your neighborhood, but don't use the homes as the scapegoat when they can be saved.
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whynot
make that AND YOUR NIMBY ATTITUDE, instead of with your... I wish there was a preview feature...
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blackrocklifer
gaustad- My point is to move diesel truck traffic out of residential areas NOT move the Peace Bridge. American business has abandoned any sense of loyalty and cooperation that once defined our community. And gaustad, of course I have "left Black Rock" and sadly there are always those with your attitude and negativity bringing people down.
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Sweetest
Wow i guess "Blackrocklifer" has an issue and oppinion about everything!! Even though they aren't the most rational or intelligent views I have read on here! American businesses move south because NY state taxes are outrageous and the cost of doing business is significantly less in southern states. Workers comp in NY state is almost double what it is in Carolinas or Georgia. Why is that?! Our property taxes here are an even bigger joke. You obviously have never moved out of Black Rock to see the real world and benefits others states offer that Buffalo unfortunately isn't. This is why Buffalo loses more and more population and businesses on a daily basis. Moving houses isn't the issue, that's for sure. I think we do need to move whole city as well, and not to BlackRock!!
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blackrocklifer
whynot- There is no need to move the houses- MOVE THE DIESEL TRUCK TRAFFIC. My neighborhood was threatened by the proposed Ambassador truck bridge, NOT the Peace Bridge expansion. My comments were simply to support the residents of the Peace Bridge area.
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Sweetest
"your attitude and negativity"...have you read your posts Blackrocklifer!? There is nothing positive and happy in them, that's for sure!!
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AtwaterLouse
Our tax dollars don't go "mainly to subsidize sprawl" as BRLifer wrote 19:24, unless the definition of "mainly" is "hardly at all" or unless the definition of sprawl is expanded to include things nothing to do with sprawl such as the expensive set of entitlement programs, and pay-fringes-pensions for teachers and other public servants, etc., etc.
Expenses on infrastructure and roads are a small portion of total government spending, and "sprawl"-related roads and infrastructure is some portion of that, and the amount that can be considered subsidized (considering people who sprawl are also taxpayers,a nd pay more gasoline taxes) is some still-smaller portion of that portion.
It's funny how much some on this blog will make things up to attack the suburbs, even in a topic like this.
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blackrocklifer
Sweetest- Of course I have an opinion about everything, THIS IS A BLOG! that is the purpose of BRO to exchange opinions. Crazy talk comparing Obama to Bin Laden is not rational or intelligent.
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blackrocklifer
Atwater- Mortgage interest and property tax deductions are the single largest transfer of wealth in America. City residents with less income and less valuable homes rarely are able to take advantage of this government giveaway and usually end up settling for the standard deduction or file short form. There are many costs associated with sprawl that are hard to quanify but we in WNY have seen what happens when a smaller population occupies more land and costs rise for ALL.
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BlackRockAdvocate
gaustad..... excuse me I mean cupcake ! .....Black Rock is two words not one word thank you.
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BlackRockAdvocate
gaustad..... excuse me I mean cupcake ! .....Black Rock is two words not one word thank you.
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AtwaterLouse
The mortgage deduction isn't preferentially subsidizing a mortgae in the burbs, because if they bought houses of the same price in a city they'd receive the same federal income tax deduction. It somewhat lowers the higher federal income tax rates, but it's still a higher rate that most income people pay. Many city residents pay no federal income tax at all, obviously, and many others pay at the lowest rate. Somebody's subsidizing somebody all right, but not how you implied. Likewise for state income taxes.
What you said to Heather was "Our taxes mainly go to subsidize sprawl" - your exact words. Clearly untrue, when one looks at what government expenditures pay for. It would be true to say our tax dollars don't mainly go to subsidize sprawl. Or you could say mainly our tax dollars go to spending that would exist regardless of how much sprawl there is. Either of those would be fine.
There may be good arguments against mortgage tax deductions as a concept, and there may be some disadvantages of sprawl. But just because you hate sprawl doesn't mean any extreme criticism you can possibly imagine about it is true.
