BUFFALO - New Buffalo Bills Stadium (72,000)

[RMB2007]

Indeed. It really is an awesome plot of land.

From andynash on Flickr:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/andynash/3348692831/

[ExWNY'er]

I've seen many photos of Buffalo and the waterfront, but that is the best I have seen- that picture really shows the full scope. You get a great sense of the potential that the waterfront has. I'm not sure an NFL stadium is the answer. What a great stretch of land.

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by RMB2007

Indeed. It really is an awesome plot of land.

From andynash on Flickr:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/andynash/3348692831/

Wow that is a LOT of land ....... and makes your realize how small Buffalo is. This stadium project would be huge for Buffalo.

As Buffalo artvoice said "new Buffalo" on the outer harbor ....old buffalo inn harbor

[Jericho-79]

Originally Posted by eMKay

You will likely get your wish, HSBC is moving out and the building will likely get redeveloped. It would make a fantastic mixed use tower.

What? The First Niagra Arena will no longer be used?

That's news to me. What will happen to the Sabres then?

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by Jericho-79

What? The First Niagra Arena will no longer be used?

That's news to me. What will happen to the Sabres then?

Not the Arena, the tower.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by eMKay

It's a damn shame how aviation enthusiasts are treated in the UK (and Europe in general), all the fees and super high prices mean all but the rich are priced out of one of the coolest things a human being can do. Here nearly anyone can do it.

British society is still largely one based on class, entitlement, and privilege. It was the biggest shock for me when I returned to England after a 20 year absence. When you live there, you get used to it but it was jarring to me after life in Canada.

North America is getting less egalitarian each passing decade unfortunately.

[Buffalomatt1027]

a few things:

That middle island- You leave general mills alone. But building up that middle island isnt such a bad idea! it seems like a wasted space with it half empty. Put in a few parking ramps with 1st level retail / food places (like Pegulas rinks are doing)

Parking for the stadium: I think its possible to use First Niagara Center parking lots also for Bills games. The plan was to build small bridges and they could easily make one near the FN Center and utilize that parking ramp and lots.

( For current Bills games I use the ECC lot and the walk from ECC lot to the Ralph cant be ANY longer then from FN Center to the new stadium)

Lastly: Hopefully Freeman isnt full of crap about all this. Next week he is expected to make another presentation i think

[RMB2007]

Any idea what the actual history of the site is?

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by RMB2007

Any idea what the actual history of the site is?

If i had to guess ...... old grain mills or old knocked down steel factories.

[ExWNY'er]

The steel mill was a bit further away, to the southwest in Lackawanna. Though, there is some specialized steel manufacturing going on. I can still recall when there were 30,000 guys working there shifts through day and night with massive smoke stakes billowing over a vast complex. massive operation.

That plot was more for shipping- grain and ore.

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

If i had to guess ...... old grain mills or old knocked down steel factories.

I can get that info for you

[eMKay]

So I spent a couple hours with sketchup, I absolutely love the exterior in the proposal but the interior was just Lucas Oil Stadium plastered in there, it won't work, it needs to be lower, so I designed something similar to Ford Field/New 49ers/Soldier field. Something that will fit in a lower stadium. All luxury seating on one side, small lower tier, huge steep middle tier and some cheap seats with awesome sightlines up top. Very compact, would be very very loud.

[Buffalomatt1027]

wow all those renderings are sweet! nice job!

[RMB2007]

Looking at some old images, this area was certainly a major hive of activity back in the day:



Love this bridge:

[eMKay]

Those were the pictures I was going to copy tomorrow, at work we have a book full of old photos of the site (Top picture, where that small lift bridge on the left is, I work right there)

[Buffalomatt1027]

those old pictures make me kind of sad ...... Buffalo used to be such a big and promising city! I really cant imagine all those big ships on lake erie anymore!

you can also see the Donovan building under construction and the Aud before they lifted the roof and added seating!

[Pelt]

Originally Posted by eMKay

So I spent a couple hours with sketchup, I absolutely love the exterior in the proposal but the interior was just Lucas Oil Stadium plastered in there, it won't work, it needs to be lower, so I designed something similar to Ford Field/New 49ers/Soldier field. Something that will fit in a lower stadium. All luxury seating on one side, small lower tier, huge steep middle tier and some cheap seats with awesome sightlines up top. Very compact, would be very very loud.

Nice job on that, eMKay. I had an old one that I did last year, but I doubt it would fit in that proposed exterior. It's not finished, but those were suites at the endzone areas. I put them there because being that low in the endzone areas, I always thought, made them the worst seats in the house. Seemed "suiteable".

[ExWNY'er]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

those old pictures make me kind of sad ...... Buffalo used to be such a big and promising city! I really cant imagine all those big ships on lake erie anymore!

you can also see the Donovan building under construction and the Aud before they lifted the roof and added seating!

You should try to dig up some old photos of Bethlehem Steel. I found a few I didn't post here. But they are easy to find. The scope of that place was astounding. After WWII, Buffalo was an industrial powerhouse. It was one of the largest cities in the US at that time- as big as San Francisco. Only a handfull of cities like NYC, Boston, Detroit, Philly, LA and Chicago were bigger.

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by ExWNY'er

You should try to dig up some old photos of Bethlehem Steel. I found a few I didn't post here. But they are easy to find. The scope of that place was astounding. After WWII, Buffalo was an industrial powerhouse. It was one of the largest cities in the US at that time- as big as San Francisco. Only a handfull of cities like NYC, Boston, Detroit, Philly, LA and Chicago were bigger.

Yeah i remember learning about Buffalo and how it was a legit big city back in the day. Ill try and google it. Im sure I will find something for Bethlehem steel.

As for the Stadium / Convention Center idea from Freeman: I really hope this guy is blowing smoke up out butts. If this project is real ..... it could help almost give Buffalo a "rebirth" of the city. With the outer and inner habor utilized properly, The Rise of the Roswell Park Medical Campus, and a bunch of other rehab projects like the Larkin Building. A lot of positives coming out of Buffalo during this whole "US depression" The airport, retail, and canadians (tourists) coming over the board to buy stuff is HUGE!

[ExWNY'er]

Buffalo is doing nicely these days. Every week, it seems, there is talk of a new rehab or development. I saw a new rehab on Swan street announced just today. It's happening building by building.