continued from old thread.

Question from torontonian (please answer):

Are those deteriorating factories on the waterfront and near it still occupied? Or is there some kind of plan to replace them?

Buffalo seems to have the highest ratio of discussion threads about "development", to actual development, on the waterfront of anywhere else. There's a new book just out that should answer many of the questions as to why. Here's cover story on the article that ran in Artvoice.


Cover Story Power Failure
by Geoff Kelly

In the introduction to her book Power Failure: Politics, Patronage and the Economic Future of Buffalo, New York, released this week by Amherst-based Prometheus Books, author Diana Dillaway notes that those who hold political and economic power—and who are in a position to lead by virtue of that power—are not always willing or able to provide leadership.
“In fact,” she writes, “Buffalo’s business, political and community leaders—with some rare but interesting exceptions¬—were zealous in their defense of the status quo in the face of an economic slowdown, and, later, spiraling decline.”
Power Failure offers a series of case studies in Buffalo’s failures of leadership and missed opportunities over the past half century. The decisions that Dillaway chooses to profile represent a Wailing Wall of Buffalo’s past miscues: locating UB’s new campus in Amherst instead of downtown; hemming and hawing on the rapid transit system; turning away the possibility of a downtown football stadium; thumb-twiddling on waterfront development; failing to engage the city’s African-American community in decision-making processes, such as they were; refusing to face the decline in the city’s heavy industrial base, and the consequences of that decline, until it was far too late.
The power failures that Dillaway’s book describes are failures of initiative and vision which she attributes to fear of change in the city’s power structures. But change, she notes, was inevitable:
“Both the economic decline in the 1960s and the loss of the steel industry through the 1970s represent a crisis that brought unimaginable change to Buffalo,” Dillaway writes. “The irony here is readily apparent. Major change—the very thing Buffalo’s leadership hoped to avoid—came, in part, as a result of the leadership’s unwillingness to risk change.”
Although politicians make easy marks, Dillaway’s studies place the lion’s share of the blame for these failures with the power elite—the city’s oldest and wealthiest families, the heads of banks and influential law firms and insurance companies, those who sit on boards of directors for various companies—whose money and control of the city’s institutions have always lent their decisions (or lack of decisions) special weight.
About the author
In this, Dillaway is indicting her own class. Though she has resided in California for the past 30 years, she is a member of Buffalo’s Wendt family. Born here in 1941, Dillaway spent her first five years in Derby, until her family moved into the city, living first on West Ferry and then on Argyle Park.
Like many children in her family’s social circle, she attended the Elmwood-Franklin School until eighth grade. Then, rather than follow the typical path—the Buffalo Seminary for girls, the Nichols School for boys—she went away to Miss Hall’s School for girls in Pittsfield, Massachussetts.
After a year of finishing school, she returned to Buffalo, married and had two sons. She lived in Buffalo for the next 15 years, a firsthand witness to the decline which she chronicles in Power Failure.
“All those years it was clear that so many businesses were leaving town, and it just amazed me that all the powers that were couldn’t come together on a vision or plan,” Dillaway said in a recent interview with Artvoice. “I don’t think I was in any position to figure out how or why they could do it. But the lack of a vision or a plan among the business and political leadership was evident to me then.”
In 1974 she drove cross-country with her two sons and her second husband to California, where she worked for the San Francisco Symphony and later for Mother Jones magazine. Eventually she became involved with nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area that had regional concerns. As a result, she was invited to speak at a roundtable on regional planning at UCLA, a sort of accidental expert.
“I really didn’t know what I was talking about,” she admits. “I mean, I had written a great proposal. But that’s all.”
So, in her mid-40s, Dillaway applied and was accepted to the University of California at Berkeley to study urban planning. There she studied with sociologist and urban planner Manuel Castells, whose work would inspire the research methodology for Power Failure. She laid the groundwork for the book while at Berkeley, too, in a statistical comparative study of Buffalo and Pittsburgh and their industrial declines. In fact, at one point Power Failure was to have been a comparative history of the two cities; in the end, however, Dillaway chose to focus on Buffalo alone.
She did her first round of interviews with 35 business and political leaders in 1987. She picked up her research again nearly 10 years later, in 1996, adding another 35 interviews. She promised anonymity to everyone she spoke with—an interesting consideration, given that so many of the decisions she talks about are done deals, and the people who remember how and why they were made are somewhat removed from their former positions of influence.
Asked why she made that promise, she laughed: “Do you think I would have gotten that story if I’d said I was going to use names?”
In fact, she said, her interviewees still feel that they have much at stake—and that is illustrative of the problem she chronicles in the book.
“You know, the social community—and it doesn’t matter if it’s the political community or the establishment—they protect their own,” she said. “One can argue, as I do in the book, that this leads to protection of the status quo, because no one is going to call someone on something. They are going to see each other at the social club tomorrow, or they’re going to see each other at the next Democratic Party gathering, or whatever, and they’re not going to call each other to task.
“I think what people are always afraid of is that it’s going to be a muckraking piece. And this for me is a very serious attempt to get the story and to tell it. Not to make it sensational. And you know, of the 70 people, there were only three who wouldn’t be interviewed. But the reason they didn’t want to be is, they said, ‘Look we don’t want our dirty linen out there.’ Of course, I feel that’s been part of the problem—an unwillingness to look deeply at what’s been going on, and to name it.”
Which, of course, is precisely what Dillaway has set out to do. Reading Power Failure is a head-shaking experience—a painful reminder for the civic-minded of what might have been.
How UB ended up in Amherst
“The biggest [missed opportunity] would be the university,” Dillaway said, of the debate over whether to build a new campus for SUNY at Buffalo on the waterfront downtown or on a
In 1962 Governor Nelson D. Rockefeller had announced that SUNY would build a second, larger campus for UB. Though he never committed fully to any one location, Rockefeller seemed to suggest that he favored a downtown campus.
“This was the greatest opportunity handed to [the city’s business and political leaders],” Dillaway said. “Not only did the governor propose that this could be a possibility, but you had all the available urban renewal funds that could have helped with the development downtown around the new campus.”
The city’s small business owners backed a downtown campus, as did the city’s African-American community, whose leadership recognized that the proximity of a waterfront campus to the city’s East Side would mean job opportunities for blacks and much-needed investment in the surrounding neighborhoods, which were already feeling the consequences of the shrinking industrial base and the loss of high-paying jobs.
But, according to one of her anonymous interviewees, downtown interests “turned their back on the university…they fought Rockefeller. And partly they resisted because they saw it as a threat. If there’s two or three billion dollars of stuff going on [either downtown or out there]…it was going to become the power center, and it was going to bring in new people and new money, and overwhelm them.”
Buffalo’s Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation took no formal positions on the issue—not surprising, Dillaway suggests, except that a downtown campus was so clearly a boon for a city that had been on the decline for 50 years already. A new campus meant, among other things, 10,000 students in the city’s downtown core; 2,000 university-related jobs; in-fill development in city neighborhoods to handle the university’s housing needs; an addition to the city’s already rich cultural life; and research centers that might spawn new businesses that would diversify the city’s flagging economy.
Just as important, Dillaway points out, a downtown campus would have provided the city’s business and political communities with access to tremendous planning resources that might have helped them to steer the city through the changes that attended the death of the region’s heavy industry.
“The big thing about the university for me is, not only does it help the ecomony, it also helps the business and political leaders, because you have such incredible resources and expertise,” she said. “I remember at Berkeley doing all kinds of studies and plans for different outlying areas in the Bay Area—and then we would turn them over to the city government and say, ‘Here’s your plan.’
“Why give the money to some consulting firm when you can get [plans and studies] for free, from the best minds going, with the most up-to-date analysis tools?”
The very thing that doomed the downtown campus, according to Dillaway’s anonymous interviewee—that the university’s enormous economic and politcal presence would disrupt the existing power structure—also might have provided cover for politicians and community leaders who hoped to buck the status quo and embrace radical changes to manage or even reverse the city’s decline.
Instead, the supporters of a downtown campus where marginalized. This was possible, according to Dillaway, because the organizations that should have been driving the planning process and championing the city—the Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation—instead sat out the debate, most likely due to pressure from powerful interests opposed to a downtown campus. In the absence of a cohesive, empowered and proactive organization, individuals opposed to a downtown campus were able to hijack the debate—and those in favor were left on the periphery, with no recognized, established organization through which to agitate for their cause.
“The structure of power and the planning process directly impact the political and economic outcomes,” Dillaway said. “The Greater Buffalo Development Foundation, which was the seat of power supposedly, did not include a couple of the major players. They might have been a part of it in name, but from what I saw they were not party to a lot of decisions and what the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation did. And when not all of the parties are brought to the table, then it allows those few individuals to impact from the outside the decisions that might have been made.”
The city’s mayor, Chester Kowal, made little effort to win the campus for the waterfront. The Buffalo Evening News played down the issue. The Courier-Express covered the issue thoroughly but did not endorse one site over another.
The tone of the debate was, at times, quite heated. Dillaway writes:
During the increasingly rancorous debate, a banker, who also chaired the Albright-Knox Art Gallery board, blocked the display of a model of the proposed downtown university at the Gallery. It was displayed instead at the Buffalo Public Library at the base of the main stairwell. “As a consequence, the rest of the political and social establishment was cowed into silence…The unanswered insult sent a strong message to anyone who might harbor modern ideas for Buffalo.” Another banker made his feelings known to anyone who would listen, but most especially among the the social networks of the establishment: “We don’t want all those [New York radicals and people of color] running around downtown.” As fate would have it, both leaders sat on the University’s Board of Trustees—one headed the Board and the other chaired the Construction Fund.
December 8, 1984—Christmas shopping season—and this train has been knocked out of commission by a snowstorm. The downtown section of the LRRT was supposed to run underground.
How the football stadium went to Orchard Park and the LRRT went nowhere
“Leadership,” Dillaway writes, “requires the commitment to see a project through.”
Buffalo’s light-rail transit system, which took more than 20 years to be planned and built, is another example of a decentralized planning process hung up on the rocks of indecision, indifference and individual agendas. Slow and creaking from the start, the planning for the LRRT gained almost no local support among the power elite—no local dollars were committed to its construction—and as a result the plans were modified in ways that compromised its original intent. The downtown part of the LRRT was supposed to be underground; the suburban part, which was to extend all the way to UB’s Amherst campus, was to travel aboveground.
“That whole point was to have an underrgound line downtown that would bring people downtown for shopping, and in inclement weather they could get around,” Dillaway said. “Or people from businesses downtown could go from one business to another, hop the line and go two stops and go to a business appointment in a snowstorm.”
Dillaway says that one major proponent of the LLRT, an associate of the board members of the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation, told her that if that body had taken a stand when the transit sytem was being challenged out in the neighborhoods—where neighborhood leaders were fighting, with good reason, the overhead rail going through their living rooms—if the foundation had taken a strong stand and then bargained with the community leaders, a deal might have been struck. And Buffalo might have had a more reasonable light-rail system that extended all the way to the northern suburbs, that would not have left Main Street closed to automobile traffic—and it would not have taken 20 years.
The story of the football stadium is appalling. In 1964 a report determined that the best place for a new football stadium would be in or near the urban core. Three years later, Buffalo’s Chamber of Commerce issued a report suggesting that a two-stadium complex be built in Amherst instead. In this fight, nearly everyone took a side, Dillaway writes, and for a variety of reasons. But the basic reason for opposition to a downtown stadium was that a handful of people in the city’s business elite stood to make more money on the construction of a stadium in the suburbs.
Of this debate, Dillaway writes:
…when one bank executive looked like he might agree that a stadium should be built downtown, “he went into his board meeting, and came out a changed man,” and was not heard to assert himself on the stadium issue again. Implicit among the business leadership was the understanding that “if you [want to] build it downtown, you will be destroyed,” according to one longtime political insider. “The battle raged from the summer of ’68 over a plan to build a domed stadium in Lancaster, New York. The proposal fell apart in 1970…[It was] a massive, searing debate involving every major power figure in Buffalo ranging from the owner of the dominant newspaper, bankers, local governments, politicians, editors, law firms…Two people died of heart attacks, politicians quit, two went to prison. The proposal fell apart in 1970.”
In the end, the city’s leaders, realizing that they could not settle the issue for themselves, threw the decision to the New York State Urban Development Corporation. The UDC, more concerned with economic factors than with revitalizing the city, choose the current site of Rich Stadium in Orchard Park. Ten years later the State Supreme Court ruled that Erie County had breached its contract with the developer of the proposed Lancaster stadium.
The transactions of decline
Power Failure traces these stories and the city’s institutions through three decades of decline. One of the most interesting threads include the Democratic Party’s habit of alternating ethnic groups in leadership positions, in order to keep its constituents happy. This excluded the African-American community, of course, whose only outlet for representation was the Common Council. This is a shame, according to Dillaway, because Buffalo’s black leadership in the 1950s was amenable to cooperating with city leaders on urban renewal. Buffalo’s solid black middle class, built on high-wage jobs in the steel and other heavy industries, comprised a very civil society, committed to bettering its lot through existing institutions. Dillaway notes that when Chicago organizer Saul Alinsky—never a friend to existing institutions—visited Buffalo in 1966, he wrote, “I keep sort of rubbing my eyes from time to time. Buffalo is about the only community in America in which I have seen a certain number of middle-class professional Negroes committed to their people.”
But real change never stood a chance in Buffalo, Dillaway says, until the 1980s, when new investment began to come into the city, attracted by subsidies. The new investors demanded, and received, a seat at the decision-making table.
“Around 1975, when things did hit rock bottom and the city was days away from bankruptcy, it was that period when new investment came in, private investment, and that was because of the low cost of capital, through all the subsidies—low cost of capital, the low cost of land,” Dillaway explains. “And labor had taken such a hit, too—they realized that they were a part of the problem, and they backed off some of the high wages and they even tried to help. That’s when the new investors came along, and that wouldn’t have happened if the city hadn’t come to the bottom. I find it difficult sometimes to say that something is good or something is bad, because sometimes something that looks bad turns out to be good. It’s just the catalyst you need.
“During the Griffin years, downtown they did accomplish quite a bit, but it was all with subsidized funds and very little private investment—and then, of course, when the money ran out everybody disappeared.
“These are transactions of decline, as Jane Jacobs says, and once they are going it’s hard to get off of them. On the one hand, you had Griffin setting up all these nonprofits to take funds and actually getting- things done, and that was the good side. The bad side was the acrimony [caused by] the process that left out his Council—which has really affected the city for decades afterward. It set up a dynamic that I don’t know is even over.”
The failure to embrace change, Dillaway says, is certainly a negative, too. But it says something positive about the city as well.
“You had the ethnic communities not wanting change at all, because their lives were settled and quite wonderful, in the sense that everything revolved around the parish church—and then, of course, the Democratic Party machine, patronage. The schools were right there, and the parish priest was right there. They didn’t want change. And the establishment didn’t want change, because life was very, very good for all of us. The black community, of course, wanted change, and for good reason.
“The one thing it does say for the city is that it is a wonderful, wonderful place to live. The thing is that, unless a city is willing to risk change, they are going to be forced by circumstances into change, because change is inevitable.”

Road Blocks or Building Blocks for ECC City Campus?
Erika Brason -- Created: 4/28/2006

The proposed updates to the ECC city campus call for three new state of the art buildings along Oak Street. Giambra wants to break ground in September for phase one--a $40 million dollar academic building. But so far, the funding isn't there.

County Executive Giambra hopes the state will come up come up with half. The county would have to sell bonds to pay for the other $20 million.

The entire project would require $150 million in public and private funds.

ECC President William Mariana says the college has never been this close to major progress. However, he has concerns about the funding. ECC is also struggling with budget problems. Tuition has increased, while the county has provided no increases in funding in four years.

The ECC Board of Trustees has yet to approve the project.



WGRZ

Hey WCP...Whats up with the ECC housing proj next to the Library?

Hey WCP...Whats up with the ECC housing proj next to the Library?

Below is the first thing I've heard about the project since it was announced. Rocco said he was hoping to break ground this Fall for the first phase- looks like its moving slowly forward.

Question from torontonian (please answer):

Are those deteriorating factories on the waterfront and near it still occupied? Or is there some kind of plan to replace them?

sure, you Canadians start baking the bread...we'll send you the grains for it...or start eating more Cherios.

They are just old grain elevators, some are still used, most are not.

as for a plan to do something...besides hanging billboards on them, they are pretty much useless for anything else...and we are far from being a wealthy enough city to make a dumb museum out of them.

tear them down, clean up the soil, redevelope.

Question from torontonian (please answer):

Are those deteriorating factories on the waterfront and near it still occupied? Or is there some kind of plan to replace them?

Well, that sort of depends. Are you talking about the factories south of downtown in Lackawanna? If so, that would be Bethlehem Steel, which was a massive factory complex. Most of that is vacant, and there is a plan (which is currently being implemented) to raze most of the buildings and redevelop the waterfront land. Much of the building on Buffalo's waterfront in downtown have been razed, and there is a plan to redevelop most of that land. That plan is also being implemented. A huge retailer (Bass Pro) has plans to move in. There are condos and offices being built, and part of the Erie Canal is being restored. A museum is being built next to it. Then there are the plans for the casino, and the plans to build a pedestrian and bike path from South Buffalo all the way to Niagara Falls, NY along the shores of Lake Erie and the Niagara River. Some of those industrial buildings are being used, such as the General Mills complex. But then the activity there is evident, both from the activity you can see and the activity you can smell. Much of this part of the city smells like the cereal they bake (Cheerios, for example). Then, as BuffCity pointed out, there are the several vacant grain elevators along the Buffalo River. And I am not aware of any plans to reuse them. They would be difficult to get demolished because they are part of Buffalo's industrial past and heritage. The grain elevator was invented in Buffalo, and that's one of things that contributed to the prosperity of the United States at the turn of the last century and helped with the develpment of the Western Great Lakes. There are places in Ohio, I believe, that have made hotels out of their grain elevators, so I would not say they will never be reused. But I think Buffalo is concentrating energy on other develpment projects right now.

They are just old grain elevators, some are still used, most are not.

as for a plan to do something...besides hanging billboards on them, they are pretty much useless for anything else...and we are far from being a wealthy enough city to make a dumb museum out of them.

tear them down, clean up the soil, redevelope.
http://www.quakersquare.com/

Tear down the Aud -- now
Business First of Buffalo - May 1, 2006

Let's tear down Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium -- now.

The Aud, once a gathering place for thousands, is now nothing more than a massive, dust-collecting monstrosity plopped on prime development land. Old and decaying, with it's usefulness long past, the Aud is symbolic of everything that is wrong with Buffalo's waterfront.

The leveling of the Aud and the adjacent Gen. Donovan state office building would provide a great waterfront site for future development, whether it be for Bass Pro or something else.

Waiting for Bass Pro Shops officials and our local leaders to make a decision doesn't change reality: The building should have been torn down 10 years ago.

If a Bass Pro megastore is indeed destined to stand on that spot, then fine. Build it there. But make it a store built in a style reminiscent of the mid-19th century. That would complement the development of the Inner Harbor's Erie Canal terminus much better than a retrofitted Aud.

Retrofitting the building for any use - whether retail, hotel or museum - has to be more expensive than building new on a shovel-ready lot. Let's use some of the development money already set aside for the Bass Pro project. The outdoors chain has already demonstrated in several other cities that it can open a sizeable store without the massive investment of public dollars.

The cost of demolishing the Aud would surely be high. But the cost of waiting is even higher: It only delays the future development of the Inner Harbor area.

