Buffalo needs to accept that it's part of the GTA

[urban 2.0]

(I posted the same thread in the NA skybar, but it was suggest here would be a better place).

Buffalo needs to accept that it's part of the GTA
Ok, I've been saying this for a while, Buffalo's future is dependent on accepting that it's part of the Greater Toronto Area. Once Buffalo finally realizes it's strength is being the gateway city for the GTA, the better their economy will be.

Buffalo should be doing as much as it can to link up with Toronto institutions. Fight for high-speed rail links to the Niagara region, etc.

Discuss.



Buffalo News:

New era’ for WNY, upstate czar vows
By Bill Michelmore - NEWS NIAGARA BUREAU

NIAGARA FALLS — Niagara and Western New York are clearly back on the state’s radar screen, the new upstate chairman of Empire State Development told an audience of business leaders and politicians Thursday.

“There was such a focus over the years on downstate,” Daniel Gundersen said before a sold-out crowd of 220 people in the Conference Center Niagara Falls. “We went decades without an upstate focus, but my appointment was a signal that the governor is very committed to this area.”

In his first public appearance in Niagara County, Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer’s point man for the redevelopment of Western New York promised a “new era for the Niagara region.”

Spitzer has established an upstate headquarters in downtown Buffalo for New York City-based Empire State Development Corp.

State senators and other repre - sentatives, local mayors and legislators attended the breakfast meeting, which was coordinated by Niagara USA Chamber in the conference center’s new Cataract Room.

“I’m a big advocate of this area and I’m stunned you haven’t been able to capitalize on all that you have going for you here,” Gundersen said.

Gundersen, who recently moved from Saratoga Springs and has leased a house in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village, hit the high points of a revitalization blueprint for Niagara County.

The key, he said, is to capitalize on the area’s assets:

• Tourism

• The border relationship with Canada

• Niagara Falls International Airport

• Historic and cultural sites

• Abundant power Regarding the U.S.-Canada border, Gundersen said Empire State Development has opened an office in Toronto and plans to work closely with the Canadian government and southern Ontario agencies to improve cross-border access.

On the issue of electricity, Gundersen said, “I’m a champion for making sure you have an abundance of power at the lowest cost.”

Unlike New York City, which focuses on big projects, the Niagara region is about small business, he said.

“We need to start from the ground up,” Gundersen said. “Where did we put the first dollar? All you have to do is look out the window.” Gundersen was referring to the

multimillion-dollar redevelopment of Old Falls Street, on which the new conference center was built. Once a booming and crowded thoroughfare near the American Falls that housed theaters, nightclubs and shops, Falls Street fell on hard times in the 1970s, and, until recently, languished in disrepair.

“We decided we’d put millions of dollars to redevelop this mall,” Gundersen said. “The goal is to extend that artery through the city. This is just step one, but it has already begun.”

The pedestrian mall will ultimately connect the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel and neighboring attractions to Niagara Falls State Park and the falls.

Gundersen confirmed that USA Niagara Development, a subsidiary of Empire State Development, would stay in Niagara Falls. In January, the state’s development corporation will move into new offices in the historic, art deco Niagara Office Building, which is currently being renovated by Buffalo developer Carl A. Paladino.

Following his broad presentation, Gundersen fielded questions from the audience on a wide range of issues, including one on the overlooked topic of agriculture.

“Agriculture,” Gundersen replied. “It’s the No. 1 industry upstate. Absolutely, positively, we’re committed to that.”

The new upstate development czar summed up his presentation by saying, “Our goal is to make the Niagara region stronger than it has ever been.”

bmichelmore@buffnews.com

[urban 2.0]

I'll add to this by saying one of the biggest mistakes made in NY state in recent years was the stoppage of the Rochester High Speed Ferry.

It would have been Rocherster's gain in a few years. You can't expect success overnight.

[Dimension]

I'll add to this by saying one of the biggest mistakes made in NY state in recent years was the stoppage of the Rochester High Speed Ferry.

It would have been Rocherster's gain in a few years. You can't expect success overnight.

