Buffalo Rising Online

awesome!

Im not suprised that the natural evolution of thought was to get the current convention center out of downtown's core and build a shiny new 450k sqft convention and conference center and of course hotel and parking garage. Buffalo is doing many things correctly and many things terribly but very few things satisfactorily. For instance the master plan for the Olmsted Parks restoration and the reconstruction of the Grotto and Calvert Veaux structures are right on the money. Missing are the potential reconstruction of Pan Am Fountains, Band Shells and Gateway Entrances which would be unique and momentus. Buffalo is correctly restoring the Martin Complex, Roycroft and the Larkin Warehouses (even the FLW gas station and the FLW Boathouse and FLW Davidson House) but NOTICE HOW THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING REMAINS AT THE TOP OF THE ATTENTION. The Larkin Administration Building should be reconstruction. Buffalo is correctly reconstructing the Spaulding Mercantile for Bass Pro and the intersection of the Commercial Slip, Erie Canal and Main/Hamburg. However missing from the reconstruction are canal barges, freight schooners, LaSalles Griffon and Adm Perry's 1812 Warship telling the story of the burning of Buffalo! Buffalo sadly has its only remaining historical district between Niagara & Main Street (possibly Niagara & Michigan) excluding the potmarked infill downtown. It is a city that still struggles with neglect and demolition at all levels. The city of Buffalo is 60% empty. Connecting downtown to rail at the Central Terminal and the Airport would be huge...yet...there is no start date. The Richardson moves forward at a glacial pace even though the surrounding community desperately needs it completed. BECHs, Conference Centers & Presidential Libraries and Offices could make immediate re-use of Richardson space. Yet the pace is glacial. Its huge and grand size and scale bring down the entire surrounding community...Buffalo State could move non-core services like Booktores to Grant Street or expand entrepreneurial incubators and dormatories but doesnt. The result is the continued decay along Forest, Grant, Tonawnda & Amhrest. The Science Museum needs a restoration of its main entrance facade...yet nothing. The city pothole ridden streets, curbs, sidewalks, treeless streets, industrial urban lighting and litter say alot about the condition of the city and do alot to retard investment and jobs. Buffalo continues to spend its money on Albany dictates, unions, patronage and insider business deals rather than those that would bring business, jobs and industry to our city. Im glad that Buffalo is getting its recognition but as with all lights...it also shines upon our ignorance and failures. There is one thing I will bring to the attention of all fellow Buffalo Rising readers. The financial collapse in NYC is rapidly turning the eyes of NYC (&BOSTON) to TORONTO and that is going to force a rethink of Buffalo! BUFFALO IS THE GATEWAY TO TORONTO!

I'm surprised that the Times didn't discuss our collection of Brutalism like the City Court Building at Niagara Square and our newest classic, the Burchfield "-" Penney Art Center.

the second half of the title should read "waiting to become yet another parking lot"

Too bad so many of our own citizens and leaders fail to recognize the greatness of Buffalo's architecture. Seems like it takes an outsider to tell us what we have and why we should appreciate it.

But the outsider did mention how POOR Buffalo is and has been for decades as a reason why we haven't replaced many of these old buildings for bright new skyscrapers, the many vacant homes outside of downtown and more. But we already knew this from experience, but does the whole world need to know how bad it is here?

skarnath, excellent point!

I also think that Buffalo and Buffalonians should recognize that we are not going to be the home of Avant Garde 21st century architecture. We are much to poor to hire such architects....so poor that 90% of the buildings are NOT even build taller 3 stories. Buffalo is LUCKY on the RARE opportunities that it can break 10 stories.

If Buffalo doesnt reallize its blessings....its because its is very much like the kid playing with wonderful and valuable prized antique toys and has lost all interest in them. Buffalo wants a playstation but cant afford it....and has lost interest in the majority of its 100 year old toys....so neither the city or the county care about parks or streets or curbs or signage or trees or sidewalks, or brownfields or urban office parks or its 18th and 19th century buildings.