"tear down the Aud - now"

I never really considered the idea, but after thinking about it, I really wouldn't miss the Aud that much. It is absolutely hideous, especially the backside with some Sabres thing painted on it. Knock it down and build a scraper or two.

as for a plan to do something...besides hanging billboards on them, they are pretty much useless for anything else...and we are far from being a wealthy enough city to make a dumb museum out of them.

tear them down, clean up the soil, redevelope.

I don't really disagree, but your proposal would be my second choice in a perfect world. My first choice would be to clean them up so they aren't so intimidating and rusty looking....then develop around them. It would be incredibly unique place to live. Or maybe tear all but a few of them down. We gotta keep some.

Retrofitting the building for any use - whether retail, hotel or museum - has to be more expensive than building new on a shovel-ready lot.

... because as we all know, there's a critical shortage of shovel-ready building sites downtown, and very little vacant land on Buffalo's waterfront and riverbanks. :|

Or to put it another way - why on earth would you want spend your money to build next to a grassy vacant lot, when you can build next door to a vacant rat infested eyesore?

Some can only imagine what is. Great cities are built by people who imagine and accomplish what could be. These grain elevators are expensive to tear down because they are built to be very strong. They are dramatic sculptural objects that could easily be trasfomred into giant pieces of art. They don't need to have any use other than that. With some forsight Buffalo could paint and light these buildings to create a very unique very dramatic massively scaled sculture park. That would be something people WOULD build next to.

Or....you could spend the money instead to make some parking lots.

How is that grain elevator-turned-hotel in Akron doing, business-wise? I've heard alot about it in the past, but never how well it does. Also, what's different about it to set it aside from our elevators, i.e. is it in a better area, what? Basically, why would/wouldn't it work here?

perhaps Buffalo needs to focus on getting its economy back instead of making giant grain els artwork...come on. :sleepy:

perhaps Buffalo needs to focus on getting its economy back instead of making giant grain els artwork...come on. :sleepy:
Sure. But there's no harm in leaving them alone until the economy does pick up... is there?

perhaps Buffalo needs to focus on getting its economy back instead of making giant grain els artwork...come on. :sleepy:

How do you think economies grow? By making unique assets that others can not compete with. You can spend$10M to tear down the elevator or you can spend $10M to make it into somethin special. Why would you be against that?

Question on Buffalo Population and Density...

I've heard that Buffalo is one of the densest cities in america (like 20th or something?) even though the population has declined. I was wondering if the new infill projects and apartement/condos that are going up will start to show even more density in the numbers... or is it still too little to really show up anywhere.

(understanding that many of the projects aren't done yet, or aren't sold yet...)

Some can only imagine what is. Great cities are built by people who imagine and accomplish what could be. These grain elevators are expensive to tear down because they are built to be very strong. They are dramatic sculptural objects that could easily be trasfomred into giant pieces of art. They don't need to have any use other than that. With some forsight Buffalo could paint and light these buildings to create a very unique very dramatic massively scaled sculture park. That would be something people WOULD build next to.

Or....you could spend the money instead to make some parking lots.

Perhaps like a garden the weak ones should be weeded out so that the remainder could be turned into a massive urban sculpture park surrounded by beautiful paths and gardens. I think it would be a waste of precious resources to tear down all of the empty elevators.

Question on Buffalo Population and Density...

I've heard that Buffalo is one of the densest cities in america (like 20th or something?) even though the population has declined. I was wondering if the new infill projects and apartement/condos that are going up will start to show even more density in the numbers... or is it still too little to really show up anywhere.

(understanding that many of the projects aren't done yet, or aren't sold yet...)
#16 - infill won't change that unless it represents population new to Erie or Niagara Counties as the calculation is metro population divided by metro area. Which by the way Buffalo's metro has the smallest square mileage of any of the top 50 or million plus metros in the country. providence RI is the only other one to have less than 2,000 sq miles. Most in the 1-2 million range have more than 3,000 square miles. Rochester for example has about 3,400 square miles to our 1,800. 'Course we still have more people than theirs.

Buffalo seems to have the highest ratio of discussion threads about "development", to actual development, on the waterfront of anywhere else. There's a new book just out that should answer many of the questions as to why. Here's cover story on the article that ran in Artvoice.


Cover Story Power Failure
by Geoff Kelly

In the introduction to her book Power Failure: Politics, Patronage and the Economic Future of Buffalo, ......are going to be forced by circumstances into change, because change is inevitable.”

Gotta love that Artvoice rag. They didn't even get the names right in their pictures so how can you trust anything in their words. They identified former CE Ed Rutkowski as then city councilman Joel Giambra. They also referred to former Governor Mario Cuomo as Governor Andrew Cuomo. They show by time and again that they do not know what they are talking about.

#16 - infill won't change that unless it represents population new to Erie or Niagara Counties as the calculation is metro population divided by metro area.
ok. I had thought the density rating was by city instead of metro. Good to know.

ok. I had thought the density rating was by city instead of metro. Good to know.


actually, i believe "by city" buffalo is even higher on that list. it was 11th at the 1990 census, since then the city has lost 40,000 people or so. no idea where it stands now.

Hey BuffCity- did you see this comment over at BRising?



Cynthia Van Ness May 1, 2006 10:00 PM
That is an OUTSTANDING view of the Guaranty Building. Nate Farnsworth should frame and sell copies of it!

http://www.buffalorising.com/city/archives/2006/05/hodgson_russ_begins_inter.php#commentsall

thanks, maybe I'll get a few out.

That angle of the Guaranty is printed and is framed, hanging in my living room.

thanks again for using my photos. :) :cheers:

How do you think economies grow? By making unique assets that others can not compete with. You can spend$10M to tear down the elevator or you can spend $10M to make it into somethin special. Why would you be against that?

I would be willing to spend 10 million to tear them down if the land was redeveloped into land that could add to the tax base, create something strong financially and get buffalo rolling forward, spending 10 million to make them look like art or whatever seems a little too whacky.

I like the idea of a park along the river, but these old elevators need a purpose besides a graffitti wall, if no purpose remains...it's time to be intelligent about our options.

thanks, maybe I'll get a few out.

That angle of the Guaranty is printed and is framed, hanging in my living room.

thanks again for using my photos. :) :cheers:

I'll email her your info- Cynthia is a former member of the Preservation Board.

EDIT: You beat me to it, and better to have everyone see your contact info.

And, thanks for the instant library of photos- things like this pop up out of the blue and its great to have such awesome photos available to put up!

I would be willing to spend 10 million to tear them down if the land was redeveloped into land that could add to the tax base, create something strong financially and get buffalo rolling forward, spending 10 million to make them look like art or whatever seems a little too whacky.

I like the idea of a park along the river, but these old elevators need a purpose besides a graffitti wall, if no purpose remains...it's time to be intelligent about our options.


It was once thought that sailing boats across the ocean was wacky.

Or 1,000 foot tall buildings in Nashville!

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=104768

It was once thought that sailing boats across the ocean was wacky.

steel, you feeling okay? :)

Or 1,000 foot tall buildings in Nashville!

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=104768

thats just peachy for Nashville, but they don't have Guaranty, they don't have the Richardson towers and they don't have the Central terminal, sucks for them.

imagine living in that thing, no seriously, it would take 30 mins to get to your pad after walking in the front door.

Nice design, but I think its a little much for Nashville TN. :)

Or 1,000 foot tall buildings in Nashville!

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=104768
It does make a nicer looking tallest than the BellSouth "Batman" Building. I'm not sure Nashville fits into the same league as other cities that have thousand-footers, however. Not like that really makes a difference either way.

Or 1,000 foot tall buildings in Nashville!

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=104768


As I noted before. Nashville could use a little (er...alot) of infill before it start building this one

I'm helping organize a Downtown Loft Tour that is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 26 during Old Home Week.

With seventeen developments completed containing more than 500 units and another 1,200 units in various stages of development, the public will be invited to see why an increasing number of residents are calling downtown Buffalo home. One of the primary goals of the loft tour is to increase interest in living downtown and to provide ex-pats and the public with a first-hand look at unique downtown properties, including lofts, condos, apartments and live-in workspaces.

Developers and property managers are currently being contacted to secure their support. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. They are being asked to have models or vacant units open for viewing. Occupied units will also be featured to show how people currently live downtown. Downtown’s current residents are its biggest advocates. If you, or someone you know, currently live in a downtown loft or condo and are interested in participating in the event, let me know. Don’t live downtown but want to help organize the event? Your help is needed too! Please contact me if you are interested in getting involved. wcp@ssctv.net

growth in western new yorks energy sector. who knew?

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060502/1009012.asp

I'm helping organize a Downtown Loft Tour that is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 26 during Old Home Week.

With seventeen developments completed containing more than 500 units and another 1,200 units in various stages of development, the public will be invited to see why an increasing number of residents are calling downtown Buffalo home. One of the primary goals of the loft tour is to increase interest in living downtown and to provide ex-pats and the public with a first-hand look at unique downtown properties, including lofts, condos, apartments and live-in workspaces.

Developers and property managers are currently being contacted to secure their support. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. They are being asked to have models or vacant units open for viewing. Occupied units will also be featured to show how people currently live downtown. Downtown’s current residents are its biggest advocates. If you, or someone you know, currently live in a downtown loft or condo and are interested in participating in the event, let me know. Don’t live downtown but want to help organize the event? Your help is needed too! Please contact me if you are interested in getting involved. wcp@ssctv.net

If we get more people wanting living downtown its gonna cause my rent to go up!! And I'll have to move back to the Cheek!! NOOO haha

hey bjfan, with DT living out in "the cheek", its destined to become the regions new hotspot! haha.

Better lock in your rent with an extension.

Here's an interesing tid-bit. The new Ellicott Commons project being built on Ellicott Street (next to Washington Market) is opening this Fall. Of the four large apartments that will front on Ellicott, three are pre-leased at rents approaching $3000/month. All of IS Lofts pre-leased prior to opening with NO advertising? What does this say for downtown housing? Keep building!

The Loft tour is an ideal way to show suburbanites what city and loft living is all about- it can only help expand the market of potential renters/buyers.

hey ECT do we know what Ellicott Commons is gunna look like?

I have an old rendering, at home. I'm working on getting something from the developer. But, it is going to be two more 'storefronts' such as the new construction on the left below. It fills in the vacant lot between these two and the older Ellicott Lofts

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/6785/burke21qi.jpg

I know, you hate it.

Ther is far worse going up in Chicago. Believe me!

hey bjfan, with DT living out in "the cheek", its destined to become the regions new hotspot! haha.

DT is a chick magnet

Better lock in your rent with an extension.


They actually raised the rent by $75/month a couple months before I moved in there.

bUT, it is going to be two more 'storefronts' such as the new construction on the left below. It fills in the vacant lot between these two and the older Ellicott Lofts

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/6785/burke21qi.jpg

I know, you hate it.

Not me, I love it! That new build is cool because it probably looks a lot like the buildings that were originally in that area. Plus, the interior space is sexy as hell. They're actually planning on building the new building and opening by this Fall? Doesn't that sound a bit ambitious?

Harbor projects get a boost
Business First of Buffalo - 2:26 PM EDT Tuesday

National Grid is lending a financial helping hand to the Erie Canal Harbor redevelopment effort.

Officials from the Syracuse-based power company on Wednesday afternoon will present representatives from the Buffalo Urban Development Corp. and Empire State Development Corp. with a $250,000 check. The money will be used to underwrite some infrastructure work along the inner harbor area. The funds are coming from National Grid's brownfield redevelopment grant program.

The inner harbor is undergoing a $46 million reconstruction effort that will see the re-digging of historic Erie Canal era commercial slip, museums and public spaces. The commercial slip is expected to open this year while the entire project should be completed by the fall of 2007.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2006/05/01/daily20.html?jst=b_ln_hl

has anyone seen these seneca buffalo casino commercials they are running now?

real convincing. :|

^ yeah they had a woman smiling and saying "a casino has been beneficial to my family"....i'm like wtf

Well they're obviously intended to sway the minds of the same people whose minds are swayed by campaign ads. Good luck stopping that; you know what they say about stupid people in large groups...

^ well in one ad they say "1,000+ jobs", then in another ad they say "4,000 jobs"...which is it, and what are they talking about?

i've got it:

1000 jobs - at the casino

3000 jobs - in social work, addiction counseling, pawn brokering, pay day cash advancing, and home foreclosure.

so there you go, 4000 jobs.

^^LOL, that's a good one. Unfortunetly it's not too far from the truth.

im looking forward to the payday cash advance places. not for their services, but because in the south they are usually located right next to a waffle house. im hoping if enough of them open here, waffle house will follow suit.

They don't put waffle houses up by the check-into-cash as much as they put hickass BBQ joints up by 'em.

They don't put waffle houses up by the check-into-cash as much as they put hickass BBQ joints up by 'em.

Speaking of BBQ- Darcy McGee's is going BBQ on Franklin

Buffalo isn't good enough for a WA F E HO SE

(Like how I made the sign look realistic and burned out?)

:D

hahahah right on DT

any of you ever been to a huddle house?

its kind of like a gaf wafflehouse only filthier.

idk, they have them in greenville-spartanburg. dont know if they are all accross the south or just in SC.

Ooo, I've been there. I've also been to Waffle Palace.

im looking forward to the payday cash advance places. not for their services, but because in the south they are usually located right next to a waffle house. im hoping if enough of them open here, waffle house will follow suit.

When I lived in california, there was atleast one in every plaza. They were such a ripoff, obviously.

Ooo, I've been there. I've also been to Waffle Palace.
What about another obvious ripoff, Omelet Shoppe? (at least as it pertains to the style of their sign)

I'd love to see a Waffle House here, closest one is in Washington, PA, about a half hour south of Pittsburgh. Closest thing we have, I think, is Louie's.

When I lived in california, there was atleast one in every plaza. They were such a ripoff, obviously.


payday cash advances? or wafflehouse?

i would think in califonia it would be fried chicken and waffles.

yeah wafflehouse is kind of a rip off but its cheaper than dennys or perkins and is open 24 hours.
most of the 2 dollar eggs, toast, and hashbrowns type diners aren't.

If you want really dirt cheap, great food, go to Earl's on Rte 16 in Chaffee, right outside Arcade. It's a bit hick-ish and a bit of a biker bar, but I've yet to find a place anywhere that's a better value.

Ah yes, Earl's. Home of the "original juice-jar drinks" ...or something like that. It is more than a bit hick-ish, but it's worth the drive. It's nice sometimes to take a Sunday drive out to the country and have some lunch with the Republicans.

If you want really dirt cheap, great food, go to Earl's on Rte 16 in Chaffee, right outside Arcade. It's a bit hick-ish and a bit of a biker bar, but I've yet to find a place anywhere that's a better value.
Earl's in not a biker bar at all. They don't even have a bar in the place. It's a country family style restaurant. They sponsor a lot of country music shows in the Summer out back.

Best pies in WNY and check out the table legs, they have boots on.

http://www.earlsdrivein.com/

Take a tour of the Niagara County castle.

http://community.livejournal.com/rural_ruin/453303.html

payday cash advances? or wafflehouse?


Payday cash advances. I don't remember any waffle houses, all I remember are Carl's Jr, In and Out Burger, Weiner Schnitzel, Jack in the Box, and Del Taco.

Earl's in not a biker bar at all. They don't even have a bar in the place. It's a country family style restaurant. They sponsor a lot of country music shows in the Summer out back.

Best pies in WNY and check out the table legs, they have boots on.

http://www.earlsdrivein.com/
I meant "biker bar" in the sense that oftentimes it is a gathering place for bikers; at least judging from the parking lot the last few times I've been there. My bad for not making it clearer.

The table legs are one thing I remember growing up and eating there 2-3 times a summer (back when that area was all just corn fields). I remember looking under the table to see where the rest of the guy was.

Their ice cream is good too. I know it's a brand (Perry's?) but it just seems better there.

It's well worth the 30 mile drive off the "beaten path" though, definitely.

It really would be nice to get back to some development news. There are several projects under construction.

Any of you local yocals volunteer to go and get some pics?

It really would be nice to get back to some development news. There are several projects under construction.

Any of you local yocals volunteer to go and get some pics?

I have some pics of the Wegmans entrance/exit on Duke Road...want me to post them?

I accidentally clicked on the Baltimore thread today... For a second I thought there were renderings for high-rises on our Buffalo waterfront until I realized I was in the wrong thread.

Needless to say, it's depressing to come back in here to dozens of posts about wafflehouses... which apparently are skanky restaurants that don't even exist in Buffalo.

:(

Doesn't it feel bad?

It's how I feel when I go to Atlanta and I am wowed by seeing everything under construction... but then I come home.


I feel rather pwn3d, don't you?

Violations Found In Former AM&A's Building
Robyn Young, Reporter -- 5/2/2006

Authorities with Buffalo's Permit and Inspection Services office tell Channel Two News that they found "a series of code violations" inside the former AM&A's building on Main Street.

Working under a court order, inspectors were allowed inside the building last week, and according to Commissioner Richard Tobe, found code violations similar to what they have found in the past, "some quite serious."

Tobe declined to list the specific violations because of the ongoing court case. He did say that inspectors are in the process of writing a report of what they found, with pictures, to present in Housing Court next week.

The city has been at odds with the building owner, Richard Taylor, over reported code violations inside and outside of the building.

Taylor did not appear in court last month, where his lawyer, Paul Fallon, entered a not-guilty plea for Taylor and said there are no safety hazards with the building.

Taylor has a lawsuit pending against the city, in which he claims a water main was turned on, causing damage to fire safety equipment in the building.

City inspectors claim they recently found safety hazards, such as material hanging from a window, on the exterior of the building. Prior to last week's inspection on a judge's order, the inspectors were last inside the building in March of 2005. Over the course of two years of inspections, they found more than 100 violations, including 55 gallon drums containing an unknown substance, combustible material, and crumbling asbestos.

Last month in court, Fallon pointed out that the city withdrew all of the original charges against Taylor and that the case was dismissed in July of 2005.

The problems with the building, considered a key downtown property, reach back to when it was vacated in 1995. Taylor opened an upscale clothing store in the building in 1998, but it closed within two years. The administration of former Mayor Anthony Masiello tried to work with Taylor to redevelop the building. In September of 2005, Taylor agreed to clean up the violations found inside and begin development within days. ( <-- Edit: That was 8 freakin months ago! What an ASS)

Fallon has said that Taylor invested millions of his own money in downtown, and is being unfairly attacked.

The case is scheduled to be heard again in Housing Court May 11.

It really would be nice to get back to some development news. There are several projects under construction.

Any of you local yocals volunteer to go and get some pics?
I will post some photos when there's more progress. The site next to channel 2 hasn't changed (it's a big hole). The new era building just removed the front steps but not much else. The New Elmwood apartments are still in-progress. The Potomac townhouses are up to the cinderblock garages.

The only changes I've seen recently are new corner curbs on many intersections throughout the city, ... the scaffolding on city hall... and, uh, they're painting the bridges on the 33 (much needed however boring)

Wonder if AM&A's will eventually share the same fate as Hudson's?

I will post some photos when there's more progress. The site next to channel 2 hasn't changed (it's a big hole). The new era building just removed the front steps but not much else. The New Elmwood apartments are still in-progress. The Potomac townhouses are up to the cinderblock garages.

The only changes I've seen recently are new corner curbs on many intersections throughout the city, ... the scaffolding on city hall... and, uh, they're painting the bridges on the 33 (much needed however boring)

as boring as those last three things are, they are all much needed.