There's no objective reference you can cite which shows taxes *mainly* pay to *subsidize* sprawl. None. It was a foolish thing to claim and defend.
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Clyde
Blackrock4life just got OWNED!!!!!!!!
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blackrocklifer
Atwater- Most of the wealthy population and the big mortgages are in the burbs along with the big deductions. Buffalo with less wealth and population does not benefit much from the present tax structure. Taxes are high in suburban WNY because of the inefficient infrastucture that ends up costing all residents of WNY for the benefit of the few.
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Clyde
Most of the lazy ass poor sucking off the welfare teat live in the city so they eat up most of the tax dollars. I get sick when I look at that line on my property taxes.
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buffawakening
the thing with buffalo is that its citizens try to preserve/save everything, even if the things they are saving are just going to get worse. how many progressive things could get done in WNY if they wernt stopped by ppl who say "hey you cant demolish that old decrepit bulding, because it was build 100 years ago!" or even better "how dare you cut down that tree... its the oldest on the block!" yes of course there are many things worth saving, but we got to get our priorites straight. if we are determined never to change anything in buffalo, how will it ever rise?
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Sweetest
"Blackrocklifer "you have way too much time on your hands to write on this blog as much as you do! Seriously!! Go get a job or do something useful instead of fight with everyone on a blog!! Yes obviously everyone has oppinions on this blog as you restated the obvious fact in your last post to me. I pointed out that most of yours are irrational and unintelligent. as most other members have as well. You claim people on this site are negative and have bad attitudes, well frankly I have not read one positive, insightful, or thought provoking comment on here from you. You simply ATTACK everyone else "oppinions". I guess yours are the only RIGHT ones in your mind. Quite narrow and one sided thinking, surprisingly from a democrat. Before insulting every else's political, professional, and personal views, why not to think of your own comment about how "people with bad attitudes and negativity bring everyone else down". Try practice what you preach for a while!! Or at least listen and just be silent for a while before you get kicked off site. Judging from the responses to your comments, all you are doing is pissing people off on here. Can't say anything nice...you know the rest or should? Why not go on My Space or another sight for mindless insight and chatter to hear yourself speak or lecture. I agree with Clyde...Blackrockforlife did just get owned!! Lol!! Lighten up, this is supposed to be a positive blog!!
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Colin
"Most of the lazy ass poor sucking off the welfare teat live in the city so they eat up most of the tax dollars."
1. In quainter times, people would be ashamed to say ugly things like this in a public forum.
2. The 2008 federal budget was 21% for social security, 21% for medicare and medicaid, 20% for "defense," 18% for discretionary spending, and 9% for interest on the debt. The remaining 11% is "other madatory" spending, where you'll find welfare and other social programs (among other things). 11% isn't "most."
3. This site gets pretty dull when every story devolves into off-topic political rants. BRO editors -- do they exist anymore? -- might want to do something about that.
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gaustad
must be something in the water in beautiful Blackrock to make the people from there so argumentative and brave....especially BlackRockAdvocate. He has a lot of value to add on this site.....Obama for life!
Now back to what I was saying. It is too late to divert truck and diesel traffic and it is also unrealistic and costly to pick up and transfer so many old dilapidated homes.
Here are some suggestions....knock down the house, build a new bridge and truck plaza, move on with your life.
The increase in traffic and commerce from the new bridge and truck plaza will help this sh!thole come back to life.
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buffawakening
wow... i never thought i would be defending blackrocklifer, but sweetest... you yourself are not practicing your preaching by saying "you have way too much time on your hands to write on this blog as much as you do! Seriously!! Go get a job or do something useful."
and personally i dont think this is or should be a "positive blog." just because we got a new bike rack downtown or there are now "plans" to build or start a new buisness dosnt mean buffalo is rising. we need critical thinking and action to turn this town around, not smoke and mirrors to make us think buffalo is in great condition.
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BlackRockAdvocate
I like how cupcake has the balls to call the home or neighborhood of someone else a shithole and dictate what he thinks should be done with it. Id like to go to cupcakes home and tell him what I think is best for him and his shithole.