They were spending more time repairing it than running it.

Why do you think Buffalo is in the GTA? Buffalo is in Buffalo Niagara Region.

Buffalo isn't apart of the GTA. It will never be. But, if we would TRY to associate with Toronto institutions as you mentioned, there will be success there. Maybe having M&T Bank expand in to Toronto and Scotia Bank in to Buffalo and Rochester. Also, the high speed rail link would be very nice if we could get funding on our side. Maybe if the BPO and the Toronto Philharmonic? could play some concerts in both cities together.

[SteveT]

i agree and so do most people in the area, however, if the buffalo bills ever moved to toronto then there might be a problem.

the biggest obstruction to keeping this mind-set are all these new border regulations. how could we consider ourselves part of GTA if we need a passport to go there?

[Dimension]

I think, that the GTA and Buffalo Niagara Region should combine and be called the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region (GGHR, or GGH). That way, with can have a board and do things that will benefit both sides of the border such as tourist campaigns for the wine areas in the Niagara Regions and then shopping in Buffalo, and high end shopping in Toronto. Both areas have things that the other doesn't have. Think about what we could be with all things combined. Our population would be greater than NYC's population.

[urban 2.0]

i agree and so do most people in the area, however, if the buffalo bills ever moved to toronto then there might be a problem.

the biggest obstruction to keeping this mind-set are all these new border regulations. how could we consider ourselves part of GTA if we need a passport to go there?

Well with your border wide open with Mexico - I think the real reason for the tight border between Canada and the United States is to stifle business.

NY State should be fighting for rational border policies.

[Dimension]

The state doesn't care about Upstate NY.

[urban 2.0]

The state doesn't care about Upstate NY.

Wow, you have more in common with Toronto than you could ever believe!!

[Spaulding97]

^^^ Why is that?

[Jerome]

Buffalo cannot even accept the fact that it is dependent on it's own suburbs for any economic viability how does anyone expect it to accept being part of the GTA?

[Jerome]

Our population would be greater than NYC's population. and spread over 10 times the land area too - unless you are talking about the greater NYC area which would still have three times our combined population.

[Sabretooth]

Buffalo needs to accept that it's part of the GTA

Ok, I've been saying this for a while, Buffalo's future is dependent on accepting that it's part of the Greater Toronto Area. Once Buffalo finally realizes it's strength is being the gateway city for the GTA, the better their economy will be.

Buffalo should be doing as much as it can to link up with Toronto institutions. Fight for high-speed rail links to the Niagara region, etc
While I don't disagree, there's more to it. Regardless of what the citizenry or even the elected officials believe, if we were truly a gateway region to the GTA (and Canada in general) any business interested in bi-national trade prospects would be able to see through the crap and realize it for what it is. This isn't really happening, and whose fault is it? Probably a combination of mostly federal and state factors, with a little bit of county and municipal sprinkled in for good measure. Starting from the top, we have completely assinine border policy across the board. Continuing lower, we're seeing this effect multiplied by the regressive nature of our state government when it comes to taxation and development, policies which have had a hand in the near destruction of all of Upstate's major cities (probably similar in nature to another should-be binational boomtown, Detroit). Nobody is relocating here because you'd have to be certifiably insane to open a business in this state. NYC gets by on critical mass alone, but even that's showing signs of faltering (remember the malaise of the 70s?). County and municipal compound that further, often based on un[der]funded state mandates.

What you or I think is irrelevant. I think it's great to be situated where we are, but you and I and everyone else can see how little has actually come of it.

BTW, when is that article from?

[jsk1983]

High speed rail from Buffalo to Toronto would be great but keep in mind it would only be attractive if they was high speed border crossing. I've taken the Greyhound to Toronto before and going through customs isn't exactly quick. Everyone is required to get off the bus go into the customs office with their bags and wait in line for the hadful of customs agents to screen all the passengers. If someone has insufficent identification or other reason for suspicion this can take awhile. Of course the fact that the majority of passengers or foreign undoubtably adds to the processing time.