...and probably more relevant than wafflehouse. unless of course they were building a wafflehouse.

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060503/1059568.asp



NU begins building project


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first major academic facility at university in more than 30 years will house the colleges of business and education when it opens in 2007

By PAUL WESTMOORE
NEWS NIAGARA BUREAU
5/3/2006

LEWISTON - Niagara University has started work on its first major academic building project in more than 30 years.
The three-story, 55,000-square-foot-structure will contain the colleges of business and education when it opens for the start of the 2007-08 school year, Niagara officials said Tuesday during a groundbreaking ceremony.

The new building - directly across from the Taps Gallagher Center - will be combined with Perboyre Hall, which will be renovated as part of the project. The new and old buildings will be renamed Bisgrove Hall in honor of Jerry Bisgrove, the 1968 Niagara graduate who donated $5 million toward the $18.65 million complex.

It was the largest donation ever made to the 150-year-old university.

The new building will take up 46,000 square feet and the old one, 9,000 square feet.

Turner Construction, the general contractor, started clearing the site with bulldozers several days ago.

The Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, the university president, said it will be the institution's first new academic building to go up since Dunleavy Hall was built in 1972.

Levesque said Bisgrove's generosity has "allowed us to proceed with the entire project, rather than having to build it in stages as was originally proposed. This has reduced the cost from $19.4 million to $18.65 million, saving us $750,000."

Dean of Education Debra Colley and Dean of Business Administration Jack Helmuth said they are thrilled with the new construction.

"The new complex will house model classrooms with cutting-edge technology, and clinical laboratories in which faculty and students can apply researched-based practices," Colley said. It will be designed to help aspiring teachers and administrators in the core content areas of math, science, English language arts and social studies, she said.

Helmuth said it also will allow Niagara University to showcase its campus, programs and community outreach. He said the facilities will include classrooms that will replicate a stock exchange trading floor and enhance integrative learning. "In addition," Helmuth said, "we will also have first-class facilities for our three centers for accounting, logistics and family businesses, creating a more welcoming environment for the public we serve through them."

While formal proceedings were serious, two priests, including Levesque, punctuated the ceremony with humor.

Levesque joked before an audience of about 200 that he couldn't wait to spend the savings on the project, noting, with a mischievous smile, that he was not letting anyone know where he intended to spend it. But the Rev. Daniel F. O'Leary, dean emeritus of the College of Eduction, one-upped him as he blessed the site with holy water and then sent a good spray of it onto the school officials taking part in the ceremony. They couldn't duck fast enough, including Levesque.

It sparked a fit of laughter from the crowd, which exploded into roars of laughter when O'Leary added, "I couldn't wait to do that."

$9 million condo project gets under way
By THOMAS J. PROHASKA
NEWS NIAGARA BUREAU
5/4/2006

LOCKPORT - The largest residential housing development in the city in many years is under way.
A groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday kicked off construction of Victorian Village, an 80-unit, $9 million condominium project at 510 Park Lane Circle.

Edward E. Lewis of New York City, the principal of Lockport Condominium Developers, said 20 buildings will be constructed on the 7.3-acre site. Each will contain four two-bedroom, one-bathroom units. The first phase, 12 units, will be ready for sale this summer.

The prices are projected at less than $100,000, but Lewis said the exact amount can't be disclosed until the state attorney general's office approves the prospectus. The project originally was to offer 88 units, but Lewis said two four-unit buildings had to be deleted because the city required construction of drainage ponds.

Lewis said the company is considering the purchase of an 8.6-acre parcel across the street that would take 90 to 100 more units.

"Our project is completely privately financed by a very wealthy man from New Jersey. There are no bank loans," said Lewis, declining to identify the financier, whom he said was worth more than $1 billion. "Our cash is on the line. It's very unusual in the building business."

Mayor Michael W. Tucker, one of those wielding ceremonial shovels, said he was pleased that no tax breaks of any kind were sought for the project.

"They're talking about $20 million," Tucker said. "This is the biggest residential project in I don't know how many years."

Lewis said, "The theme is confidence, the confidence of out-of-town investors investing in Western New York. This is where we want to be in Western New York."

"It's the most exciting thing I've seen, and I've been a realtor for 40 years," said Patricia Taylor of Hunt Real Estate's Amherst office, president-elect of the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors. "It's a great fit for our area."

Architect John Karan of Left Coast Design Studio in Lancaster said the buildings will feature at least three exterior designs and colors, although all the floor plans will be identical. They will have vinyl siding, full basements, porches and decks. There will be laundry areas in each unit.

Senecas shuffle deck on casino architect

Business First of Buffalo - 8:53 AM EDT Friday
by James Fink
Business First

http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2006/05/01/daily52.html?surround=lfn

In a move that had been anticipated for the past few weeks, the Seneca Gaming Corp. has changed architects for its planned Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

According to 8-K documents filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Seneca Gaming Corp. has dropped Thalden-Boyd Architects of Oklahoma and replaced them with New York City-based Sosh Architects.

Seneca Gaming Corp. had named Thalden-Boyd project architect in March. Seneca Gaming Corp. is the casino operations arm of the Seneca Nation of Indians.

"We were unable to reach an contractual agreement with Thalden-Boyd," confirmed Phil Pantano, Seneca Gaming Corp. spokesman. "Thus, we decided we needed a new firm."

Sosh Architects had been on Seneca Gaming Corp.'s short list of architects. They had approached Seneca Gaming during a national RFP process that took place this winter.

Sosh Architects, who has deep resume of casino projects, will be responsible for designing the 100,000-square-foot gaming venue planned for a nine-acre parcel along South Park Avenue in Buffalo. The casino is the third of three allowed under the terms of a 2002 compact Seneca Gaming Corp. signed with Gov. George Pataki.

Under the terms of the compact, the Buffalo casino must be open and operating by Dec. 8, 2007.

Pantano said the change in architects will not impact the deadline.

"We are not behind schedule," he said. "The final design is expected soon. There's no reason to believe that we won't meet the deadline."

Man how I'd love it if it were discovered at the start of construction that that site had massive hazmat issues or something. That'd be justice.

Man how I'd love it if it were discovered at the start of construction that that site had massive hazmat issues or something. That'd be justice.
Although I wonder if it would be too easy for the Senecas to just cover that up and build anyway? Since they are able to skip all state environmental studies and other oversite... what's to stop them from just building on top of another Love Canal?

Debt-collection company says it will create 250 jobs
5/7/2006, 1:38 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A Buffalo debt-collection company will create 250 jobs in western New York in the next two years and invest $1 million to expand its operations, according to a statement from Gov. George Pataki's office.

Officials including Pataki and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown welcomed the move by Capital Management Services.

The privately held company already has 820 employees in Buffalo, in addition to locations in Las Vegas and India.

^ their offices are in the Larkin Exchange Building

...according to a statement from Gov. George Pataki's office...
aka I'll believe it when I see it.

lol.... a debt collection company is addng jobs. For some reason, I think it would be better news if it were any other type of business adding jobs.

Hey if they're making money off of stupid sunbelters (or other Americans in general) who spent too much home equity that vanishes with the housing bubble, all the more power to them lol.

So what if Buffalo were to become known as "debt collection capital of the world". "Where the Bills come home to roost" (and for once we're not talking football). Making money off of stupid people, now that's an industry that's not going to disappear or be outsourced anywhere.

And with the casino coming in... You never hear people talking about how they got rich and expanded their house off of gambling winnings...

lol.... a debt collection company is addng jobs. For some reason, I think it would be better news if it were any other type of business adding jobs.
It sure beats the 400 job losses in the Rochester area that were announced over the weekend at Bernzomatic and MPower. Not to mention the possible hundreds more at Kodak if they unload their medical division.

Mayor sees city's tax base growing by $250 million
By BRIAN MEYER
News Staff Reporter
5/8/2006

When Mayor Byron W. Brown gazes into Buffalo's future, he sees a city on the rebound that will grow its tax base by at least $250 million in the next four years.
He is so confident that he has sent the control board a blueprint predicting the city could hold the line on property taxes through 2010.

The mayor also believes Buffalo can lure new residents - perhaps thousands - through new housing and economic development. Reversing the population exodus will be tough, he concedes, but not impossible.

Is the new mayor peering into the future through rose-colored glasses, or are his upbeat assessments rooted in reality?

"This isn't pie-in-the-sky," Brown said. "These are real projects that are already in progress or about to start. We see a real positive trend that will significantly increase property values."

Brown's economic development guru insists the projections are "very, very conservative."

Even if nearly half of all anticipated projects fall through, Buffalo's property tax base would increase by $250 million over four years, insisted Richard M. Tobe, who heads the newly restructured Department of Economic Development, Permits and Inspection Services.

The city's list of initiatives includes projects that are iffy in some people's minds, including a Bass Pro Outdoor World shop proposed in mothballed Memorial Auditorium. But city officials noted that many other projects are certainties, including downtown corporate headquarters for HealthNow and New Era Cap.

Other projects include a new $40 million office building planned at the corner of Court and Pearl streets, a $22 million retooling of the long-abandoned Curtiss-Wright plant on the East Side, and plans to build the Elmwood Strip's first hotel at Elmwood near Forest.

"Change really is in the air for Buffalo," Tobe said. Developer Rocco R. Termini thinks Buffalo's property values will grow by far more than what Brown is predicting.

"It's for real," Termini said of the burst in development. "It's not just the added value that's created by rehabbing buildings. Those projects also have a dramatic economic impact on entire blocks."

Termini should know. As managing partner of Signature Development, he has spearheaded several rehabilitation projects, the most recent involving a $4.3 million makeover of an old flower warehouse on Oak Street into 24 contemporary apartments. A man who has spent the past decade marketing downtown agrees that there are signs of development momentum. Michael T. Schmand, executive director of Buffalo Place, points to housing initiatives that already added millions of dollars in value to city properties. More developments are on the way, he said.

"I have all the confidence in what we're seeing in downtown Buffalo," Schmand said. "I think the mayor has every right to look at the glass as half full."

Assessed property values in Buffalo have increased by $113 million over the past year, but much of the increase is tied to the real estate boom as opposed to new development. Even the most optimistic city officials concede that it would be risky to assume that a hot real estate market that has driven up the home prices here and throughout much of the country will continue to increase Buffalo's tax base.

The long-term plan, they said, must hinge on building more housing, attracting new businesses and expanding existing ones.

Common Council President David A. Franczyk represents neighborhoods in the Fillmore District, some among the poorest in Buffalo. Still, he sees hopeful signs throughout the city. "We've turned the corner," he said.

And if gasoline prices remain high, Franczyk says many motorists who face shock at the pumps might think twice about where they're living.

"All those people who have moved out to Pendleton or Springville, and who have to drive long distances in their SUVs might decide to live a little closer to work," Franczyk said.

City officials admit that luring new middle- and upper-income residents to Buffalo will require some heavy lifting. The Police Department will have to succeed in a new effort to crack down on quality of life crimes, including excessive noise, loitering and graffiti, they say.

The mayor's new budget includes incentives for encouraging middle- and even upper-income families to move into Buffalo. The program would offer incentives ranging from $5,000 to $7,500 to help with down payments and closing costs, depending on the homes' locations. The initiative would begin with city police officers, firefighters and teachers. But the city hopes to expand the program.

Brown says his plan to invest an additional $2.5 million in city aid to the school district and after-school programs is also an important element of trying to retain and attract families.

"It's exciting," said Brown. "The work we're doing in the area of economic development and housing is paying dividends and will continue to pay dividends."

^ hopefully if the tax base keeps increasing, we'll be able to lower taxes in the city. Btw, what is the status of the city control board? Did it go "dormant" yet or is it still controlling things?

The Control Board is still in control. I don't think it can go dormant for many many years.

Wonder what Brown's smoking today? :hammer:

But damnit, $7,500 for firefighters moving back into the city. Grr.

Using its year-old $24 million laboratory as a carrot, the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute Inc. is making good on its promise to hire at least four scientists a year for the next six years.
The number is small but significant considering each scientist hires a staff of up to eight people and attracts grants worth six and seven figures. The growth plans should bring the research group's staff to 120, a leap from a low of about 40 in 1997.
That concentration - now at 75 - gives Buffalo the second-largest group of structural biologists and their staffs in the country, and positions the facility to be the leading institute for the study of molecular architecture. Research underway at the facility could be the foundation that will lead to discoveries of the most effective drug treatments for cancer and other diseases.
Positions at Hauptman-Woodward appear to be coveted: a single opening attracts 60 applications. Part of the appeal is the international reputation of the organization, named for Nobel laureate Herbert Hauptman, who at age 89 continues to conduct research there.
Also key to the recruitment process is the new lab, a 70,000-square-foot building on Ellicott Street on the edge of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. It replaces crowded, unattractive labs around the corner at 72 High St. that had not been updated much since they were built in 1963.
Hauptman-Woodward can have an aggressive recruitment plan now because the space is both available and attractive. In fact, Daniel Gewirth said he wouldn't have picked up his cancer research and left Duke University six months ago without it. Same goes for Edward Snell, a radiation researcher who left a NASA facility in Alabama last year, and Barnali Chaudhri, who had been working on protein production at UCLA until four months ago.
Hauptman-Woodward scientists new and old are poised for collaboration when the other component of the Buffalo Life Sciences Complex, a $110 million facility that will be home to Roswell Park Cancer Institute's Center for Genetics and Pharmacology and the University at Buffalo's New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences, opens next door in June.
For many of the new hires, a position at Hauptman-Woodward represents their first jobs as lead investigators. They typically have doctoral degrees and about seven years' post-graduate experience working under other scientists. New scientists are funded by Hauptman-Woodward for up to five years, at which point they are expected to compete nationally for funding. The facility ranks roughly among the top 15 percent of competitors for national grants.
Most new scientists generally are between age 35 and 40 and make up about a third of the overall staff. But the organization doesn't recruit for age as much as experience and a willingness to spend a decade there, George DeTitta, executive director and CEO, said.
The scientists hired at Hauptman-Woodward are brought in because of their experience and interest in some aspect of structural biology. Unlike other research centers, however, the organization allows those individuals to decide what research they will pursue. It's the legacy of the founder, DeTitta said.
"Herb Hauptman set the standard: It's the individual who decides. That is the biggest legacy we have," DeTitta said. "No one person on staff carries the weight of the institution."
But everyone has high expectations. Hauptman recently was selected as lead investigator on an international project that attracted 1,000 applications. And last year, just months after the research center opened, the organization received a $17 million federal grant it will share with Cornell University and the University of Rochester on a study of protein drug agents. About $14 million of that will stay in Western New York, a point of pride for DeTitta, who thinks of it as a quick return on the state's $14 million investment in the construction of the building.
He said, "We are creating good jobs and bringing federal dollars back to Buffalo."

Wonder what Brown's smoking today? :hammer:


The mayor's plan actually makes a lot of sense. If you get people to live in and fix up underperforming parts of the city you will be collecting tax money on property that may possibly not produce any taxes at all otherwise. The city could actually make money by giving people money. It is called an investment.

Property X has no value and produces no taxes for the city. Create value in property X by giving people money to live there and invest in it. Buyer Y fixes up property X which then produces $2000 per year in taxes. Properties next to property x also become more valuable thereby increasing the tax base. Restaurants and stores nearby gain new custromers which increases their value etc etc etc

Sounds promising, and I mean that, promising. I think it can definitely happen.

We'll just have to wait and see how seriously this stuff unfolds, or if he's just blowing smoke (he is from Albany, after all).

Geez, Your right, he's smoking !

What's the City going to do When American Axle Closes the Buffalo Plant in About 2 years. Already 3/4 quarters of the Plant is already Empty & more than half the workers already on peramant layoff & Also American Brass is being sold on May 15 and It's looking like the new Owner will phase out the Buffalo plant and move the work to other Plants. Their paying some serious taxes to the City, Actually the whole auto industry is in trouble in WNY
thats About 10,000 jobs + trickle down Effect, If the area loses them, that will be the final Blow to WNY. Actually I was in WNY yesterday I Noticed
more Empty Buildings & More Business's going out of Business's (I see
the Boston Market on Union & George Urban Closed, Quiznos Subs Stores
have Closed Williamsville Store Main & Garrison, South Gate Plaza Store
More Quiznos Closings are coming, D & k Stores Also have folded, The Wegmens on Walden in Cheektowaga is Supposed to be closing soon, Theirs
too many Restaurants & stores for the Shrinking population. Thats the reason I was told . I have a Cousin
who works For M & T Bank HQ's And he says M & T is Going to be Bought By
a Large Southeastern US Bank and they will moving Hundreds of Job to
their Headquarters down South. It's Imminent (It's diffently going to happen)

O Ya for Downtown, YA It's really happing ! NOT !!!!!
I see the Pier One Imports store Closed & Also the Radio Shack Store is Closing. & Main Place Mall :runaway: If it wasn't for the Food Court it would be almost totaly empty too GEEZ So wonders Bass Pro Won't Sign on the dotted line ! Even the 66 Million Dollars of tax Payers money isn't enough

Cobey, McGuire, Polymer get thumbs up
Business First of Buffalo - 1:54 PM EDT Monday
by James FinkBusiness First

Three separate economic developments planned for Buffalo, Cheektowaga, and Orchard Park have received support from the Erie County Industrial Development Agency.

The agency's directors, during their monthly meeting on Monday morning, approved:

A $10 million inducement package for Cobey Inc. that will enable the company to consolidate operations it has in Clarence and Blasdell into a new, 90,000-square-foot plant at the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park. The package was unanimously approved.
The company, which manufactures piping from the petrochemical industry, is the second firm to set up shop in Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park. Cobey will be adding 15 workers to its 45-person payroll at the new location.
"This shows continued growth for Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park," said Mayor Byron Brown.

Cobey has acquired 12 acres in the park and already started work on the new plant. It follows CertainTeed Corp., which last year opened a 250,00-square-foot plant, at the same park.

"We're at the point where we are seeing more and more companies express an interest in moving into the park," Brown said.

The IDA directors unanimously approved a $1.31 million inducement package that will help McGuire Pharmacy, an arm of the McGuire Group, move and expand its distribution center for its institutional pharmacy division from Amherst to a 13,467-square-foot building it acquired on Union Road in Cheektowaga.
The move will double the firm's square footage and also allow for the Center of Skin Integrity to lease about 4,000-square-feet in the same building.

McGuire will be adding five people to its 20-person workforce with the expanded business.

"It allows for our growth, newer technology and more efficiencies," said James McGuire, company president.

Polymer Conversions Inc. received unanimous approval for a $3.7 million inducement package that will help the company add 20,000-square-foot to its Orchard Park plant.
Polymer hopes to add 15 people with the expansion.

Employee count rises again at Pioneer Recovery
Business First of Buffalo - 3:10 PM EDT Monday
by Tracey DruryBusiness First

Pioneer Credit Recovery Inc. has hit another employment milestone with the hiring of its 1,100th employee -- and hiring continues.

The collections firm announced last month it would create another 160 jobs over the next two years with the addition of a fourth regional office in Ashford Hollow, a site that will serve as a satellite office to its main office in Arcade. Joan Ludwick, CEO, said plans call for continued growth at all of its locations.

The company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sallie Mae, had hoped to be in the 14,216-square-foot space by the end of April. Ludwick said the company is working on the telecommunications system, with the hope of moving in soon.

"We're pushing forward as quickly as we can," she said, citing the increased availability the Ashford Hollow site will allow once the site is ready.

