Buffalo Development News

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by Seaway

I seriously don't think M&T would ever take over HSBC tower. Too costly a renovation especially when they have two perfectly good buildings just down Main st. Not to mention that M&T has a decent chunk of real estate in the Maryland/DC area... it's region with the most growth.
If anything, I could see First Niagara moving in there in a limited capacity if it outgrows it's new Larkin District HQ.
Of course, I can't picture anything there until the building receives a top to bottom renovation.

It's just too blah for any company looking to impress to want to relocate there.

If Buffalo cant find a company to take over HSBC tower ...... my suggestion is: Give it to the indians. Let them build there casino / hotel. They could easily renovate the building to make it a casino / hotel.

- they would modernize the building
- Bring people downtown (the tower is pretty close to the middle of downtown)
- would bring concerts / events

I see a Win win for the City / indians

[u_u]

The HSBC tower is privately owned and worth millions of dollars, and you think the owners are just going to "give it away"? Or are you proposing that the city or state pay millions of dollars for a good building, to give away? Either way the idea is asanine. The floor plates are also completely unsuitable for a casino, they need fat and short, not skinny and tall buildings. A hotel of some sort could probably work there in the future, but never a casino.

[fubo]

They should let the Senecas buy the tower for their casino location, It would be perfect. Underground parking, The massive base would be ideal for the gaming floors then the tower for the hotel with an elegent restaurant on the top floor. It would be a real kickstart for Canalside fer sure

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by fubo

They should let the Senecas buy the tower for their casino location, It would be perfect. Underground parking, The massive base would be ideal for the gaming floors then the tower for the hotel with an elegent restaurant on the top floor. It would be a real kickstart for Canalside fer sure

I shouldve said "let the senecas buy the tower" in my previous statement

But yeah it would be perfect for the city.

- central location
- Main floor def has enough room for a casino
- bring people downtown

Too bad buffalo / the tower owners arent smart enough to go through with the idea.

[ECoastTransplant]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

I shouldve said "let the senecas buy the tower" in my previous statement

But yeah it would be perfect for the city.

- central location
- Main floor def has enough room for a casino
- bring people downtown

Too bad buffalo / the tower owners arent smart enough to go through with the idea.

The lawyers would love this one. First they'd have to have a willing seller. Then they'd have to convince the Feds to designate it as indian territory and the city that it's a good idea to take the tower off the tax roll. And what do you do with Main Street under the tower? Sell it? What about light rail? It would be the first light rail system on sovereign land.

Back to playing Sim City....

[homestar]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

And what do you do with Main Street under the tower? Sell it? What about light rail? It would be the first light rail system on sovereign land.

I'm envisioning a pile of burning tires on the metro tracks every time there's a NY vs. Seneca dispute...

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

The lawyers would love this one. First they'd have to have a willing seller. Then they'd have to convince the Feds to designate it as indian territory and the city that it's a good idea to take the tower off the tax roll. And what do you do with Main Street under the tower? Sell it? What about light rail? It would be the first light rail system on sovereign land.

Back to playing Sim City....

I actually played that game YEARS ago haha

But seriously .... the HSBC tower itself is out of date and gross. What company do you invision moving in?? No Buffalo local companys has enough jobs or need for that much room!!

[ECoastTransplant]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

I actually played that game YEARS ago haha

But seriously .... the HSBC tower itself is out of date and gross. What company do you invision moving in?? No Buffalo local companys has enough jobs or need for that much room!!

It won't be one company- though M&T could fill it and then some if it wanted to consolidate. It'll remain multi-tenant and likely have to go multi-use if/when the bank leaves.

[desertpunk]

If the tower were fully updated and improved, it could attract a tennant with hundreds or even thousands of employees, provided enough incentives are there. If the tower remains as is, it might end up being a data center with maybe a few dozen people inside.

[AndrewJM3D]

A casino is a terrible idea. casino's rarely benefit local economies. It's known as another way to tax the stupid like lotteries.

A great use for that structure could be a a complete exterior renovation, turn the podium into an urban mall and the tower into office/hotel/residential.