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gaustad
buffawakening, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but I think sweetest was just trying to "play along."
I am on your side, but I don't believe the people who run this site want it to be a place for "critical thinking" in order to turn Buffalo around. That is why they delete comments that the do not coincide with their own.
The site is all about smoke and mirrors; it always has been. It is a place to applaud mediocrity with the hope the optimism will spread and somehow Buffalo will magically turn itself around. Most people who participate in this mediocrity don't want to discuss the real problems facing the city.
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gaustad
BlackRockAdvocate - stop eating the fish you catch over there - you posting threats on the internet doesn't intimate me. I will give you my address however and afford you the opportunity when you see me to decide if you want to continue on.....just email me
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eam5
Most of you are off topic here. What this is about is allowing big government to run you out of your home and your neighborhood in the name of progress. Hard working people who take care of their property and pay their taxes should not be treated in the manner the PBA and government have treated the people in the Columbus Park neighborhood for decades. Our health and our well being and the right to live peacefully have suffered by these entities. Whether you have an opinion or not of how Buffalo will prosper in the future, whether you live in the city or suburbs, whether you want an icon of a bridge built or not, what are you willing to give up in your own life for these things? How much do you value your own sense of community where you live? As someone whose family has lived in the neighborhood for five generations, I do appreciate the history of the community and it's relationship with the present. The historical structures are documents of what has come before us and tell part of the story of who we are today. Many of us believe a new bridge will never be built, but an enlarged truck plaza to accommodate duty free and more convenient parking for the workers will fulfill the land grab the PBA is pursuing. Don't be so naive to believe an economic growth will come out of a new bridge and/or plaza either. No one has been able to "show me the money". There are alternatives and the public and government have ignored the other more viable options to the health, preservation, community and economic future by settling for what the Canadians are trying to ram down our throats.
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eam5
Most of you are off topic here. What this is about is allowing big government to run you out of your home and your neighborhood in the name of progress. Hard working people who take care of their property and pay their taxes should not be treated in the manner the PBA and government have treated the people in the Columbus Park neighborhood for decades. Our health and our well being and the right to live peacefully have suffered by these entities. Whether you have an opinion or not of how Buffalo will prosper in the future, whether you live in the city or suburbs, whether you want an icon of a bridge built or not, what are you willing to give up in your own life for these things? How much do you value your own sense of community where you live? As someone whose family has lived in the neighborhood for five generations, I do appreciate the history of the community and it's relationship with the present. The historical structures are documents of what has come before us and tell part of the story of who we are today. Many of us believe a new bridge will never be built, but an enlarged truck plaza to accommodate duty free and more convenient parking for the workers will fulfill the land grab the PBA is pursuing. Don't be so naive to believe an economic growth will come out of a new bridge and/or plaza either. No one has been able to "show me the money". There are alternatives and the public and government have ignored the other more viable options to the health, preservation, community and economic future by settling for what the Canadians are trying to ram down our throats.
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gaustad
eam5 great points....I think some of us yearn to see something happen in our life time.
Unfortunately, someone always has to suffer. I do, however, beleive that a new bridge would be a real icon of progress to those living outside the area....it seems to be the number one project that keeps everyone away.
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eam5
gaustad: Does a new bridge have to be in a location that will increase diesel emissions in a densely populated community where children already SUFFER the highest asthma rates? Does anyone know what the cost of these health problems are...including time off from work parents need to take because of their sick child, emergency room visits, medications, etc. Wouldn't Joe Public be just as happy with their icon of progress where others wouldn't suffer from it? Isn't the greater good of the community served where there could be real economic growth with a multi-modal facility, where goods could be moved and transported efficiently through our corridor using air, water, rail as well as trucking? Where is the 770 million dollars coming from for this proposed project?
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BlackRockAdvocate
Cupcake It's not the fish or the water.....it's in the air I do live down wind from the Peace bridge so the air quality here is not the best. You calling someones neighborhood a shithole is NOT adding value to the discussion it just shows your ignorance. "I will give you my address however and afford you the opportunity when you see me to decide if you want to continue on.....just email me"........Thanks for the invite but I do not live an alternative lifestyle however I don't have a problem with your lifestyle and neither does Obama .