The County of Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency provided a $1.2 million incentive package to help the company expand. Pioneer has doubled its employment since it was acquired four years ago.

"Anytime we can create 160 new jobs over the next two years, it is a real bonus," said Norman Leyh, County of Cattaraugus IDA executive director.

In March, Pioneer began a contract with the Internal Revenue Service for private debt collection.

Pioneer, founded in 1980, provided student loan debt collection for clients like the New York Higher Education Services Corp. as well as credit card collections.

Cobey - that's the name of that place moving into the Lakeside Commerce Park. Their new building is up, and it's taken about the past month to finish the sheeting/paneling on the outside of the structure, and I'm not even sure it's finished yet. I should know, I drive by it twice a day. It's a pretty big building though.

And a new Valero gas station opened today on Hamburg Tpke (Rte 5) about 1.25 miles south of that location. "Another Local Project Funded By Key Bank" Not that that is any development news, but anything new around that stretch is welcomed. I can't wait to start seeing those steel mills (or what's left of them) start coming down; wasn't that supposed to start this year or next? I have a feeling that run-down housing on the east side of Rte 5 around Madison Ave is going to be prime real estate before too long...

Main Place Mall :runaway: If it wasn't for the Food Court it would be almost totaly empty too
DIE, Main Place, DIE!

Is there anyway to put someone on IGNORE?

Fprmer is a moron. :weird:

We realize there are problems- how about offering some solutions.

Is there anyway to put someone on IGNORE?
Click this little button on his (or anybody's) post:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/buttons/report.gif
Of course it only works via cookie on your machine, it just "folds up" the post.

For someone who contends to hate it - he sure can't seem to stay away...

Sarge...Gas station? ? ? ? Come on ! ! ! ! If you keep posting like that I will have to click your little triangle.

^^ Have you driven Rte. 5 in Lackawanna lately? Say what you will about the rest of the area, but that area is the epitome of DEPRESSING. The upside is that with a little (alot) of investment into the cleanup and remediation, and you'll have the most prime and shovel ready vacant real estate on a scale not seen perhaps in the entire country.

Just drove by Cobey as I mentioned I do earlier, the structure is completely up and about 3/4 "sheathed". Taking their sweet time, but it is coming along. Pretty massive building for 60 employees.

Is there anyway to put someone on IGNORE?

Fprmer is a moron. :weird:

We realize there are problems- how about offering some solutions.

I think that it's quite possible that my seven year old baby brother is capable of writing better than Fprmer. Surprisingly, even he's able to differentiate between there, they're, and their. Fprmer's inability to write makes me question how he/she could have ever made it out of grammar (middle) school.

The Control Board is still in control. I don't think it can go dormant for many many years.

I believe its can go 'dormant' as soon as 2 years from now. I guess the rule is 3 years, but the city had a good year so that counts as 1 off that 3.

Geez, Your right, he's smoking !

What's the City going to do When American Axle Closes the Buffalo Plant in About 2 years. Already 3/4 quarters of the Plant is already Empty & more than half the workers already on peramant layoff & Also American Brass is being sold on May 15 and It's looking like the new Owner will phase out the Buffalo plant and move the work to other Plants. Their paying some serious taxes to the City, Actually the whole auto industry is in trouble in WNY
thats About 10,000 jobs + trickle down Effect, If the area loses them, that will be the final Blow to WNY. Actually I was in WNY yesterday I Noticed
more Empty Buildings & More Business's going out of Business's (I see
the Boston Market on Union & George Urban Closed, Quiznos Subs Stores
have Closed Williamsville Store Main & Garrison, South Gate Plaza Store
More Quiznos Closings are coming, D & k Stores Also have folded, The Wegmens on Walden in Cheektowaga is Supposed to be closing soon, Theirs
too many Restaurants & stores for the Shrinking population. Thats the reason I was told . I have a Cousin
who works For M & T Bank HQ's And he says M & T is Going to be Bought By
a Large Southeastern US Bank and they will moving Hundreds of Job to
their Headquarters down South. It's Imminent (It's diffently going to happen)

whats your cuz do that they are so privyed to info that the media and investors are not?

I think you are full of shit, and an idiot...NOW someone BAN me. :)

Geez, Your right, he's smoking !

What's the City going to do When American Axle Closes the Buffalo Plant in About 2 years. Already 3/4 quarters of the Plant is already Empty & more than half the workers already on peramant layoff & Also American Brass is being sold on May 15 and It's looking like the new Owner will phase out the Buffalo plant and move the work to other Plants. Their paying some serious taxes to the City, Actually the whole auto industry is in trouble in WNY
thats About 10,000 jobs + trickle down Effect, If the area loses them, that will be the final Blow to WNY. Actually I was in WNY yesterday I Noticed
more Empty Buildings & More Business's going out of Business's (I see
the Boston Market on Union & George Urban Closed, Quiznos Subs Stores
have Closed Williamsville Store Main & Garrison, South Gate Plaza Store
More Quiznos Closings are coming, D & k Stores Also have folded, The Wegmens on Walden in Cheektowaga is Supposed to be closing soon, Theirs
too many Restaurants & stores for the Shrinking population. Thats the reason I was told . I have a Cousin
who works For M & T Bank HQ's And he says M & T is Going to be Bought By
a Large Southeastern US Bank and they will moving Hundreds of Job to
their Headquarters down South. It's Imminent (It's diffently going to happen)



LOL. Gee, thanks for defining imminent for us, even though just by seeing that it was your stupid ass that wrote it I'm reconsidering that definition. Are you sure you don't have a cousin/sister/aunt (all three in one, not one or the other) in Rochester (well actually Hamlin, whcih would make more sense)?

"I see the Pier One Imports store Closed & Also the Radio Shack Store is Closing"

Yea, that Radio Shack. Damn. You know, I can see all the Radio Shack execs right now. Sitting around a table, saying "Damnit, if only we had listened to that crazy, likley unemployed, no it all on SkyscraperCity.com and avoided the Buffalo Market alltogeather. People would be knocking our doors down to buy our $100 a foot speaker wire to enhance the sound of there $50 RCA Home theater in a box systems."
I cant wait for the news headlines. "Radio Shack closing hundreds of stores! Sources say the openeing of stores in the dieing city of Buffalo, New York was the final nail in coffin!"
That store must have been a real money pit. They probably had millions of dollars worth of copper wire in there stock room that oxidized due to lack of sales, sending the whole company into bankruptcy. And us Friggen Buffalosers think our City is worth talking about. For shame you optomistic schmucks. Only morons have pride in there hometowns! I for one am packing my bags right now and headed down to Pheonix. They have a brand new football stadium!

Oh, somebody call the Bills, they may have a nice stadium.. but there team is shit.

If Radio Shack cant make it in this town. What hope is there for the rest of us?

Believe it or not, someone is proposing a hotel (Hampton Inn) along Route 5 in Lackawanna....I think it is only 60 or 80 rooms, but who would have thought?!?!

I believe its can go 'dormant' as soon as 2 years from now. I guess the rule is 3 years, but the city had a good year so that counts as 1 off that 3.
The problem is the definition of a "good year". The city is in the black, but only because it received increased aid from Albany. If it didn't receive that money, and if the control board wasn't there to keep the salary freeze in place, then the city would still be in serious debt.

Until the city can really cut costs down to the point where it doesn't rely on multi-million dollar aid packages from albany, then the control board has reason to stay.

It is not worth responding to a poster who misspells their (not there, not they're) own screen name.

lol. that is an excellent point. But who knows, maybe "fprmer" is acually an acronym for something like.... Freaking-Pessimisitc-Retarded-Moron-Evil-Rat...more or less.

Believe it or not, someone is proposing a hotel (Hampton Inn) along Route 5 in Lackawanna....I think it is only 60 or 80 rooms, but who would have thought?!?!
Now I don't want to sound like the classic Buffalo naysayer here, but why?!?!? But I guess you gotta start somewhere, don't you.

Where have you heard this?

Wegmens on Walden in Cheektowaga is Supposed to be closing soon...
LOL Cheektowaga Wegmas closing. Yeah, right. Guess you've never been there. And even if it did, it would be because of the greatly expanded Dick Rd store (those two are probably closer together than any other two Wegmans').

What about all the vacant Media Plays? Did they fold because of Buffalo? Aren't they supposed to be re-occupied by summers' end?

What about the soon-to-be vacant Wal-Mart in Hamburg? You think Wal-Mart would actually leave an area? They own more vacant retail space in the US than any other company owns total space!

Normal suburban retail turnover really seems to bother you, doesn't it...

Hmm, leaving an area. There's an idea, why don't you put it into practice. You hate it here. Get out, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

You are right about the auto industry jobs though. I'd just assume see those pre-emptively replaced, and get all this unionized bullshit out of the area. Like I said - debt collection - make money off people like you. An industry that'll never move or die.

This was on Rochester's RNews Wbsite, and is technically within the Rochester MSA, but I think it could count as Buffalo news too..... it's all WNY news; hopefully many more plants will follow all over the region.

http://rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=37653&rnews_story_type=18

Ethanol Plant Coming to Shelby
by Mark Schoenberger
Published May 08, 2006
New York's first dry mill ethanol plant will be built in Shelby, Orleans County.


The $85 million dollar plant will help reduce the country’s reliance on foreign oil by producing clean-burning corn-based fuel. It will produce an estimated 55 million gallons of fuel grade ethanol each year.


Hundreds of new jobs will come out of the project. The plant received $6 million dollars in state funding. Construction on the ethanol plant is expected to begin this summer.

But damnit, $7,500 for firefighters moving back into the city. Grr.

justin, time to renovate and FLIP the house in C-vegas :lol:

Now I don't want to sound like the classic Buffalo naysayer here, but why?!?!? But I guess you gotta start somewhere, don't you.

Where have you heard this?


LOL Cheektowaga Wegmas closing. Yeah, right. Guess you've never been there. And even if it did, it would be because of the greatly expanded Dick Rd store (those two are probably closer together than any other two Wegmans').

What about all the vacant Media Plays? Did they fold because of Buffalo? Aren't they supposed to be re-occupied by summers' end?

What about the soon-to-be vacant Wal-Mart in Hamburg? You think Wal-Mart would actually leave an area? They own more vacant retail space in the US than any other company owns total space!

Normal suburban retail turnover really seems to bother you, doesn't it...

Hmm, leaving an area. There's an idea, why don't you put it into practice. You hate it here. Get out, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

You are right about the auto industry jobs though. I'd just assume see those pre-emptively replaced, and get all this unionized bullshit out of the area. Like I said - debt collection - make money off people like you. An industry that'll never move or die.

Actually, the store on Walden is an underperformer and will be closing soon -- this coming from a friend of mine who is in Wegman's management. The Dick Road store sealed its fate. He told me this a few weeks ago.

justin, time to renovate and FLIP the house in C-vegas

After all this work I'm putting into it, N-E-V-E-R.

If I buy another house in the area, it's going to be NEW.

To Dallas Texas:
as you say "You want to get all Union/Auto Workers out of town" Are you forgetting
the Hundreds of thousands of dollars the Union workers give to WNY charities each
year (United Way, Childrens Hospital telethon, Sick Cell, RedCross, VA Hospital,
Foodbanks, City Mission, Friends of the night people Homeless shelters, Every
week theirs a gate collection to give to some charity. Also do you realize the
Trickle down effort. (All the suppliers, Trucking companys, railroads were the auto industry is a large piece of their business) Also, many of this areas Retail stores & restaurants are already Struggling to make it)

To Dallas Texas:
as you say "You want to get all Union/Auto Workers out of town" Are you forgetting
the Hundreds of thousands of dollars the Union workers give to WNY charities each
year (United Way, Childrens Hospital telethon, Sick Cell, RedCross, VA Hospital,
Foodbanks, City Mission, Friends of the night people Homeless shelters, Every
week theirs a gate collection to give to some charity. Also do you realize the
Trickle down effort. (All the suppliers, Trucking companys, railroads were the auto industry is a large piece of their business) Also, many of this areas Retail stores & restaurants are already Struggling to make it)
Get it straight, I'm the one who said that, not DT.

By Automotive, I mean jobs like Ford, GM, AA, etc. Manufacturing jobs. Jobs like railroad, trucking, etc. are transportation and logistics which will never go away and should in fact grow due to Buffalo's growing potential as a cross-border transportation hub. HHUUUUUGGGGEEEE difference - look at the big picture - automotive manufacturing in the US is dying (ask Detroit), transportation meanwhile is only growing: The US (and Canada) is a nation of consumers, and goods still need to be shipped from Point A to Point B.

Please name the struggling businesses in this area. Then prove that they're struggling based on population loss, and not big box competition. And they can't be stores that are struggling nationwide (re: Radio Shack, Sam Goody, etc.)

Also don't say "this" area like you live here. We don't want you. Be off with you!

As for the City Mission, my father is Director of Administration there. I should ask him how much money those people really give... From what I've heard and seen, what the Bills and Sabres players give makes everyone else pale in comparison.

Actually, the store on Walden is an underperformer and will be closing soon -- this coming from a friend of mine who is in Wegman's management. The Dick Road store sealed its fate. He told me this a few weeks ago.
I had a feeling that would be the reason. Plus retail has gotten pretty hot in that area and it's all being rebuilt anyways. I wouldn't be surprised to see that store razed and replaced with a new strip mall then?
If I buy another house in the area, it's going to be NEW.
There are plenty of nice new houses in the neighborhoods immediately outside of downtown! :)

Wouldn't surprise me if Wegmans closed its Walden Ave. store....especially after rebuilding the Dick Rd. location. Their site across from the Galleria would likely be reused or redeveloped quickly. Kohls anyone?

Who is Dallas Texas?

All this suburban talk is hurting my head. It is starting to sound like the southern forum here. It is all Sully's fault

I wish we were starting to sound like the Southern forum! Over there, we're talking about Atlanta's new W Hotel, Nashville's new 1,000 footer, Atlanta's new Trump and various other 40+ story proposals, Birmingham's historic condo conversions, Charlotte's new Symphony Hall... it doesn't end.

le sigh!

Oh well, in other Buffalo development news, my house is now FREE of Z-brick and flocked wallpaper! Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits.

This might be of some interest to the Buffalo forummers (assuming it wasn't posted here already). Buffalo took the number one spot in American Style Magazine's Top 25 Art Cities in the mid-sized cities category (pop. 100,000 to 499,000). It beat out Atlanta, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, Pittsburgh....

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060510/1071747.asp

Adelphia funding is let out of limbo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$44 million to aid several city projects

By SHARON LINSTEDT
News Staff Reporter
5/10/2006

A day after Western New York's state lawmakers fired a letter to Gov. George E. Pataki calling for the release of state money for several key development projects in Buffalo, the governor's office announced Tuesday evening that the money is available.
"The [memorandum of understanding] was signed today," a Pataki spokesman declared in an e-mail statement Tuesday, "and the money will be flowing without delay as soon as the application process from potential recipients is completed."

In the letter, five local Assembly members and two state senators urged the governor to free up the remaining $44 million from the Adelphia Communications fund so the money can be applied to the current efforts.

Projects that would be aided include the planned conversion of Memorial Auditorium to a Bass Pro store and expansion of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

"We have all worked together to ensure that the Adelphia funding was targeted to high-profile economic and cultural projects that will involve significant economic activity. It is time that we move forward to complete this commitment," the lawmakers wrote in their letter.

"[A total of] $44 million remains unallocated because we await your signature to make available funding for the agreed upon projects," they added.

The letter was signed by Assembly Majority Leader Paul A. Tokasz, D-Cheektowaga; Republican Sens. Dale M. Volker of Depew and Mary Lou Rath of Williamsville; and Democratic Assembly members Robin Schimminger of Kenmore and Sam Hoyt, Crystal D. Peoples and Mark J.F. Schroeder, all of Buffalo.

Although the governor's office, State Senate and Assembly reached agreement in January on a list of seven projects that will share the funds from the ill-fated Adelphia office building project, the money had not been released until Tuesday.

James T. Sandoro of the Buffalo Transportation/Pierce Arrow Museum, which will receive $3 million to assist in construction of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed filling station at its Michigan Avenue facility, was one of the aid recipients champing at the bit prior to the announcement.

"We have a ready-to-go project. The minute the governor signs the memorandum of understanding, M&T Bank will front the money to us and we'll get going," Sandoro said, noting that construction should begin by late summer with a fall 2007 completion.

Ted Marks, who heads efforts to construct a Wright-designed boathouse along the Black Rock Channel, was feeling a similar urgency. "Our construction documents are scheduled for completion this week. If we knew when the money was coming, we could put the project out to bid, set a construction schedule and get a shovel in the ground this season." When it has the state funds in hand, the Frank Lloyd Wright Rowing Boathouse Corp. will be within $800,000 of the $5.4 million it needs.

In addition to the $21 million earmarked for the Aud conversion and $14.8 million set aside for Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus expansion, the state funds originally set aside for construction of the ill-fated Adelphia Communications operations center also will aid the following projects:

$2.5 million for the HealthNow New York (BlueCross BlueShield) headquarters project.

$1 million for Michigan Street Preservation Corp. black history/Underground Railroad projects.

$700,000 for Shea's Performing Arts Center restoration




a little over due, but good news nonetheless.

What exactly is that $14 million paying for in the medical campus? Trees? Roads? Salaries? Seems like a lot of money that could have been used better elsewhere for brick and mortar projects. :bash:

i wonder if that 14 million is the 14 million the state had commited to the haupton-woodward facility. if that is the case then that money has already been spent.
if not, then i have no idea what its for.

it says for "expansion". whatever that means.

I wish we were starting to sound like the Southern forum! Over there, we're talking about Atlanta's new W Hotel, Nashville's new 1,000 footer, Atlanta's new Trump and various other 40+ story proposals, Birmingham's historic condo conversions, Charlotte's new Symphony Hall... it doesn't end.

le sigh!

Oh well, in other Buffalo development news, my house is now FREE of Z-brick and flocked wallpaper! Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits.

Then go back to the Southern forums...Buffalo will never see a new scraper for us to talk and praise about.

i wonder if that 14 million is the 14 million the state had commited to the haupton-woodward facility. if that is the case then that money has already been spent.
if not, then i have no idea what its for.

it says for "expansion". whatever that means.
Could it be for purchasing properties and construction around Allen Street?
What is the status of extending Allen and redesigning the transit station?

New state tax group launched
Business First of Buffalo - 10:07 AM EDT Wednesday
A new group has been formed to fight against "ruinous" state and local taxation policies.

The New York State Taxpayers Union said it selected Tuesday, May 9, to announce its formation because that was "tax freedom" day in New York. It is the day when, on average, New Yorkers have to work till before they pay their combined federal, state and local tax bill for the year.

New York's tax freedom date is the second-latest in the country behind Connecticut's, which is May 12.

The New York State Taxpayers Union said it will represent the interests of average taxpayers in Albany against special interests that are seeking additional state spending for a variety of purposes.

Matthew Guilbault, formerly of the National Federation of Independent Business-New York in Albany, is executive director of the new group.

"In 2006, New York's Tax Freedom Day comes four days later than it did in 2005, and eleven days later than it did in 2004; continuing a trend of New Yorkers having to work further into the year to pay for state and federal taxes," Guilbault said. "This is why NYSTU's work will be important and relevant."

More information is available on the new group's Web site at www.nystu.org.

I wish we were starting to sound like the Southern forum! Over there, we're talking about Atlanta's new W Hotel, Nashville's new 1,000 footer, Atlanta's new Trump and various other 40+ story proposals, Birmingham's historic condo conversions, Charlotte's new Symphony Hall... it doesn't end.

le sigh!