I have a few ideas I may toy with in Maya when I get back from my bike ride for you guys. The building needs updating, as it stands right now it's just so damn dreary.
image hosted on flickr

[Numminen27]

I was really hoping that Canalside wouldn't get slowed down, like it is now. It's sad to see not much progress with the canals currently. I hope this changes in the near future. The Donovan makeover will be some much needed progress, however.

[desertpunk]

Originally Posted by Numminen27

I was really hoping that Canalside wouldn't get slowed down, like it is now. It's sad to see not much progress with the canals currently. I hope this changes in the near future. The Donovan makeover will be some much needed progress, however.

I guess they're waiting on a big anchor tennant to take the Bass Pro spot. Funny thing is that Canalside could probably do just as well with a really nice group of unique shops and restaurants.

[Numminen27]

Originally Posted by desertpunk

I guess they're waiting on a big anchor tennant to take the Bass Pro spot. Funny thing is that Canalside could probably do just as well with a really nice group of unique shops and restaurants.

I don't think they are really as focused on getting an anchor tenant as they were anymore. This time the state has put the brakes on the newest phase which is digging the canals to "make sure the money is being used properly" Thank Sheldon Silver for this hold up.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/capi...icle767820.ece

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by AndrewJM3D

A casino is a terrible idea. casino's rarely benefit local economies. It's known as another way to tax the stupid like lotteries.

A great use for that structure could be a a complete exterior renovation, turn the podium into an urban mall and the tower into office/hotel/residential.

I have a few ideas I may toy with in Maya when I get back from my bike ride for you guys. The building needs updating, as it stands right now it's just so damn dreary.
image hosted on flickr

I dont think Buffalo has enough business large enough to fill this building .... even multiple tenants wont work. Now a mall idea for the lower half is actually a solid idea!

[toodeepuntilnow]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

I dont think Buffalo has enough business large enough to fill this building .... even multiple tenants wont work. Now a mall idea for the lower half is actually a solid idea!

There are a couple companies currently located in Amherst that could put a decent dent into this building. A couple more that if you could entice them to move more operations here they could easily fill it.

[fubo]

Originally Posted by toodeepuntilnow

There are a couple companies currently located in Amherst that could put a decent dent into this building. A couple more that if you could entice them to move more operations here they could easily fill it.

How would moving jobs from Amherst to Buffalo, probably with tax subsidies help the economy of WNY?

[homestar]

We have local companies that could fill HSBC, but they generally would not be interested in relocating downtown at all (Geico, for example). On the other hand, someone could have said the same thing about the Larkin building, but First Niagara's relocation from Lockport and company growth was able to fill up that large building.

I don't see a mall having any benefit to the tower. We already have an underutilized downtown mall that isn't used. Seems like it would make more sense to fix up the mall that's already there instead of creating a second mall a couple blocks away.

[homestar]

U.S. Courthouse receives top rating as green building
March 26, 2012, 12:00 AM

Buffalo’s new federal courthouse has earned certification as a top-rated green building.

The courthouse, which opened in November, received gold LEED certification, the top energy-efficiency ranking by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building was designed to use 30 percent less water and 50 percent less energy than the current standards for a facility its size. It also relies on energy-efficient lighting and facade glazing to reduce the amount of heat entering the building during warm weather.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle781036.ece

[toodeepuntilnow]

Originally Posted by fubo

How would moving jobs from Amherst to Buffalo, probably with tax subsidies help the economy of WNY?

Let me know when you find where I said anything about the overall WNY economy at all.

Relocation would help stablize the downtown market and I am much more concerned with what's beneficial to the CBD than a random Amherst business park.

[AndrewJM3D]

Originally Posted by homestar

I don't see a mall having any benefit to the tower. We already have an underutilized downtown mall that isn't used. Seems like it would make more sense to fix up the mall that's already there instead of creating a second mall a couple blocks away.

Are you surprised it's under utilized?



It's really outdated, and according to what I've been reading most of the stores are boarded up. If Buffalo wants to get people back downtown then it needs to create some excitement. As much as I don't think indoor malls are great for the urban fabric, I don't think it would be a negative impact either. And if the mall acted as an anchor to a hotel and condo tower you would essentially turn the area around that building into busy hub year round.

I have the google model for the Marine Midland building but I'm having a hard time converting it to Maya. I may need to hold off on my model until the weekend as I start a new job tomorrow and need to get to bed. I'll probbably just build it from scratch.