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gaustad
sh!thole, meaning the entire city of Buffalo, not your little neighborhood. Stop taking yourself so serious, you are not that important....and watch who you call cupcake
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BlackRockAdvocate
No eam5.... Cupcake thinks that "someone always has to suffer" so "The increase in traffic and commerce from the new bridge and truck plaza will help this sh!thole come back to life." Cupcake also says "I do, however, beleive that a new bridge would be a real icon of progress to those living outside the area....." So eam5 he thinks that the heath of Children is trumped by a bridge after all it " would be a real icon of progress to those living outside the area"
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gaustad
BlackRockAdvocate, baby genius, the air in the entire county is polluted. so BabyGenius, are you an environmentalist now?
Is the air really that much cleaner in BlackRock than by the peace bridge or Niagara Falls Love Canal. So you are saying that the peace bridge area now trumps Lackawanna or Praxair?
BabyGenius, there is no need to paraphrase my remarks. Babygenius, you are a bad girl.
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allentowndiva
good for the fed budget, our county budget is 51% for social services, that is NOT a healthy city. [and that does not include section 8, that is fed dollars]
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ladyflash
The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Peace Bridge neighborhood as one of the 11 most endangered places in all of the U.S. of A. This is more than a local or regional issue - it is national. This neighborhood has so much history and culture, that its loss would be a loss to the entire country. Of note, also on the list is the lower east side of Manhattan - yes the Peace Bridge (a/k/a Columbus Park - Prospect Hill) neighborhood is on par with the lower east side of Manhattan.
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eam5
gaustad: Look at the statistical differences between the air quality in the PB neighborhood and other areas of the country...do the research as we have. It is appalling. The greatest number of asthma cases in schools are from School #3 on Porter and Niagara, also #18, #30, and #36. These cases are largely from the 14213 zip code. Yes, there may be pollution everywhere, but this is off the charts statistically and it is going to get worse if 3.5 more million trucks will come through the neighborhood with a new bridge. Maybe you would care more if one of your children were hospitalized or missed many days of school. We don't even need a new bridge...traffic is down. Do the research and have your facts in order. 750 million of our tax dollars could be spent on something better than an icon.
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blackrocklifer
eam5- Completely agree, diesel trucks do not belong in residential areas and the associated health problems should not be tolerated by any community.
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gaustad
eam5 - don't worry! This bridge will never be built anyway.....sincerely, we are all wasting our breath
A project of this magnitude could never be executed in Buffalo
Just curious, doesn't Canada have the same problem or concerns....there neighborhoods close to the peace bridge are also densely populated.
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Sweetest
Why is everyone from Black Rock so nasty and vicious on this site?? Must be the air, the water, and the fish!! Poor "Gaustaud, aka cupcake", getiing threats on a site and blog about Buffalo rising up??!! Doesn't seem like Bufalo's improving or will improve with ignorant comments and attacks like these!! "Buffwakening", I agree you're right I should not have told Blackrock4life to "get a job and do something more productive with his time". I'm stooping to his and BlackRock Advocate's level by saying that. It's just all this negativity and fighting on here is a little crazy?! Starts to get to you after reading it for a bit. Thought all these Obama fans would be a little happier since their man got elected. Lighten up people!!
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Sweetest
Why is everyone from Black Rock so nasty and vicious on this site?? Must be the air, the water, and the fish!! Poor "Gaustaud, aka cupcake", getiing threats on a site and blog about Buffalo rising up??!! Doesn't seem like Bufalo's improving or will improve with ignorant comments and attacks like these!! "Buffwakening", I agree you're right I should not have told Blackrock4life to "get a job and do something more productive with his time". I'm stooping to his and BlackRock Advocate's level by saying that. It's just all this negativity and fighting on here is a little crazy?! Starts to get to you after reading it for a bit. Thought all these Obama fans would be a little happier since their man got elected. Lighten up people!!