Oh well, in other Buffalo development news, my house is now FREE of Z-brick and flocked wallpaper! Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits.
The day Buffalo begins to resemble the south is the day I leave.

The day any of WNY resembles the south is the day I feel lost. The funny thing is that all of the bitchers who do nothing but bitch about the way things are and decide to move away, don't realize that thousands who join them are bringing the problems with them. In 50 years Charlotte could have an economic collapse that would make that of Buffalo look like nothing; meanwhile Buffalo which has gotten all of it's whiners who had all the negative energy in the area are gone, its thriving. Karma.

As long as all the northerners moving south don't some day displace the southerners into moving north (egad), we'll be fine.

That won't happen. If southerners move noth, interetingly enough, they go ALL the way North, Maine. Southern people see Maine is northerners see Florida. It is the different climate and exoctic landscape. Seriously, Southern people like Maine. But they won't every move to the Northeast/Great Lakes. They hate us. (well, not hate, but they wouldn't ever want to be COMPLETELY surrounded)

Maine is very nice. I wouldn't want to live there, but it's an excellent getaway/vacation.

The day Buffalo begins to resemble the south is the day I leave.

You know you want a new W Hotel :)

You know you want a new W Hotel :)

Nah- I'll 'settle' for a Mandarin Oriental or Ritz. :)

I want continued repopulation and renovation of abandoned/substandard structures. Then we can have new scrapers.

You like to build on bedrock, not on muck. Same goes economically.

The Mansion on Delware is a great hotel

> What's the City going to do When American Axle Closes the Buffalo Plant
> in About 2 years.

Cite?

> Already 3/4 quarters of the Plant is already Empty & more than half the
> workers already on peramant layoff & Also American Brass is being sold on
> May 15 and It's looking like the new Owner will phase out the Buffalo plant
> and move the work to other Plants.

Then what's the point of buying the plant, if it's just going to be closed down?

> Their paying some serious taxes to the City, Actually the whole auto
> industry is in trouble in WNY

As it is nationally -- at least for American manufacturers. It sucks, but it's not just a Buffalo thing. There's fear in Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Cleveland ...

> thats About 10,000 jobs + trickle down Effect, If the area loses them, that
> will be the final Blow to WNY.

Buffalo has been beaten over the head with a baseball bat for decades now, with lots of "final blows" through the years. Bethlehem Steel, anyone? Someone else here said that the departure of the Bills would be the "death blow." There's probably some guy in Cheektowaga who thinks the closure of Peter K's Bar would be the region's death blow.

I'm not saying massive auto industry layoffs won't have an effect -- it will, and it will suck.

> Actually I was in WNY yesterday I Noticed more Empty Buildings &
> More Business's going out of Business's (I see the Boston Market
> on Union & George Urban Closed,

Boston Market has been hurting for a decade. It's not just a Buffalo thing.

> Quiznos Subs Stores have Closed Williamsville Store Main & Garrison,
> South Gate Plaza Store More Quiznos Closings are coming,

Quiznos store closings aren't just a Buffalo thing. Southgate is one of Buffalo's 1950s-era old-school plazas, and not really the best place for a Quiznos; access to the store isn't as easy as with their locations in smaller strip centers.

> D& k Stores Also have folded,

It's the chain; it's not because of the local economy.

> The Wegmens on Walden in Cheektowaga is Supposed to be closing
> soon,

Supermarkets and big box stores close and move at the drop of a hat; again, not just a Buffalo thing. One store closing isn't a trend. Get worried if they close their Amherst stores. Besides, Cheektowaga can't support a Weggies on every corner like Amherst. It's Buffalo's most blue-collar, working-class suburb. It's more of a Tops kind of town.

> Theirs too many Restaurants & stores for the Shrinking population.
> Thats the reason I was told .

Nationally, there's a growing trend of eating out more, and making fewer meals at home. Even if the poulation is shrinking, the demand for restaurants would be about the same, if not rise. Also remember that this is Buffalo, and while there's less variety in the types of restaurants compared to other regions its size, the area has a very strong "eating out" culture compared to most of the country.

Some Buffalonians are actually afraid they'll end up in Hell if they don't eat fish on Friday. It's a captive market!

> I have a Cousin who works For M & T Bank HQ's And he says M & T
> is Going to be Bought By a Large Southeastern US Bank and they will
> moving Hundreds of Job to their Headquarters down South. It's Imminent
> (It's diffently going to happen)

If I let my inner grammar Nazi free, that last paragraph -- hell, that whole post -- would make my head explode.

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/205/grammarnazi7sx.jpg

Anyhow, that sounds like another typical "my brother's friend's cousin's priest's brother's shop steward's sister's cousin's boss's best goomba" type runors. Remember "Yo, Rocco, hear dat Fee-hank Sin-ahh-ter-ah is buying up lee-hand in Ny'gruh Falls?" in the 1980s?

LOL, loving the .gif!

Is Peter K's closing? Say it ain't so. I love their roof. While Sinatra never did buy land in Niagara Falls he did befriend an elderly wheelchair bound woman there and quietly helped her pay her medical bills the last ten years or so of his life. They corresponded quite regularly. The NF Gazette did a large feature on her relationship with Sinatra shortly after he died.

Hydro-Air tentatively decides not to exit area


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incentives lure it to South Buffalo site

By DAVID ROBINSON
News Business Reporter
5/11/2006

Efforts to keep Hydro-Air Components from moving to North Carolina are close to paying off, with the Hamburg manufacturer reaching a "tentative deal" to move to a new site in South Buffalo, officials said Wednesday.
The Erie County Industrial Development Agency has scheduled a public hearing for June 12 on an incentive package for Hydro-Air to move its local operations to a 30-acre brownfields site along Tifft Street on a portion of what once was home to the former LTV Steel Corp.

Hydro-Air officials did not return telephone calls seeking comment, but other sources said the company is finalizing a deal with state and local development officials to expand in Buffalo.

"It represents saving a company that otherwise would have left Western New York," said U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, who became involved in the efforts to keep Hydro-Air in the region earlier this year after company officials contacted him to express frustration with their discussions with Western New York economic development officials.

Keeping Hydro-Air in the Buffalo Niagara region will preserve about 100 jobs and possibly lead to 35 to 50 additional jobs if the company is able to win extra business through a joint venture with Carrier Corp., Higgins said.

"It's good momentum in the right direction," he said.

Hydro-Air, which makes water-based heating and cooling products, had been considering proposals to expand its existing plant on Camp Road in Hamburg, as well as a proposal to move to the Charlotte, N.C., area. Sites in Pennsylvania also were considered in the earlier stages of the process.

Hydro-Air had been working since last fall with local development officials but the Charlotte area had emerged as the leading candidate by early this year. Hydro-Air executives were days away from taking a trip to North Carolina to look at schools, churches and other quality-of-life elements there when they contacted Higgins on a Friday. Higgins then arranged for a meeting with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and other development officials on the following Sunday afternoon to address Hydro-Air's concerns and ramp up the efforts to keep the company here.

Hydro-Air also has been working with the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise economic development and marketing group, as well as the Empire State Development Corp.

The company is expected to receive an incentive package that includes Empire Zone benefits, brownfields tax credits and federal renewal community benefits.

The project also is a significant step in redeveloping the former Republic Steel site, which has been largely vacant for almost two decades, except for a venture to grow hydroponic tomatoes that has since shut down.

"This is a major step forward for its redevelopment," Higgins said.

Hydro-Air makes hot-water radiators, fan-coil units and other water-based heating and cooling products.

The company has a 94,000-square-foot factory on Camp Road in Hamburg and two years ago added another 27,000-square-foot facility in the Ravenwood Industrial Park in Hamburg. Hydro-Air, which has about 120 employees, also opened a smaller factory in Tianjin, China, in 2002.

Hydro-Air's products, which are based on hot or chilled water, are used in hospitals, schools, university office buildings and other commercial facilities.


e-mail: drobinson@buffnews.com

The day Buffalo begins to resemble the south is the day I leave.

Where will you go? Hmmmm ...

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/453/charlotteexpress9ks.jpg

:D

Hey, I'll ride the Charlotte Express before I ever rent a U-Haul again lol.

The way I see it, we need to cut our per capita WalMart ratio by about 3, and have a Chick-fil-A on every corner. We got's a whiles to go.

hahahaha, that photo is fantastic.

While Sinatra never did buy land in Niagara Falls he did befriend an elderly wheelchair bound woman there and quietly helped her pay her medical bills the last ten years or so of his life. They corresponded quite regularly. The NF Gazette did a large feature on her relationship with Sinatra shortly after he died.

The urban legends started around the time casino gambling was approved in Atlantic City. Niagara Falls was in a similar situation, and there was plenty of speculation that the state would allow casino gambling -- not Indian gaming, but Vegas-style casinos -- in the Falls. From this, an urban legend was born: Frank Sinatra was buying land downtown, possibly with the help of the very powerful Buffalo mafia. The fact that Niagara Falls is very, very Italian probably helped fuel the flames of the UL; it's Frankie, after all, so who wouldn't want to see him open a casino there?

I would KILL for a Chick-fil-A here... mmmmmmmmm.

New blueprint for Falls' tallest building

Business First of Buffalo - 3:13 PM EDT Thursday
by James FinkBusiness First

The United Office Building, once of the tallest building in Niagara Falls, is poised to see new life as a residential and commercial complex, ending decades of failed plans, hopes and aspirations.

It took the combined efforts of local developer Carl Paladino and USA Niagara Development Corp., one of the area arms of Empire State Development Corp., to make the $7.2 million project a reality.

Paladino was selected from an request-for-proposal process to re-development the long vacant Niagara Falls landmark. The project is Paladino's first residential effort in the Cataract City.

Crews from Paladino's Ellicott Development Co. are on site converting the 20-story building into 27 market rate apartments and 20,000-square-feet of commercial space.

The project is slated to be completed by next spring, Paladino said. When it comes on line, it will have a new name, although Paladino said he hasn't decided what the new moniker will be until construction is further along.

"This is something we first looked at 20 years ago," Paladino said.

The apartments will begin on the building's seventh floor and work their way up to the top. The units will run between 1,200-square-feet and 2,700-square-feet.

Commercial space will occupy the building's first six floors.

The 1929 building, considered by many to one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in Niagara Falls, was originally the home of the United Hotel chain and later headquarters for Hooker Chemical Co. Until December's opening of the 26-story Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, the building was the tallest in the Cataract City.

"Of all the progress and investment occurring in downtown Niagara Falls, there is no project more symbolic or that better articulates the Governor's (Pataki) vision for the city's renaissance than (Paladino's) the renovation of the historic United Office Building," said Chris Schoepflin, USA Niagara president.

Paladino is no stranger to tackling tough historic renovation projects. In Buffalo, he converted the former University Club on Delaware Avenue and the former L.L. Berger's department store building in city's central business district into market rate apartments.

AccuMED, Velcro ink multi-year pact
Business First of Buffalo - 3:12 PM EDT Thursday

AccuMED Technologies Inc. has announced a three-year, $11.5 million contract with Velcro USA.

Under the agreement, Velcro's U.S. sales force of 17 will sell AccuMED's family of Breath-o-Prene products alongside Velcro's hook-and-loop fasteners to companies shopping for components for their own products.

Breath-O-Prene products are "intelligent and interactive" materials that have applications in medicine, sports, industry and the military. For example, one has antibacterial and antimicrobal elements embedded in it, another resists water but allows vapors to pass through and another promotes oxygen transmission to the skin.

AccuMED's vice president for business development Sri Vilayanoor said the company expects to raise at least $1.5 million, $3 million and $7 million in the first, second and third years of the agreement.

The company, a developer of specialty materials, employs about 160 people at headquarters on Bud Mill Drive in Buffalo. It also has locations in Pennsylvania, the Dominican Republican, Europe and India. Company revenues are expected to hit $100 million by 2010.

More on the United Office Building;

United Office Building
Niagara Falls, New York


The United Office Building will soon reclaim its rightful place as a bustling downtown Niagara Falls landmark. Upon completion of this important renovation project, downtown's long vacant signature building will be returned to a fully functioning asset, signaling the re-emergence of Niagara Falls as a vibrant international gateway for Western New York.

The United Office Building, built in 1929 and designed in the art deco style of that era, is located at 220 Rainbow Boulevard North, in the heart of downtown Niagara Falls. At 20 stories in height, the building’s upper floors offer commanding panoramic views of Niagara Falls and the Niagara River Gorge, as well as the city and surrounding area. In August of 2005, the United Office Building was nominated for listing on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. The historical and architectural significance of this building represents a link to the city's past that will also be part of its future.

An example of a successful private-public partnership with USA Niagara and the City of Niagara Falls, First Street Group, LLC, an affiliate of Buffalo-based Ellicott Development Company, will invest approximately $6.5 million into this project. Their development plan proposes approximately 20,000 square feet of commercial office space and 27 luxury apartments for the 77,000 square foot, 20-story building. The office space will be located on the first six floors of the building and the apartments on the 7th through 18th floors. The first floor of the building will also include the main entrance lobby, which will be returned to its original grandeur. The apartments will range in size from approximately 1,200 square feet to over 2,700 square feet. As elements of their restoration plans, Ellicott Development will also provide paving, lighting, security, and landscaping for a parking lot with access control for the building's residents.

I want continued repopulation and renovation of abandoned/substandard structures. Then we can have new scrapers.

You like to build on bedrock, not on muck. Same goes economically.

this I agree 100% :)

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1118950690504_114359890/?hub=Health

This article gave me a chuckle.

I searched for it after Catching the end of a news blurb on CTV where the reporter said that "The pollution hasnt been that bad this year since there hasnt been alot of wind blowing in from the US". This said with a video of Toronto's skyline barly visible through the smog.

These reporters are pretty bold. Its almost as if they are trying to say that Canada dosnt produce any significant emissions. :weird:

Let's GO SABRES!

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1118950690504_114359890/?hub=Health

This article gave me a chuckle.

I searched for it after Catching the end of a news blurb on CTV where the reporter said that "The pollution hasnt been that bad this year since there hasnt been alot of wind blowing in from the US". This said with a video of Toronto's skyline barly visible through the smog.

These reporters are pretty bold. Its almost as if they are trying to say that Canada dosnt produce any significant emissions. :weird:

When I was in Toronto last fall it was just a normal fall day, but Toronto was smoggy, and my guess is that comes from their cars...not Cleveland and Buffalo's.

There are people in Toronto who make me sick with the overall ego they seem to have....one word....CHICAGO!!!

So wait.... Toronto, with a metro pop of well over 5 million people, is being poluted by Buffalo, with 1.2? I don't think so.

Erie County has done it again !
they have passed a New Mandate thats requires Construction Contractors that want to bid on County Funded Projects (which is about 99.99 % of anything being built in
Erie County, Nothing gets built without Funding from the City, County, or State)
must have NY State Cerification, So Now they can Control who's gets the contracts
They can give them to all their Friends, & Political supporters, Plus with No Competition
they can Inflate the prices. Good Going Erie County, Keep it UP ! Keeping Pushing
the Little Bit of private Business's that are still left, OUT! & Excerate the Population drain in even more !

So wait.... Toronto, with a metro pop of well over 5 million people, is being poluted by Buffalo, with 1.2? I don't think so.
I don't even know what's left here to cause pollution. Besides that, and metro populations, it's still baseless. Let's not forget Buffalo sits to the south-southeast of Toronto, and the prevailing winds come from the southwest. Go bitch at Detroit or Gary or even Hamilton if you want to have an argument. Case closed.

If they have any beef, it's midwest power plants and stuff out there, same as it always has been. That's always been the culprit for the acid rain in the Adirondacks and New England.

At least we don't get smog and other massive pollution from the incineration of cow feces lol.

*****

Speaking of Toronto, I saw this in Donn Esmonde's column yesterday: (it's also been discussed in the Toronto forum):

Misery loves company, so I'm happy to pass along the news that even folks in Toronto moan about their waterfront.

Undeveloped waterfront land east of downtown was recently termed "desolate, largely vacant and 100-percent hideous" by Globe and Mail columnist Eric Reguly.

It doesn't end there. Much of what Toronto has done is worse than what it hasn't.

Reguly laments the waterfront's "go-nowhere studies, several false starts and one monumental disaster . . . Harbourfront [is] a string of condo towers, car parks and not much else that separates downtown Toronto from the water like a homegrown Berlin Wall . . . There is virtually no green space to speak of and no [public] access to the water."

All in all, it's a good guide of what not to do in Buffalo, now that we're finally doing something.

*****

BTW the excerator on my car broke yesterday. But I took it into the shop and they didn't know what it is, they were actually rather surprised that I could know that something that doesn't even exist had broken. They called me an idiot and pointed fingers laughing "Hah, Hah" as I shamefully walked out.

Also, note that whole certification fiasco has been taking place for months, and all it really is is an extension of existing Federal mandates for DBEs. I don't think you're going to find any downside to it other than the downsides you see with the Federal system. It just applies to the County level now. I'll bet you Erie isn't the only county out there with it, either.

Either way, the way to win your argument would be to cite your sources, you should know that what you say here otherwise carries no credibility, probably not even among your fellow trolls; if only because your "broken english" causes headaches.

Cite your sources and we'll all petition Jman or someone to fix the spelling of your handle. Maybe we'll even try to get you a proper education (well, maybe not).

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown appointed Angela Joyner of
Citi Stat Inc. as Deputy Mayor at a salary of $ 85,000 a year
a couple of months ago She was supposed to cut costs and make the
City Departments More Efficient, Well what she found already in 2 Months
was layer after layer after layer of Coruption, patronism out of control
Stealing & fraud, She resigned ASAP and left town & couldn't get out of town fast enough!
Geez so wonders 5 out of 7 on Erie County Control Board resigned (I mean,
make sure they keep raising Taxes Board) & they can't even find anyone
who wants to take their places, and Now the City of Buffalo Control
board memebers are starting to resign

Well what she found already in 2 Months
was layer after layer after layer of Coruption, patronism out of control
Stealing & fraud, She resigned ASAP and left town & couldn't get out of town fast enough!
She left citing personal reasons. They're actually looking into breach of contract. If that's the type of employee she is, good riddance.

This also happened A WEEK AGO.

Chief Fiscal Advisor James Millroy also wants to leave - to pursue a post at Geneseo, saying after 18 years it's time to move on in his career. Why don't you mention that, it seems like bigger news to me?!?!

Geez so wonders 5 out of 7 on Erie County Control Board resigned (I mean,
make sure they keep raising Taxes Board) & they can't even find anyone
who wants to take their places, and Now the City of Buffalo Control
board memebers are starting to resign

So why don't you join them, since you deep down love the area so much that you refuse to leave. And you have so many bright ideas. Ypu're the memeber that they're lpoking for!

Perhaps your first order of business can be renaming them the "Bpffalo and erie COUnty pHiscale Stebelite Bprad". That'll sure excerate the results.

Then they'll be effective. Just watch.

As for taxes, take this as you will:
Report calls Erie County 'low-cost, low-tax'
By GENE WARNER
News Staff Reporter
5/11/2006

Erie County government spends the least per capita and has the smallest county work force, relatively, among the 12 largest counties in New York State, a top member of the county administration has concluded.
In a letter to the Erie County Legislature, James M. Hartman, director of management initiatives, also pointed out that Erie County spends the second-largest percentage of its budget on mandated Medicaid, behind only Monroe County.