In short rather than save a building the city and county seem bent on skimping on inspections, loose judicial and criminal enforcement and easy demolition.

Its no better from the elites at say the Albright Knox that want to de-access its classical collection rather than display it.

And there is a strong anti-preservationist movement that considers re-construction as fake but there is a bigger truth to Buffalo!

The bigger truth is that Buffalo is 60% empty and has lost huge swaths of major historical architectural gems! THE BIGGER PICTURE IS THAT BUFFALO SHOULD CONSIDER A NEW MODERN DOWNTOWN CORE! A NEW DOWNTOWN SOUTH OF EXISTING DOWNTOWN SOUTH OF THE HSBC TOWER AND EAST TOWARDS THE LARKIN DISTRICT WHERE MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY CAN BE WELCOME, FREE AND UNENCUMBERED!

Let our old downtown have its street grid restored and in certain circumstances infill with period projects of terra cotta and brick and stone or actually reconstruct some of our major gems. For example....LaFayette Square can never be restored without the original Library facade.....Shelton Square can never really be restored without Erie County Savings Bank.

Sorry but there are about 5 major downtown architectural losses and we as a city really need to consider how to bring back some of our historical street scapes.

(Especially since Buffalo is 60% empty so there be no need to sacrifice period for modern).

I'm surprised more people have not posted about the size and prominence of this article, which is lavish by NY TImes standards. This is free massive adverising for Buffalo and its uniqueness that millions of people will see; many ciities would beg for this coverage.

It's not well-written, and he hits some really off-key notes (like his description of Richmond Ave.), but Ourousoff captures something that almost no outsider has done before: how Buffalo is slowly rebirthing itself from the ground up, how it has not yet been been totally redrawn by commercial interests that erase the city's countours. He strikes a chord, despite the tone-deaf writing, I never expected to see in the NY Times: the chance that Buffalo may be a truly unique preservation success story (with some luck and good decisions). At moments he gets the meaning of the city.

I completely agree with Eric Oak. This was a HUGE article and can't be dismissed as another fluff piece about how Buffalo really isn't that bad, but gives significant credibility to the means by which Buffalo is and can resurrect itself.

Buffalo resurrecting itself is still a false hope.

The regional engines of growth: Niagara Falls, UB, downtown, Buffalo Niagara Airport, Galleria are unconnected via light rail in particular and still operate independently.

The major regional authorities like the water authority, sewar authority, thruway authority, bridge authority, GBNRTC, NYSDOT, NFTA, Power Authority, etc all either report to Albany or operate independently. No major infrastructure projects from them!

The major governments like Buffalo let incestuous inspectors harrass anyone who complains about their responsibilities to inspect and citation neglect instead of actually inspecting and citing neglect.

Major projects like the relocation of the zoo were a major travesty for Buffalo!

The restoration of the urban street grid, the Southtowns connector, the skyway, the burrying of the Kensington and the Niagara Expressway, the downgrading of the Scajaquada all major infrastructure non-issues.

The major projects like the Martin House, prudential building (Sullivan), the Richardson, Sheas, the commercial slip, olmsted park restoration, etc...all were saved by grass roots not politicians.

Thats really the bigger issue...that the people we elect...they dont get the job situation and they dont get the quality of life situation either

Our built environment is of a quality few cities can claim and is the one asset that brings people and investment into Buffalo. We can no longer afford to squander our most valuable resource but must protect and preserve our unique structures for the future. The strip plaza's and subdivision's that pass for architecture today will never inspire or excite the imagination of future generations in the way our old buildings and neighborhoods have and continue to do. We must be patient and see the value in long term investment and our city will prosper.

"Our built environment is of a quality few cities can claim and is the one asset that brings people and investment into Buffalo."

Sent there has not been much investment or people coming to Buffalo for the last 40 years, you may want to reevaluate this statement.