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Sweetest
Why is everyone from Black Rock so nasty and vicious on this site?? Must be the air, the water, and the fish!! Poor "Gaustaud, aka cupcake", getiing threats on a site and blog about Buffalo rising up??!! Doesn't seem like Bufalo's improving or will improve with ignorant comments and attacks like these!! "Buffwakening", I agree you're right I should not have told Blackrock4life to "get a job and do something more productive with his time". I'm stooping to his and BlackRock Advocate's level by saying that. It's just all this negativity and fighting on here is a little crazy?! Starts to get to you after reading it for a bit. Thought all these Obama fans would be a little happier since their man got elected. Lighten up people!!
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mostknownunknown
Busti Street should do buffalo a favor and burn to the ground or fall off the face of the earth.
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MJWorthington
I think we should pave over Busti-prospect-niagara. We should then build a new highway going directly east to the 90-290 interchange. this will allow trucks to pass through our area as quick as possible on their way down south. We will thankfully get the toll money.....well at least the PBA will.
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barbrita
Lets demolish these houses and that would be a good way to start the MUCH needed Plaza. Who needs this deteriorated Peace Bridge area.
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eam5
Barbrita-why don't you tell the truth...you just want to cash in on what you think is your lottery ticket. How much have you invested in your home the last 20 years? You are a part of the problem. Don't even start commenting on crime in the neighborhood!!! Look up the police records and you will find there is nothing there. The PBA has caused blight in the neighborhood and you have invented crime. How much has the PBA promised you? You aren't going to get what you think. You don't give a hoot about the needs of the PBA, the community, your neighbors or the health of children. You just care about what's in it for you! This project isn't ever going to happen because it will be tied up in lawsuits for decades. You might as well start investing in your house and when we get the trucks out of the neighborhood, your property will be very valuable. You will be able to sell it easily and we will be happy to have you gone!
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eam5
gaustad: There are people in Canada who are also very concerned about the health problems. There is a group called Fresh Air Coalition. Canada does not have the same freedom of speech privileges and the public is more reluctant to speak out in fear of being sued. Also, the West Side is down wind, with the southwest winds picking up the pollution and dumping it here. The population in Ft. Erie is nowhere near the density of the West Side. This area in the City has the highest density of population and the highest density of children in the city. Also, have you ever participated in the tour of homes on Columbus Pkwy? You obviously have no idea of what kind of a neighborhood Columbus Pkwy is. Do you really think my brothers who live in FL ponder for a minute whether Buffalo has a new bridge or not? I think they care more about their parents being forced to move from their home and their health than some icon of hope for WNY. Our area will never change until the priorities are redirected to what is really good for the people and not some political game of show and tell.
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blackrocklifer
eam5- You are right, we in the city can no longer allow the health of our families to be sacrificed for the convenience and profits of others. Our neighborhoods already carry the burden of the NYS thruway. The pollution and noise are bad enough but this highway has also robbed us of our waterfront and caused our neighborhoods to decline. Adding more trucks would only add insult to injury.
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eam5
The article in today's Buffalo News about the historic district just makes me crazy! The PBA, along with the Federal Highway department, paid for their own separate evaluation to make up what the historic Prospect Hill district is and then says it supercedes whatever was determined before this. Who are these officials that come up with these rules as they go? Funny how the historic district they determined exactly corresponds to the properties the PBA wants to seize! The Wilkerson property and the chapel on Busti are out of the historic district, as well as several historic homes on Columbus Pkwy. Is no one else bothered by the way this entity operates?
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eam5
The article in today's Buffalo News about the historic district just makes me crazy! The PBA, along with the Federal Highway department, paid for their own separate evaluation to make up what the historic Prospect Hill district is and then says it supercedes whatever was determined before this. Who are these officials that come up with these rules as they go? Funny how the historic district they determined exactly corresponds to the properties the PBA wants to seize! The Wilkerson property and the chapel on Busti are out of the historic district, as well as several historic homes on Columbus Pkwy. Is no one else bothered by the way this entity operates?
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