Hartman's figures, based on 2006 county budgets, also claim that Erie has the second-lowest local revenue per capita, ahead of only Niagara County.

In a report that's expected to draw some fireworks from critics of the county's budget practices, Hartman, a former county comptroller, emphasized that he was presenting these figures to inform the public.

"There is no policy inference," he wrote in a letter to Legislature Chairwoman Lynn M. Marinelli, adding that the administration of County Executive Joel A. Giambra plans to rely on management efficiencies rather than tax increases to balance the budget.

"However," he wrote, "we should recognize that by comparison to the other major New York counties, we are a relatively low-cost, low-tax government operation."

Giambra said the 24-page report provides overwhelming evidence that the county is well managed and in pretty decent shape.

"I'm hoping that the public and others come to realize that Erie County is not in a fiscal crisis," Giambra said. "While we have some challenges, it is not a crisis. I want people to understand that what we went through last year is no different than what other counties have gone through the last five years."

Rather than being mismanaged, he added, Erie County ran into the "Medicaid tsunami."

James Ostrowski, president of Free Buffalo, a taxpayer advocacy group that seeks to make government smaller, questioned the need for such budget comparisons.

"All these comparisons, if they're an attempt to justify the status quo, are misguided," Ostrowski said. "None of that really goes to the main point, that the economy in Western New York and upstate has been in decline, and every government has to shrink."

Ostrowski added that all local governments here need to shrink, to free up more capital to invest in the private economy.

Among Hartman's findings:

Erie County has the lowest per-capita spending figure of the 12 counties, with $1,164 per person. Suffolk County heads that list with $1,927.

Erie's government employs 4.4 full-time people for every 10,000 residents, making it the smallest per capita. Orange County tops that table with 7.7.

Erie spends 17.7 percent of its general-purpose budget on mandated Medicaid costs. Only Monroe County, with 19.2 percent, spends more. Nassau spends the least, 10.5 percent.

On the revenue side, Erie County collects $799 per person in taxes and other revenues. Only Niagara has a smaller figure, $785. Suffolk tops that list, with $1,591.

Hartman also referred to a recent state comptroller's analysis of property tax trends in New York State. That study showed New York has the highest property taxes in the nation, and that they grew by 60 percent from 1995 to 2005.

That report, though, also includes some Erie County data that Hartman said "contradict the conventional public view that Erie County is a place where property taxes are high, even by the standards of New York State."

Among those findings, Hartman claimed that property taxes, measured three ways - per household, per capita or per $1,000 of personal income - place Erie County near the bottom of the state's 58 counties. By all three of those measuring sticks, Erie County places in the bottom 20 percent of the list.


e-mail: gwarner@buffnews.com

Here's something I bet nobody here knows - Yesterday (05/12/06) was proclaimed "Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. Day in the City of Buffalo".

We had a party at work yesterday celebrating 40 years of business, and our Branch Manager got that proclaimation as a gift to the CEO who was visiting yesterday. Pretty neat stuff.

The Buffalo office has been with them for about 2 years now, it's been among the smoothest, fastest growing, and profitable acquisitions they've ever had.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown appointed Angela Joyner of
Citi Stat Inc. as Deputy Mayor at a salary of $ 85,000 a year
a couple of months ago She was supposed to cut costs and make the
City Departments More Efficient, Well what she found already in 2 Months
was layer after layer after layer of Coruption, patronism out of control
Stealing & fraud, She resigned ASAP and left town & couldn't get out of town fast enough!
Geez so wonders 5 out of 7 on Erie County Control Board resigned (I mean,
make sure they keep raising Taxes Board) & they can't even find anyone
who wants to take their places, and Now the City of Buffalo Control
board memebers are starting to resign

while I usually laugh my ass off at the funny and dumb things you say, this is true...Buffalo needs to get itself under control as far as patronage, fraud and spending...otherwise the city will always fail.

it's about leadership...if Byron can clean the inside out, the outside will regain its' luster.

:)

Let's not forget Buffalo sits to the south-southeast of Toronto, and the prevailing winds come from the southwest. . Case closed.



Buffalo is in not east of Toronto, it is directly southwest of Toronto. Look at a map before you make stupid comments.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1118950690504_114359890/?hub=Health

This article gave me a chuckle.

I searched for it after Catching the end of a news blurb on CTV where the reporter said that "The pollution hasnt been that bad this year since there hasnt been alot of wind blowing in from the US". This said with a video of Toronto's skyline barly visible through the smog.

These reporters are pretty bold. Its almost as if they are trying to say that Canada dosnt produce any significant emissions. :weird:

It seems typical for Canadian journalism. Subtle jabs at the United States are quite common, even when it's not germaine to the subject. Even before the Bush years, there was constant self-validation in the news, reminding the viewers or listeners that Canada is somehow better than the US in every way. "Cases of flu are on the rise in the GTA this fall, but at least we have universal healthcare, unlike the United States." "There was a shooting in the Jane-Finch area last night, but the rate of gun crime remains below that of the United States." "A study considers Canadians to be the sixth happiest nation on Earth. In the same study, the United States is only ranked eighth."

Buffalo is in not east of Toronto, it is directly southwest of Toronto. Look at a map before you make stupid comments.
This is too easy for a 3x NYS Geography Bee finalist...
http://image.maps.yahoo.com/mapimage?MAPData=5TtGJPhyzy0nLvtnHBSPsV_xUcqeo2Vu1a4VdpGQDoU5xvsED4ZGg_LuUlEBw0sLXPCaSsrUdr.sg05OFcRdWTlLH3iPae4PmzK8mzI-
I take it west is to the right? I take it you're one of those wackos who wants the south pole to be shown at the top of maps (in which case you're still wrong, Buffalo would be directly "northwest")?

As I said, south-southeast. Buffalo is at 155° (southeast is 135°) according to that map assuming north (0°) is at top. Now if you had said Lockport, Rochester, or even Montreal, you would be correct.

:eek2: <--Lower lip symbolizes your credibility.

If your stupid comments were fattening, I'd be the guy journaling a walk across the US right now.

Proof positive that Suzie does not know anything.

Buffalo is east of Toronto. Why is she foaming at the mouth over this? I suggest she go back to the Rochester forum and play with the amateurs.

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/3241/latcopy1kr.jpg

I must be using Canadian Maps. - sorry.

Guaranty Building undergoing $12 million interior renovation

By SHARON LINSTEDT
News Staff Reporter
5/15/2006

One of Buffalo's best-known architectural gems is undergoing a $12 million renovation that will give it an entirely new interior and a bright future as a law office.
The Guaranty Building, a national historic landmark located at 26 Church St., is being overhauled for Hodgson Russ LLP, the area's largest law firm, which acquired the Louis Sullivan-designed office tower in 2002.

"This is a very big project. Nearly everything from the basement to the 13th floor will be gutted and rebuilt," said Gary M. Schober, Hodgson Russ president and chief executive. "When we're done, we'll have a building that supports a modern law office, but retains its historic character."

The sweeping interior renovation is the final step in the majestic building's bumpy road back to health. Over the decades, it has weathered financially strapped owners, a fire and a previous remodeling that obliterated Sullivan's interior skylights. At one time, there were even calls for its demolition.

Its elaborate terra cotta facade was restored over a decade ago, bringing the exterior of the world-renowned skyscraper back to perfection.

And when the renovations are completed, the law firm also wants to accommodate visitors, who come from around the world to view the Louis Sullivan masterpiece.

"There's a strong feeling that we should set aside space, possibly create a small museum, to display the history and artifacts of this significant building," he said.

Hodgson Russ recognizes that many visitors have a strong desire to go up to the building's 13th floor and look out the building's round windows.

"It's a unique and wonderful experience, but we need to figure out how to permit that without disrupting the practice of law. It would be terrific if we could do it, but we haven't come up with an answer yet," Schober explained.

From a historic preservation standpoint, the greatest challenge facing the law firm and its architects - Gensler Architects of Washington, D.C., and Flynn Battaglia Architect of Buffalo - is how to update the building's first floor without disrupting its historic elements.

Previous interior remodeling stripped the majority of original architectural features from the 110-year-old building, but the ground floor retains key elements.

"There's quite a bit of beautiful mosaic tile, which will be removed, cleaned and reinstalled. All the original elements will be cleaned and restored," Schober said.

The ground floor's bronze-plated staircases, elevator grills and intricately detailed ceiling panels will all be brought back to their original luster.

Hodgson Russ is working with the New York State Historic Preservation Office to finalize plans for a reconfiguration of the first floor.

While the building's landmark status requires any major changes to be approved by the state office and ultimately the National Parks Service, the law firm also needs to comply with historic guidelines to quality for federal preservation tax credits.

John Laping, president of the Buffalo Preservation Board, has concerns about any alterations on the ground floor, calling it "very precious space."

"To me, the first floor is as important as the terra cotta exterior," Laping said. "The layout is an original and unique Sullivan design and any substantial changes could bring the wrath of the preservation community, not only in Buffalo, but around the country."

Laping and others who have an affection for the Guaranty Building need not fear, Schober said.

"We realized from the time we acquired the Guaranty that it must be treated with a certain level of sensitivity due to its historic nature," Schober said. "We care about the building or we wouldn't be making this investment. It would have been a lot easier to go to Amherst and build a box."

Cathy Jimenez, a spokeswoman for the state preservation office, confirmed the office has received construction documents from Hodgson Russ and the plans are under review.

"It's a very complex building, and we will do a very thorough review. It's an ongoing process with a lot of give and take, Jimenez said.

Schober said the current proposal includes a central reception area and security desk, conference rooms, a lounge, and major lighting improvements.

"We're presently contemplating work on the first floor that will make it very different from what you presently see when you enter from Church Street. We'd like to make a more welcoming, brighter space," he said.

The retrofitting plans also call for creation of an employee dining room in the building's basement. The second floor will house the firm's law library and more conference space. The third floor will be the firm's administrative hub.

Floors four through 13 will be rebuilt with law offices on the perimeter and support staff in the center space.

In addition to cementing the Guaranty's future, the interior work also will help Hodgson Russ toward its goal of creating a single work space for its more than 160 lawyers and support staff.

The project is scheduled for completion in late 2007.

Steel, you know thay Google Earth is just another propaganda tool of the Bush Administration. Check out this image I just downloaded from the Canadian service Gordy Earth/L'Terre le Gordy.

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4329/canadian1zx.jpg

:)

I bet that polution is coming from the Bethlehem Steel Plant

I bet that polution is coming from the Bethlehem Steel Plant

I think it's from all the house fires Channel 7 news reports started in the 1980s, so Irv Weinstein could start off Eyewitness News with something cool like "Buffalo blaze busters battled a five bell barn burner in Black Rock!"

:D

Cyb-
Now that is a classic! LOL

I'm pretty sure that isn't even "pollution"...looks photoshopped. If it is real, it is either from Hamilton/Toronto because they have more factories and pollution than us...or the color satellite photo was taken in the 1950s.

I'm pretty sure that isn't even "pollution"...looks photoshopped. If it is real, it is either from Hamilton/Toronto because they have more factories and pollution than us...or the color satellite photo was taken in the 1950s.


BJ

Get with the program it is a Cyb joke

lol bjfan, don't turn into a miketoronto :P

Buffalo is in not east of Toronto, it is directly southwest of Toronto. Look at a map before you make stupid comments.

DAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMNNNNN. So help me God susie, if you ever call me stupid or an idiot or anthing even remotely suggesting that you are smarter than I..... well, you can't so I won't even go there. And then your stupid ass tries to blame Canadian maps..... BULLS**T

Steel, you know thay Google Earth is just another propaganda tool of the Bush Administration. Check out this image I just downloaded from the Canadian service Gordy Earth/L'Terre le Gordy.
That isn't pollution you're seeing... It's a specially filtered satelite image showing the mind-control gamma rays we aim toward Toronto to get them to shop in our outlet malls and attend Bills games.

"I'm pretty sure that isn't even "pollution"...looks photoshopped. If it is real, it is either from Hamilton/Toronto because they have more factories and pollution than us...or the color satellite photo was taken in the 1950s."

No, thats from all the cigars that were lit up after the Sabres beat the senators in game 5.

Look what I found...renderings of the mystery building in HarborEast....

http://www.morabitoconsultants.com/images/Eden.jpg

01 S. Eden Street - Structural engineering services include a 40,000 sq. ft. first floor retail space below a 4-story, 150,000 sq. ft. 325 car parking garage above an 8-story, 304,000 sq. ft. apartment/condominum building that contains a 12,000 sq. ft. pool/terrace area located in Balto. City, MD.

Maybe someone could post the pic as i'm having trouble doing so.

Look what I found...renderings of the mystery building in HarborEast....

http://www.morabitoconsultants.com/images/Eden.jpg

01 S. Eden Street - Structural engineering services include a 40,000 sq. ft. first floor retail space below a 4-story, 150,000 sq. ft. 325 car parking garage above an 8-story, 304,000 sq. ft. apartment/condominum building that contains a 12,000 sq. ft. pool/terrace area located in Balto. City, MD.

Maybe someone could post the pic as i'm having trouble doing so.
Think you recognized the wrong "B" city! :)

Think you recognized the wrong "B" city! :)

Back to Baltimore....but leave that project in Buffalo. :)

5/16/2006

Erie County Executive Joel A. Giambra is attempting to block demolition on the site of the planned Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo's Cobblestone District, citing environmental concerns.
Giambra announced late Monday that he is suing the City of Buffalo to block all demolition and site preparation on the nine-acre property, which is bordered by Michigan and South Park avenues and Marvin and Perry streets. The suit calls on the city to follow standard demolition permit procedures, which would require an environmental review be conducted before work starts.

"The city claims it doesn't have the power to issue normal permits because it is sovereign territory. We say that's incorrect," Giambra said. "Even if it's sovereign land, we have a duty to protect our residents."

The Senecas on Monday confirmed they are ready to start tearing down a collection of seven industrial buildings scattered around the parcel. They also stated they have no immediate plans to demolish the historic H-O Oats grain elevators, which stand at the northeast corner of the site.

Drew Eszak, county commissioner of environment and planning, also issued a cease and desist order against Empire Dismantlement Corp., a Town of Tonawanda firm that is poised to begin the work. Empire was given until May 26 to submit a safety and health plan for the demolitions.

Giambra said that while he wants to halt demolition of all buildings on the site, his main concern is the 81-year-old grain elevators, which he said contain asbestos, mold, lead and other airborne contaminants.

"They might not be admitting today that the silos are coming down, but we know that's their plan. I don't want to sit back and wait until it's too late," the county executive said.

He noted that more than 600 people live within 1,000 feet of the site. The property is located within a block of the Commodore Perry public housing development and the Lofts at Elk Terminal and about two blocks from HSBC Arena.

Peter K. Cutler, Mayor Byron W. Brown's communications director, said the lawsuit is "without merit."

"We're completely satisfied that all the correct precautions are in place to ensure that this work will proceed without any negative impact on the health and safety of anyone in the area," Cutler said.

Rajat R. Shah, Seneca Gaming's senior vice president for corporate development, disputed the environmental hazard claims.

"Safety, coordination and minimizing the impact on the surrounding community are our top priorities in taking these important next steps in developing Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino," Shah said. "We sat down with city officials to discuss our plans and to ensure that all applicable requirements are met and expect to continue to work with them in a spirit of cooperation."

The Senecas have hired Watts Engineering, a Buffalo-based environmental engineering firm, to conduct third-party air monitoring to make sure state and federal air-quality standards are met during the demolition. The Senecas plan to begin with interior abatement of any hazardous materials, such as asbestos, lead or solvents, followed by the demolition.

In the past week, Seneca crews began erecting construction fencing on the perimeter of the nine-acre site, which is now sovereign territory. A crane and construction trailers also have arrived at the site.

Also in the past week, large, blue and white signs were installed on all four corners of the casino site. They read "Buffalo Creek Territory, Seneca Nation of Indians Sovereign Territory." The signs also spell out the territorial name in the Seneca language.

Shah met Thursday with city development chief Richard M. Tobe and Public Works Commissioner Joseph N. Giambra to provide an update on casino planning and site preparation. A city demolition expert and Seneca engineers also took part in the City Hall session.

"The city doesn't have the right to approve or disapprove demolition plans on sovereign territory, but it was a positive and appropriate step for them to voluntarily meet with us to coordinate efforts," Tobe said.

The Senecas did, however, need the city's approval to barricade Fulton Street during the upcoming site preparation. A permit to temporarily close the street and block off sidewalk access was issued late Friday.

In December, immediately following the official announcement of plans for Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, the Senecas tore down two former H-O Oats buildings adjacent to the grain elevators. Seneca sources Monday also indicated that the former Kenworth Truck of Upstate New York building, located at 85 Michigan Ave., will be gutted, but not demolished, just in case the Senecas need to open a temporary gambling facility to meet the state's Dec. 9, 2008, operating deadline.

e-mail: citydesk@buffnews.com

*****

I only highlighted that last part because I'd like to see that. If they open the nation's first "truck warehouse"-themed casino right here in Buffalo, I'll have to check that out. Just to see the pathetic scum that go rushing into it (or those who don't).

New plant will be built on ex-LTV Steel site

By MATT GLYNN
News Business Reporter
5/16/2006

Walter Zurowski, second from left, Hydro-Air's president and chief executive officer, speaks at a press conference that was also attended by Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, left; Tim Doolittle, regional director of Empire State Development; and New York Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue.

Hydro-Air Components plans to add 200 jobs to its local operations as part of a move from the Town of Hamburg to South Buffalo.
The manufacturer confirmed Monday it will build a $7.5 million plant in South Buffalo on former LTV Steel Corp. land. The company said it will spend an additional $1 million on machinery and equipment.

Western New York was in an economic development tug-of-war with North Carolina for Hydro-Air. A tentative deal to keep the company here was announced last week.

Walter Zurowski, Hydro-Air's president and chief executive officer, said he hopes to have a new 160,000-square-foot building completed by the end of the year.

Hydro-Air makes water heating and cooling products. It expects to add the 200 new jobs over an 18-month period, and will also retain 114 existing jobs, Zurowski said.

The company will move out of its main complex, which it leases, on Camp Road. It will continue to use a second site in Hamburg until it completes an expansion of its planned South Buffalo plant, probably in mid-2007, Zurowski said.

Hamburg Town Supervisor Steven Walters said he was sorry to see Hydro-Air leave Hamburg, but was relieved that the company was staying in Erie County.

Local and state economic development officials said they took seriously the threat of Hydro-Air moving out of state. They assembled an incentive package that includes making the company eligible for up to $1.6 million in Empire Zone benefits. Hydro-Air can apply for brownfield tax credits, as well as a capital grant from Empire State Development worth up to $1.2 million to assist with construction of its plant.

Zurowski said his company had its sights set on a vacant plant in King's Mountain, N.C., west of Charlotte. "My kids were ready to enroll in the schools in North Carolina," he said. "My wife and I were looking at homes."

Michael Licata, senior business development representative for the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, said of the potential move: "From day one, it was a very legitimate concern."

The BNE helped identify incentives and local sites available to Hydro-Air during efforts to keep the company here, he said.

Various elected leaders and economic development organizations were credited with working to keep Hydro-Air in town, including Mayor Byron Brown, Empire State Development, Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency and the BNE.

Lt. Gov. Mary Donohoe visited the plant Monday to celebrate the expansion.

"I think by all parties working together, we were able to retain this company in Western New York," Brown said in an interview.