[Sabretooth]

My girlfriend knows a teacher at one of the schools in Cheektowaga and went up to Toronto a few weeks ago to see Dirty Dancing as part of some school-sponsored trip. She said the level of security and inspection applied to that bus was absolutely ZILCH (in both directions, to be fair).

[bjfan82]

Buffalo cannot even accept the fact that it is dependent on it's own suburbs for any economic viability how does anyone expect it to accept being part of the GTA?

he's talking about the Buffalo metro area :doh:

[urban 2.0]

High speed rail from Buffalo to Toronto would be great but keep in mind it would only be attractive if they was high speed border crossing. I've taken the Greyhound to Toronto before and going through customs isn't exactly quick. Everyone is required to get off the bus go into the customs office with their bags and wait in line for the hadful of customs agents to screen all the passengers. If someone has insufficent identification or other reason for suspicion this can take awhile. Of course the fact that the majority of passengers or foreign undoubtably adds to the processing time.

.. couldn't Buffalo create a sort of Free Trade Zone? An international inland "port"?

[urban 2.0]

My girlfriend knows a teacher at one of the schools in Cheektowaga and went up to Toronto a few weeks ago to see Dirty Dancing as part of some school-sponsored trip. She said the level of security and inspection applied to that bus was absolutely ZILCH (in both directions, to be fair).

... isn't that the way it should be? It's your media that's promoted this notion that "everyone" who's not american is "bad and scary". "evil do-gooders".

I don't think a bus full of teens is a real threat to either country. And that's the way it should be.

[homestar]

Buffalo needs to accept that it's part of the GTA
Ok, I've been saying this for a while, Buffalo's future is dependent on accepting that it's part of the Greater Toronto Area. Once Buffalo finally realizes it's strength is being the gateway city for the GTA, the better their economy will be.

Buffalo should be doing as much as it can to link up with Toronto institutions. Fight for high-speed rail links to the Niagara region, etc.
Buffalo is an independent city, and will not be part of the GTA. However most people in Buffalo are fully aware of the economic benefits to partnering more with Toronto to form a mutally beneficial relationship.

The problem is : between Toronto and Buffalo lies an international border that neither city has control over.

Creating a real link between the two cities would require full support not only from New York State and the province of Ontario, but also the US and Canadian federal govts.

So you see, it's not just a matter of Buffalonians acting on this knowledge... it also requires the support of other govt agencies, that have little interest in the matter. This is what slows the whole process down to a standstill. Had Buffalo and Toronto been on the same side of the border, this link would have existed decades ago.

[Sabretooth]

... isn't that the way it should be? It's your media that's promoted this notion that "everyone" who's not american is "bad and scary". "evil do-gooders".

I don't think a bus full of teens is a real threat to either country. And that's the way it should be.
The thing is, by that logic, it would make that same school bus a target for someone who wanted an easy way to get across the border.

I don't disagree, but you have to [try to] think in the mindset of the people that are running this country. Obviously it's difficult and must hurt to be that stupid, but as has been said numerous times before we have no control over it.

So you see, it's not just a matter of Buffalonians acting on this knowledge... it also requires the support of other govt agencies, that have little interest in the matter. This is what slows the whole process down to a standstill. Had Buffalo and Toronto been on the same side of the border, this link would have existed decades ago.
That's precisely the issue, and for the same reason that things here locally take forever to implement - too many layers of government which need to cooperate even just to get a friggin' Rite Aid or something built.

Factor in the matter that Albany is too concerned about spending on legislative pet projects (though you'd think they'd love this for that, maybe not because the vast majority of it would lie in Canada) and not to mention creating new ways to help its citizens abrogate all forms of personal responsibility, and the US government is too busy trying to see how far they can stick a thumb up their own ass (while trying to figure out how to move the Great Lakes to Arizona).

[urban 2.0]

The thing is, by that logic, it would make that same school bus a target for someone who wanted an easy way to get across the border.


... well don't know what school you went to, but our teachers and fellow students would notice a family of mexicans sitting on a bus, or a 50 year old packi.