Brown said the project could also kick start development of the site where Hydro-Air is moving, off Abby Street near Tifft Street. "The site has tremendous long-term potential."

Tim Doolittle, regional director for Empire State Development, said the size of the incentive package was crucial to retaining Hydro-Air. The project also paves the way for reclaiming brownfields in Buffalo, he said.

"I think it's definitely a positive for the city," Doolittle said.

Higgins credited Hamburg officials with doing everything they could to retain Hydro-Air, and said the process shows the state needs an economic development policy recognizing the unique needs of counties such as Erie.

Higgins said it was fortunate that the City of Buffalo had some other incentives at its disposal to keep Hydro-Air from leaving the region altogether. "There's a very good lesson, and a very good outcome," he said.

e-mail: mglynn@buffnews.com

I think the part about Zurowski talking about looking at houses and the kids being stoked about a new school all for nothing is worth a laugh, otherwise more good news for the region.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. He shouted "It's time to die" before ripping off his backpack and reaching inside it at an upstate airport.
Now, a teenager faces disorderly conduct charges after causing a disturbance at Buffalo Niagara International Airport last night.

Authorities say the 16-year-old boy (Alif Chowdhury) from Garden City, Long Island was with his father (Ehsan Chowdhury) waiting outside a terminal prior to their flight to J-F-K Airport.

Passers-by became suspicious of the youth's behavior and alerted airport police. The teen -- who was dressed in a white robe-like garment -- became agitated while officers questioned his father.

Officials say he said he wasn't afraid to die and tried to pull something out of his backpack.

The officers subdued the youth, who was carrying cell phones in the backpack but nothing dangerous.

The teen was taken to a Buffalo hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press.

Just some news off Drudge Report, kinda interesting to see Buffalo having issues with idiots at the airport, people just can't shut up...damn :)

** Breaking News **
Erie Control Board Head Anthony Baynes has issued a warning to Erie County residences that they face major Property & sales Taxes hikes in October and
that the Control board will go hard in 2 weeks if the County Leaders don't provide the information to the control board which they have been asking for for weeks. He also stated that County spending is out of control already in the first 4 months.

** Breaking News **
Erie Control Board Head Anthony Baynes has issued a warning to Erie County residences that they face major Property & sales Taxes hikes in October and
that the Control board will go hard in 2 weeks if the County Leaders don't provide the information to the control board which they have been asking for for weeks. He also stated that County spending is out of control already in the first 4 months.

Good. Im in favor of a 50% sales tax if thats what it takes to get you out of WNY.

They've been saying that since the last budget was passed months ago - wake up.

As for the control board, haven't heard that yet. But, I would look forward to a hard control board. Grab the asses by the ankles and shake their pockets out. Heck, I'd volunteer to help. Problem is it's been so poorly set up that it'll take little short of divine intervention to get some sort of "control" out of it. Thank you, Pataki, for that one.

FYI - Just thought the out-of-stater in me should chime in - speaking of Pataki, he looks good to out-of-staters, particularly in New Hampster as I've had experience with. Can't speak for Iowa, but scary, huh? Not one of those deals like Ahhh-nold where he smells like shit no matter what direction the wind is blowing. His tax and service cuts (which we see as haphazard at best), and his "performance" during 9/11 stand out to these people. Plus he's a big guy who can crack a good joke (real jokes, not the jokes we hear pertaining to job creation). 2008 looks better than ever, huh?

Good. Im in favor of a 50% sales tax if thats what it takes to get you out of WNY.
I'd never really complain about a sales tax, at least in lieu of property taxes. Taxes should be based on the ability to pay (as in income) or personal choice (as in sales), and property taxes are the most regressive form of taxation (it's not the 1400s anymore!). Another case of welcome to New Hampshire. No income or sales, but lifelong residents are being forced out of homes they can no longer afford due to speculation and it's effect on assessments. Not to mention the college-grad brain drain it's beginning to cause there. I'll pay a few pennies more per shopping trip, thank you very much.

watch Ch 4 WIVB News ( it was aired at 5 & 6)

I take everything I hear from local news media with a grain of salt... They have to "sell" their story to beat their competitors.

Not saying it's not true, I just prefer to wait until I see it in print to judge something.

Bring it on.

i've been outta the country for three days now, do we have any new scrapers i should know about? please say yes.

** Breaking News **
Erie Control Board Head Anthony Baynes has issued a warning to Erie County residences that they face major Property & sales Taxes hikes in October ...

Breaking news? Hardly. I've been hearing threats that my taxes are going to go up ever since I bought my house a few years ago. Let's put this in perspective. As it is now, I'll pay just under $900 this year for taxes on my 2200sf brick Victorian house. So Even if my taxes go up 30%, I'd still pay only about $1200 and that's not so bad. So I am hardly going to lose sleep over this.

I don't think this really belongs in this thread, economic news notwithstanding, but since it's come up...

*****

Control board urges county to rethink debts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advisory panel can't force lawmakers to act, but members seem anxious to wield a firmer hand over plans to borrow funds for large-scale projects

By MATTHEW SPINA
News Staff Reporter
5/18/2006

Erie County's control board Wednesday asked county officials to rethink the amount of money they will soon borrow for large-scale projects, stressing the government already must spend nearly $60 million this year repaying its debts - 85 percent more than it set aside just four years ago.
"We need to do something to turn that around," said Kenneth Kruly, one of seven members on the state-appointed Fiscal Stability Authority. "We need to go on a debt diet and bring that back down."

A statement pushed by Kruly and Sheila K. Kee - both of whom served as budget directors under former County Executive Dennis T. Gorski - does not force officials to borrow less. In keeping with the board's advisory status, it "requests" County Executive Joel A. Giambra and the Legislature to "review" their plans to borrow $54.8 million this year and for Giambra to show how the government might borrow less in 2007.

However, the control board showed it is itching to become a hard control board that can apply a firmer hand to rein in county spending and avoid more tax increases. When they met last week and again Wednesday, members peppered Giambra officials with requests for detailed information about the number of vacant county jobs, and Chairman Anthony J. Baynes said he wants copies of lease agreements on the dozens of properties the county rents for its own use.

Some directors, including Baynes, assert that the county's failure to "promptly provide all information requested by the authority" - as the state law creating the panel requires - could give them reason to transform to a hard control board. The six members who met with The Buffalo News editorial board recently - all except Kee - agreed they would be more useful to taxpayers as a hard control board and wanted the change to occur. [editorial comment: BINGO!]

The Giambra administration isn't likely to ignore the control board's wish to review the amount borrowed for projects this year. But officials also are not likely to retreat from the $54.8 million in a way that would satisfy the overseers. The Legislature's Finance and Management Committee had been expected to discuss the transaction today, to ready it for full Legislature approval next Thursday, and the tight schedule could preclude a substantive change.

The control board wants government leaders to borrow no more each year than the amount of old debt they retire that year. Under that rule, officials could borrow no more than $35.5 million for 2006 projects. Indeed, Giambra had once figured the county could get by with $30 million. Then came the consent decree with Erie County Medical Center, which forces the government to continue subsidizing hospital operations and capital improvements through the decade.

Of the $54.8 million to be borrowed, $32 million is bound for ECMC. Most of it will go to an obligation due June 30, and $15 million is due early in 2007, Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz told the directors. That leaves County Hall with $22 million for roads, bridges, improvements to Erie Community College and county attractions, including Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Giambra's point man on Erie County's recovery plan, James M. Hartman, reminded members they were told in January that the government planned to borrow as much as $54.8 million this year, and the directors then did not object. And to counter Kruly's assertion that the ECMC settlement should have forced other cutbacks, Hartman said that letting facilities decay creates a hidden deficit.

"Yes, the county's borrowing and capital investment has grown, but I would argue that during the period of the 1990s it was too low," Hartman said. "It was, in fact, inadequate . . . if you do not make proper investment in infrastructure it is a form of hidden deficit that catches up to you in future years."

The control board, reinventing itself after the departures of former Chairman Edward V. Regan and Vice Chairman P. David Campbell, has quickly confronted Giambra and the Legislature. Board members have invited the Buffalo Niagara Partnership to play a greater role in prodding the government to follow through on dozens of ideas to save money, and they let a partnership representative complain about county inaction at a recent meeting.

To respond, Hartman gave the control board a report on actions by Giambra and the Legislature. As the partnership suggested, they restored resources to the county clerk's office so it can more rapidly collect fees; insisted on one-operator snowplows where possible; rehired a fleet manager so the department can be run better; and will charge towns for Sheriff's Department road patrols starting in 2007.

The government was not able to eliminate taxpayer subsidies to ECMC or ECC, Hartman wrote, and union contracts do not allow some of the changes at county parks that the partnership proposed. However, officials did raise greens fees, camping fees and boat launch fees.

The Legislature, so far, has done nothing to reduce lawmakers' salaries or to eliminate their district offices, his report indicated.


e-mail: mspina@buffnews.com

i've been outta the country for three days now, do we have any new scrapers i should know about? please say yes.
Hasn't been a big year for scrapers. too warm.


http://www.taylorgifts.com/images/p28977b.jpg

;)

i've been outta the country for three days now, do we have any new scrapers i should know about? please say yes.

Yeah, this was proposed yesterday:

http://www.allhatnocattle.net/federation%20skyscraper.jpg

Yeah, this was proposed yesterday
The developer said it was ribbed for our pleasure. I'm not sure I'm gonna agree with that.

Our office has some continuing work going on on the Harry's Harborfront thingy, which consists of 2-20 story towers (I found the project folder one day in the file room when I was looking for one of my own projects).

Have no idea where that's going (status-wise) though.

What's up with this casino project, are we going to see anything of this proposal, or is it going to continue to be in litigation?

No Casino. Buffalo doesn't want a Casino. Casino=Bad for Buffalo. Haven't you seen Sarg's signature? (I'm not being sarcastic by the way)

Anything you say son :master:

The county is sueing to stop the demolitions for the casino. They're concerned that the Seneca Gaming Corp has not done any environmental hazard studies and they may be releasing lead/asbestos, etc into the air... or disposing of it improperly.

The senecas are just ignoring the county and continuing with the demolitions.

I guess thats what happens when you have a soveriegn nation in your backyard...I'll be sad to see H-O Oats go...

The county is sueing to stop the demolitions for the casino. They're concerned that the Seneca Gaming Corp has not done any environmental hazard studies and they may be releasing lead/asbestos, etc into the air... or disposing of it improperly.

The senecas are just ignoring the county and continuing with the demolitions.
What'd I say a little while back about hazmats?!?!?

Man how I'd love it if it were discovered at the start of construction that that site had massive hazmat issues or something. That'd be justice.Buffalo Development News 6 p#86, 05/05/06 1237 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=8340359&postcount=86)

Like Yogi Berra, it's "deja vu all over again".

But as Homestar alluded, being sovereign land we can't do any more than suggest, really. But it could turn out being a serious health concern, something I'm sure the Senecas would rather avoid. They can't in good conscience say "Come to our casino at your own health risk". Though they've made it clear they're not marketing from a tourism standpoint, so maybe...

After all, what, they're only Poles from Chicktiwasa, right DT? :)

Speaking of "our" ever-loving casino, I got a good look at that Kenworth warehouse they're keeping in case they need their "Emergency Casino", for the first time since I heard about it. Man, what a classy joint that'll make. My girlfriend hadn't heard about it, and when I mentioned it she said "that's the gayest thing I've ever heard".

from the beginning the whole Casino deal was between the Senecas and the Albany assholes...Buffalo never had a say, never really cared...and now, when its too late there is a HUGE problem with it all.

I'm not a casino type person, I dont bet my money away and I don't like all the glam and glitter of it all myself, BUT...there was an agreement, its done, and soon there will be a Casino on that land in the cobblestone district.

since this is soverign land, remember the Indians are not effected as much by propery tax rates, sales tax and the GOOD and BAD things that will happen to Buffalo as a city in their own right.

Just build the casino, don't avoid it now...just a waste of time.

in my opinion the city is the dumb ass here...they are trying to stall the building...knowing damn well its gonna be built, in the end all they are gonns do is lose money in some limited sales tax revenue...the Senecas are losing nothing at all. lol

don't forget... the "sovereign land" bit is misleading. They are REQUIRED to follow federal laws and regulations and some state regulations. And the Senecas are claiming that they are following those laws.

The problem is that they feel they don't have to prove it to anyone, so they don't bother with the usual environmental studies.

It's a recurring theme with them. They say "just trust us" while we have no clue what they are doing. For all we know they may be blowing asbestos all over the city and dumping lead into the ground water... but we'll never know, will we.

They don't seem to realize that all this secrecy and shouting about "sovereignty" is just making everyone distrust them more and more. If they would just be open about it and show some proof of safety... or put it in writing that they won't buy more land, then the city would not be dragging it's feet as much on this project.

They seem to be completely clueless about PR.

Their current method (shouting "F**K YOU BUFFALO, AND GIVE US YOUR MONEY") probably isn't the best path for them to take.

They have been running those "Senaca Gaming Corporation is good for everyone" commercials all throughout the playoffs for the Sabres on MSG, and they are very annoying commercials

It's a recurring theme with them. They say "just trust us" while we have no clue what they are doing. For all we know they may be blowing asbestos all over the city and dumping lead into the ground water... but we'll never know, will we.

Oh well... Love Canal, Bethlehem Steel... it's the norm for this area.

Just breathe in and get your daily dose of cancer! Enjoy -- it's complimentary.

They have been running those "Senaca Gaming Corporation is good for everyone" commercials all throughout the playoffs for the Sabres on MSG, and they are very annoying commercials
Yes they are. Half the projects they quote were pipe dreams in the first place, not to mention those things not completed have provided more public benefit in their non-existant status than a completed casino will. Acting like they're the only group investing in the city. How many lofts have they created? How have they helped the progress on the waterfront? Etc, etc...

Oh well... Love Canal, Bethlehem Steel... it's the norm for this area.

Just breathe in and get your daily dose of cancer! Enjoy -- it's complimentary.
Yeah, but we usually like to export it to Canada apparently. Technology has gotten so advanced, that we can actually predetermine the destination of pollutants. I don't know what's going to happen if we try to keep our fair share at home - look at Niagara Falls hydropower for instance. Better watch it, or Albany will sic a "New York Pollution Authority" on us as well!

Indeed... Here we are, polluting Toronto AGAIN.

http://home.comcast.net/~justinmarkvii/kyoto_1.JPG

tsk tsk tsk

I dunno about us...

Indeed... Here we are, polluting Toronto AGAIN.

http://home.comcast.net/~justinmarkvii/kyoto_1.JPG

Hey....Those stacks are in Canada and that smoke is headed for Buffalo....WTF

Hey....Those stacks are in Canada and that smoke is headed for Buffalo....WTF
Implausible, impossible, and utterly reprehensible. How dare you imply that Canada is polluting the US.

The only plausible explaination is that it must be an American company doing the poluting and the Canadians are being forced to work in the factory.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2006/05/15/daily42.html?jst=b_ln_hl


Restoration nearly done on Darwin Martin
Business First of Buffalo - 3:17 PM EDT Thursdayby James FinkBusiness First


For years, visitors to the Darwin Martin House complex could only imagine what the famed Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house looked like in its original 1904 splendor.

Now, they can actually see it - and touch and feel it.



Construction crews are putting the final touches on an $8 million restoration project that has brought back to life the house's pergola, glass-roofed conservatory and carriage house/stable. The work should be completed by September and is the centerpiece of an overall $30 million effort to bring the Martin House campus back to the way Wright envisioned it one century ago.

A fully restored Martin House is also expected to serve as a major boost for the region's economy and tourism business by bringing in a projected 100,000 new visitors a year.

"This was the biggest, the most daunting, the most expensive and most complex of all the phases we undertook," said John Courtin, Martin House Restoration Corp. executive director. "It was also the most improbable. It took a big leap of faith by the board to make this happen."

Board members lead the charge to raise the money necessary to rebuild the center section of the Martin House complex. The pergola, conservatory and carriage house were demolished in the early 1960s to make way for some apartments.

The apartments were acquired by the Martin House Restoration Corp. and demolished to make way for the reconstruction.

"We have created something that no one has seen in the last half century," Courtin said. "Now, the irony in all this instead of showing pictures of the pergola and explaining how it was demolished to make way for the apartments, we are going to have to show pictures of the apartments and explain how they were knocked down for the pergola."

Still, the nearly completed Martin House complex is about to re-create a piece of Buffalo's history that was nearly lost.

"It gives me chills," Courtin said, "to see the buildings almost done."

Restaurant will stay open through end of year. Uniland eyes site for condos.

By SHARON LINSTEDT
News Staff Reporter
5/20/2006

The venerable Park Lane Restaurant is now owned by Amherst's Uniland Development Co., which is eyeing the prime Gates Circle address for a condominium project.
Uniland purchased the restaurant building and adjacent parking lot on Friday from restaurateur William Koessler for $10.2 million. The restaurant will stay open through the end of the year, and Koessler will continue to operate Park Lane Catering.

He also will continue to stage special events at the Statler Golden Ballroom, and Terrace, Embassy and Rendezvous rooms in downtown Buffalo.

Uniland is said to be contemplating razing the restaurant building to erect a high-rise, luxury condominium tower, but has yet to make its intentions public.

"We will continue the due-diligence phase already under way before narrowing any of the options being considered for the Gates Circle location," said Uniland spokesman Tom Widzinski.

When the deal was first announced in March, the developer also pledged to consider the "fabric of the community" and the location's "Frederick Law Olmsted heritage" as it weighs development options.

The Park Lane's place on Buffalo's menu dates back to the 1920s, when it opened in a Georgian mansion on Gates Circle. The restaurant became a fixture on the local dining scene and its maitre d', Peter Gust Economou, became a local celebrity.

In 1971, the original building burned to the ground, but new owners brought the business back to life two years later in the current, Tudor-style building.

By the mid-1980s, the sagging economy began to take its toll on the business and the 500-seat restaurant went dark in 1997. Koessler and business partners bought the building at a bank foreclosure auction later that year and pumped more than $1 million into upgrades to give it a new lease on life.

Koessler has vowed to honor all bookings and to keep the doors open until the end of December when he plans to go out with a "big, last hurrah" on New Year's Eve.


e-mail: slinstedt@buffnews.com

Some Bflo pics in the "Cityscapes and Skyline Photos" section of SSC

Here's an Update from ground zero of the Eastern finals...... The Hurricanes fans are being total ASSHOLES to the Buffalo fans. I was listening to 96 Rock (a radio station in Raleigh) and they said that people area spraypainting Buffalo Sucks on cars with NY license plates... and the guy who works for the radio station was laughing about it and essentially cheering them on. My dad personaly knows 2 of the hurriances players (Ron Frances and Rod Brind'Amour) because he built their houses, so I am supposed to be a hurricanes fan. But I'm definitely rooting for the Sabres who last time I heard a little while ago, where kicking ass.

Don't worry, Buffalo fans are just as bad. Besides -- you can't bash people from Raleigh; 98% of their population is from Western New York! :)

That being said, GO SABRES!

No, only 499 Erie County residents left for Raleigh-Durham from 1999-2004, which frankly surprised me to read that. I think the WNY influence down there, while significant, is greatly overstated.

Nah, there really aren't a whole lot of WNY people here in Raleigh. Charlotte has earned the nickname "South Buffalo", but most of the people who transplant here from NY come from the NYC area. It goes by interstates. Raleigh is closer to I-95 so all of the Boswash transplants come here. Not to mention that most of the transplants in Wake County are actually from other parts of the south.

wonder if all those hockey fans in NC really wanna get dirty with the Buffalo fans? I mean there are more of us, we are a bit more nutty and all in all...we stuck around for this shit storm (NYS taxes and bullshit) and we are still alive.

After this series with the Sabres and Hurricanes, I will never consider moving to NC...ever.

and it takes alot to say that because most of my moms side is living in the metro Charlotte area (which sucks) might I add.

Just a bit of information on that, they all moved from NY in search of better jobs...so far they ALL had better jobs here in NY before they left and now are working in service industry jobs which they could have found in the Rochester or Buffalo markets...dummies. :)

Nah, there really aren't a whole lot of WNY people here in Raleigh. Charlotte has earned the nickname "South Buffalo", but most of the people who transplant here from NY come from the NYC area. It goes by interstates. Raleigh is closer to I-95 so all of the Boswash transplants come here. Not to mention that most of the transplants in Wake County are actually from other parts of the south.
According to the same article, "just" 1,042 Erie County residents moved to Mecklenburg County during the same period. That still seems awful low, a drop in the bucket really. I think you have far more Massachusetts and southern New England-NYC-NJ honestly, like you say. Those areas just tend to attract more people and it's not resulting in a net loss.

Just a bit of information on that, they all moved from NY in search of better jobs...so far they ALL had better jobs here in NY before they left and now are working in service industry jobs which they could have found in the Rochester or Buffalo markets...dummies. :)

That's what I say all the time. Why do you leave a job and an area, and cite lack of jobs as the reason you moved? How many jobs does one person need? And they couldn't have all been laid-off steel workers either. Those people tend not to have the skills or the desire to work in a service-related field. Not with today's more educated workforce.

Same goes for the economy. If you had a decent job, why does it matter? Doesn't affect me and my finances, shouldn't have affected them. Dummies is right, I guess we're best to hope it's addition by subtraction.

Don't forget the weather ! Atleast it's Warm & Sunny their Most of time vs
bitter Cold Snowy most of the time in Buffalo & If your Lucky,you might have
2 or 3 Months of Summer !
Also if you look at this Board Carolina's Development Their's Actually a
Thing called Developments going on ! Tons & Tons of new projects being

being... what?

You'll also note that much of their development is suburban. If we talked suburban here, we'd be listing just as much.

And get with it, snow is fun. Show me a blizzard that destroys property faster than a hurricane or tornado. If you move for weather, you're either old or you're a pussy. Humans as a species are becoming progressively weaker, it's a biological fact. If it's so bad here, why are you here? The Senecas aren't blocking the Thruway (not that I know), so you should be able to get out scot-free. Besides, it's a statistical fact that Buffalo experiences more days with 60°+ temperatures than it does days with snow on the ground. Check the NWS if you need to. This year, we'll probably experience more 80° or even 90° days than days with snow, the dud that this past winter was.

Anyways, this is all inconsequential as nobody in the article even mentioned weather, they quoted a lack of jobs and a sour economy. Weather was not even mentioned.

And finally, find me a place (on Earth, mind you) where summer lasts more than 3 months. I'd like to see that. I've got a bridge in Brooklyn if you're interested, as well. But beware, their summers aren't much longer than ours and people seem to hang around. Full circle - weather is not an excuse.

And God, damn, learn some proper grammar. And you don't have to hit "enter" when you reach the edge of the text box - just keep typing, it wraps itself - wonders! You speak like you live a few wrong-turns away from a big-box Carolina strip mall road. Do you have a toilet sitting in your front yard, as well? And if so, do you actually use it?

Don't forget the weather ! Atleast it's Warm & Sunny their Most of time vs
bitter Cold Snowy most of the time in Buffalo & If your Lucky,you might have
2 or 3 Months of Summer !
Also if you look at this Board Carolina's Development Their's Actually a
Thing called Developments going on ! Tons & Tons of new projects being

It's definitely not warm and sunny here MOST of the time. More of the year than in WNY, yeah, but NC ain't Florida. Not to mention that the summers here SUCK. Personaly, I'd take Buffalo and Rochester's harsh winter but then very pleasant summer and beauiful fall over Raleigh's warmER winter (I say warmER because it is definitely not "warm", winters here usually have highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's), horribly pollen ridden spring in which you CAN NOT escape the runny nose, scratchy throat and water eyes for 2 months, and then brutal summer where you can't go outside. WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT IN MOVING TO A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE TO SPEND WINTER COOPED UP INSIDE TO A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE TO SPEND SUMMER COOPED UP INSIDE? Oh yeah... and their is no fall season here. The trees change colors for seriously, maybe a week, and then they go bare. The cool temeperatures come later sure, but who cares about that when you can't even experience the beauty of fall colors? If these people moving for weather were intelligent, they'd realize that it's way better to be able to go outside durring summer, when most people actually WANT to spend all of their time outside, than being able to spend a little more time outside durring the winter and avoiding a lot of snow. I agree...... DUMMIES.

I was working on this project at work a few weeks ago...its going to be a 13 or 14 story luxury condo building. I guess its old news tho, thats what everyone said when i made the announcement as if i had some behind the scenes info.

Restaurant will stay open through end of year. Uniland eyes site for condos.

By SHARON LINSTEDT
News Staff Reporter
5/20/2006

The venerable Park Lane Restaurant is now owned by Amherst's Uniland Development Co., which is eyeing the prime Gates Circle address for a condominium project.
Uniland purchased the restaurant building and adjacent parking lot on Friday from restaurateur William Koessler for $10.2 million. The restaurant will stay open through the end of the year, and Koessler will continue to operate Park Lane Catering.

He also will continue to stage special events at the Statler Golden Ballroom, and Terrace, Embassy and Rendezvous rooms in downtown Buffalo.

Uniland is said to be contemplating razing the restaurant building to erect a high-rise, luxury condominium tower, but has yet to make its intentions public.

"We will continue the due-diligence phase already under way before narrowing any of the options being considered for the Gates Circle location," said Uniland spokesman Tom Widzinski.

When the deal was first announced in March, the developer also pledged to consider the "fabric of the community" and the location's "Frederick Law Olmsted heritage" as it weighs development options.

The Park Lane's place on Buffalo's menu dates back to the 1920s, when it opened in a Georgian mansion on Gates Circle. The restaurant became a fixture on the local dining scene and its maitre d', Peter Gust Economou, became a local celebrity.

In 1971, the original building burned to the ground, but new owners brought the business back to life two years later in the current, Tudor-style building.

By the mid-1980s, the sagging economy began to take its toll on the business and the 500-seat restaurant went dark in 1997. Koessler and business partners bought the building at a bank foreclosure auction later that year and pumped more than $1 million into upgrades to give it a new lease on life.

Koessler has vowed to honor all bookings and to keep the doors open until the end of December when he plans to go out with a "big, last hurrah" on New Year's Eve.


e-mail: slinstedt@buffnews.com

If you read USA Today weather report daily WNY 99% percent of the time is one
of the coldest Places in North American, Actually for the last week it's been the Coldest in North American Where Most Of the US is in 70,'s 80's & 90"s and even way up in Canada in Calargy to Winnipeg it's in the 70's & 80's Buffalo is in the 50's (buy the way Raleigh NC 81 today & tommorow) all of North American is Covered in Yellows
& Oranges except for WNY Area which is greens & blues and it's Already The End of May!

^^ As is the bulk of the northeast east of Michigan due to a low-pressure system that's been hanging around for over a week now (ask New England) - prior to that it was sunny for two weeks straight and in the 70s - IN APRIL!

It doesn't surprise me that Calgary and Winnipeg see warm temperatures - they may very well be warmer. Latitude is not the sole determinant in weather. Look at Europe - Buffalo and Rome are roughly the same latitude, but look at the differences in climate. Italy is akin to Florida by European standards.

Man you're a dipshit, trying to justify the totem pole you have stuck up your ass by arguing weather - and from USA Today no less lol. If we had a summer where we never got above 70, that'd be fine and dandy by me. My favorite temperature.

Oh and I can't "buy the way" in Raleigh. Ways, i.e. roads, are usually owned by the state or local municipality, and as such are not for sale. But good for them and their 81 (I mean it, really), I'll mail their Mayor a cookie. (I'm glad you mentioned it was in NC too, otherwise I would sent the cookie to Raleigh Newfoundland and they would wonder why I sent them a cookie.) And Durham too, I'm in a giving mood. But it'll be high-70s here by next weekend, so I don't know what good it'll do. I'd give Calgary a cookie too, but my heart's with Edmonton; and you know, the whole Battle of Alberta this time of year, not a good idea.

I'll give you some credit though, it looks as though you may have laid off of the enter key. You can teach a quail-tard new tricks, after all.

Though you still conveniently avoided my questions.

If you read USA Today weather report daily WNY 99% percent of the time is one
of the coldest Places in North American, Actually for the last week it's been the Coldest in North American Where Most Of the US is in 70,'s 80's & 90"s and even way up in Canada in Calargy to Winnipeg it's in the 70's & 80's Buffalo is in the 50's (buy the way Raleigh NC 81 today & tommorow) all of North American is Covered in Yellows
& Oranges except for WNY Area which is greens & blues and it's Already The End of May!


Wait a minute...... You can read? Then why the hell can't you (pr shpuld I say "ypu") type?

I was working on this project at work a few weeks ago...its going to be a 13 or 14 story luxury condo building. I guess its old news tho, thats what everyone said when i made the announcement as if i had some behind the scenes info.

I remember back when it was posted (by you or whomever, I don't remember now) that the article said there was speculation (or outright plans) that it would become the site of a condo tower. But maybe some of the others missed it, I dunno. I know sometimes you need to read something a few times to pick up all the details.

Technically old news, but tolls seem to be all the rage lately...


By TOM PRECIOUS
News Albany Bureau
5/19/2006

http://www.buffalonews.com/graphics/2006/05/19/actualsize/0519tollmap.jpg

ALBANY - The Thruway's congested Williamsville toll barrier will be moved 11 miles east to Newstead, where drivers with electronic passes will be able to zip through a new toll-collection facility at highway speeds, Thruway officials announced Thursday.
The project, which will cost upwards of $80 million and be completed by 2010, will reduce bottlenecks and improve traffic safety near the spot where the busy Thruway and Youngmann Highway merge.

"We know people have been waiting a long time for this to come to fruition," said Michael Fleischer, executive director of the Thruway Authority.

Currently unknown is the fate of tolls at Exit 49, at Transit Road, which would be west of the new barrier.

The timing of the announcement came after the Federal Highway Administration signed off on a seven-volume, draft environmental-impact statement for the project.

Thruway officials for years have discussed moving the Williamsville barrier - on a curve and too close to the Youngmann Highway (I-290) interchange and the Transit Road exit.

The barrier, which handles about 47,000 vehicles a day, is the Thruway system's second-busiest toll location. The traffic passing through the facility is nine times what it handled when it first opened in 1954.

"This is huge. This will change the dynamic of a whole lot of traffic in Western New York," said State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Williamsville.

Officials said the main solution to reliving congestion - installation of highway-speed toll lanes for E-ZPass customers - could not be accommodated at the Williamsville location. The Newstead construction, set to begin in 2008, will install separate lanes for cash-paying motorists off the main highway while lanes for E-ZPass users will be on the main roadway, with overhead devices monitoring the tolls. It will be the debut of the highway-speed toll collection system in the region.

Construction will cost $60 million, with $10 million to $20 million additional for land acquisition and engineering costs. Thruway officials said five acres of largely wooded land in Newstead will be purchased or acquired through eminent domain.

Newstead officials reacted cautiously to the development.

"It's not the best news," said Newstead Supervisor David Cummings, noting that the idea of a Newstead barrier has previously generated opposition. He declined to comment further until he had more information.

Rath, noting that for 25 years local officials have been trying to get the Thruway Authority to move the Williamsville barrier, said backups and idling trucks at the barrier lead many commuters to use Main Street in Williamsville to access the Kensington Expressway and other routes. She said demolishing the barrier will sharply reduce traffic in the village and enhance traffic flows on the Thruway and its connection to the Youngmann.

The Newstead barrier, which will not include an exit, will be between North Millgrove Road and South Newstead Road - between the Thruway's 48A and 49 interchanges.

Fleischer said officials are considering the future of Exit 49 tolls.

"The tolling issue will be a separate analysis," said Fleischer, who noted that the agency will consult with local officials. "We have to do a real traffic assessment on what the road can handle and what the community wants."

Fleischer said the new plan does not address whether to keep tolls at the Niagara Thruway's Black Rock and Ogden barriers. Critics have been waging a war with Thruway officials to get them to drop the 75-cent tolls, which they say is an unfair commuter tax on workers heading into Buffalo.

Fleischer and Rath will hold a public meeting on the plan beginning at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evening in Gleasner Hall on the North Campus of Erie Community College.

The toll barrier project was included last year, when Thruway tolls were raised as part of a seven-year, $2.6 billion capital program along the nation's longest toll road.


e-mail: tprecious@buffnews.com

If you read USA Today weather report daily WNY 99% percent of the time is one of the coldest Places in North American!
Wow. You really are an ignorant tool.

So are we going to see the Niagara Toll barrier removed as well, because that would be great too....

good news though for those who frequent BNIA and have to drive to Buffalo or Niagara, they now will not have to pay to travel the short distance between the airport and the toll barrier.

^^ Well one would think the I-190 tolls will be gone this time next year, if politicians' keeping their word means anything.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!

But seriously. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Or in Suozzi's case, keeping them but tagging it to EZ-Pass so locals don't pay - fleece the Canadians instead - they're not going anywhere as long as the US Dollar continues it's fall.

Better yet, just remove I-190 (south of the Peace Bridge at least) along with the tolls. Then they can't bitch about a maintenance shortfall. Either that, or it means I-190 collected money is going elsewhere on the system.

Wow. You really are an ignorant tool.
No he's not. Tools are useful for accomplishing work. He's useless.

I found the 190 to be a good way to get to the HSBC coming from Rochester, just thought it rediculous that I paid what $2.20 from LeRoy and then paid $.75 for a mile trip down the 190.

I'm sure the politicians were just riding that one out, until it fell to backpage news...ON TO THE NEXT CRUSADE!!!!

If you want a cheaper, straighter, and not too much slower ride, just take Rte. 33 all the way from I-490 to BNIA, and take the Kensington all the way in; follow the signs to the arena. 33 between Bergen and Buffalo isn't bad, I've taken it a few times.

It's not really the "cost" thats important per say, just the pure shock I was in when it was 75 cents for a mile long trip...imagine if I got off at the first exit, would be something like 3 dollars a mile. CRAZY! thank goodness we don't have that crazyness in Rochester.

No, but your roads are largely in shit condition though. I was on the 490 a couple of months ago and I thought its was as if Region 4 Maintenance had fallen off the deep end - potholes, cracks, and faded signs that look at least 30 years old. Whether it's worth 75 cents though, probably not.

Some cool new Buffalo images in the city photos section

If you read USA Today weather report daily WNY 99% percent of the time is one
of the coldest Places in North American, Actually for the last week it's been the Coldest in North American Where Most Of the US is in 70,'s 80's & 90"s and even way up in Canada in Calargy to Winnipeg it's in the 70's & 80's Buffalo is in the 50's (buy the way Raleigh NC 81 today & tommorow) all of North American is Covered in Yellows
& Oranges except for WNY Area which is greens & blues and it's Already The End of May!
Coldest place in "North American", eh?
http://users.adelphia.net/~sargeantcm/ssc/07.jpg
http://users.adelphia.net/~sargeantcm/ssc/06.jpg


Take off, hoser.

Aww, it's 79 degrees in Birmingham.

BOOOOOOOOO!!!

Whoopie-ding, it'll be 80 here next weekend!

lies... it'll never be 80 here :cry:

Hey Sargentcm
Go to the 3 PM www.weather.com and look who's the Coldest ! BUFFALO IS 47
IT WENT UP A 1 DEGREE IN 4 HOURS. look how nice the rest of the country & Cananda Warm Up when the Sun came out
Don't forget when its 11am in Buffalo it's only 8am or 9am in the Mid West, Plans &
the West Coast
The Long Range forcast for Buffalo has a High temp of 69 Friday Wheres the High of 80 ya Right ! when I was refering to N. American I wasn't including the Yukon & Northwest Territorys !

Can we talk about development instead of the weather. Don't encourage this guy. It is too hard to figure out what he is writing.

Oh by the way...shouldn't it read North America rather than North American?

Well, Steel, you being in Chicago (therefore in much the same boat), should know that it can be quite difficult to survive a brisk 47° spring day. It really is prohibitive to everything, even moreso when the cold air is apparently isolated to a 10 mile radius around your city and everybody else is warm and toasty.

Unfortunately there is no member here who goes by sargentcm, and it's rather impossible to go back in time on a website showing current conditions. But it's also true that this doofus either can't read, or he's checking USA Today again.

http://users.adelphia.net/~sargeantcm/ssc/08.JPG

I'll grant you the time difference, but then please explain why Pittsburgh, at essentially the same longitude and farther south was cooler all day until the system passed them.

And when you say North American, I'm assuming you mean North America, of which Nunavut and the Yukon and Northwest Territories are very much a part. I suppose Alaska isn't NA, and Scandinavia isn't Europe?

I'll egg him on until he says something correct, within context, and with proper grammar and punctuation. By this rate, we'll all be dead or speaking Chinese by then.

I mean, think about it for a second (not anymore, he's not worth the time). He's using today's weather to back up his point why people left 5 years ago, while he himself remains. Guess that's what you get when Mommy & Daddy don't let you out of your cage and into the outside because you can't survive, let alone spell your own name correctly. When this passes he'll argue Buffalo sits north of Toronto.

To almost get off the topic of weather, and more on the topic of having your claws come out in defense of Buffalo, a local news anchor said this on Raleigh's 6:00 news today in reference to the Sabres Victory over the Hurricanes; "It's all good though because at least we don't have to spend half the year shoveling snow; Buffalo basicaly won because they took advantage of opportunities more than the hurricanes did, and not really because they have more talent." I REALLY hate this place and all of it's douch-bag, holier-than-thou-because we moved to a charecterless city in the south-attitude.

People are douche bags everywhere, young one.

Yes, but I feel we have a much higher proportion of them here in the triangle... most likely due to the large influx of NYC people mixed with the "old south aristocracy" of "inside the beltline" Raleigh.

They say the best revenge is living well... only problem is in no case is there a way for the subject to really see you doing such, whatever the situation; without making yourself look vain.

Point is, if that is truly how they spend their lives, then that is just as bankrupt and characterless as their city, and that is no way to live. Let them think they're enjoying their crapulent yet pitiful existance.

I'd rather live in a shithole and try to make the best of it rather than living somewhere great yet always missing something and having to take out my failings on someone else. Whatever you think of the meaning of life, like I said, that's no way to live.

Let them eat cake. It'll come back to them in the end (cake is fattening). And if that doesn't get them, the gas prices and eventual shortages will.

*****

I don't know about what the mods think, but I'd be all for a sort of "skybar" thread around here for non-development discussion. I'm thinking Buffalo in particular (as it's the forum I'm most familiar with), but some other city's reps could probably latch onto the idea as well. Some of this is valid discussion in it's own right, but it doesn't belong in a Development forum. I know I'm just as much to blame as anyone here, but that shouldn't stop me from suggesting it.

As for the 'Canes, who cares what they think. Buffalo is on a mission, and well if they should fail, Edmonton is on a mission as well. Hell to all those who try to beat us both. No hurricane ever hit Alberta, that I know of.