2008 - My predictions in Buffalo, NY (Amherst, Kent: section 8, real estate, renters)

[FedupWNY]

Too easy to judge a book by it's cover.

[itSmellsBAD]

Crime is horrible in the city, and it's not just in so-called bad areas. If you move from the suburbs to the city, your car insurance will double. It doesnt matter what part of the city you move to. Your car insurance will double. That about says it all.

[amylynn83]

No, it doesn't "say it all." Have you ever lived in the city? In North Buffalo, for instance, or the Elmwood Village? Lots of people do, and I can tell you that most of them are not out getting mugged or shot.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by amylynn83

Most violence in the city is gang related and concentrated in the east and west sides. Every city has its crime.

Personally, I would rather live in the city where the buildings have character than in a cookie cutter suburb.

I grew up in the country about an hour away from Buffalo. I was intimidated when I moved to the city, but then I discovered that the crime is over exaggerated. I feel safe here; I think that anyone who gives it a chance would.

Hate to admit it, but I LOVE the Buffalo suburbs! Downtown is great for partying (or at least Chippewa or Elmwood) and Shea's is great. But I'd be bored living there because ever since they built that "transit system" on Main Street, it's slowed down so much!

[SnuggieNuggie]

I predict snow

[The716]

Rumour also has it that Jim Kelly may be working with Donald Trump to help keep the Bills in Buffalo down the line... works for me. T&C

[The716]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

This is strictly of the City of Buffalo (not all of "upstate WNY")

1.) I predict our new County Executive's concept of running government like a business will tank by mid-year.

2.) I predict an increase to residential living in downtown Buffalo.

3.) I predict a major company will invest/build in Buffalo (without any government inticement .. aka Bass Pro)

4.) I predict more businesses opening in my neighborhood.

5.) I predict a lower crime rate.

More business is a good thing, as long as they are along the lines of a local butchers shop, bakery, tailor, cobbler, dairy, etc. Other than that type of new business in a neighborhood is not very neighborly. T&C

[groove1]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

shibainu and BuffaloTransplant, don't you ever tire of pessimisticness?

Will anyone ever be recognized for having a positive outlook here?

We all know the definition of a crazy person...doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

shibainu and BuffaloTransplant, don't you ever tire of pessimisticness?

Will anyone ever be recognized for having a positive outlook here?

You missed my point entirely. The city is getting old and it needs a reawakening, but it needs more than just predictions. It needs common sense planning.

The comment I made related to the list in the News a while back of falling down old buildings/houses (mostly in bad areas of the east side) which slumlords ( and you know we have them) don't pay taxes on ( hurts the economy, doesn't it?) and/or don't keep up ( hurts the people living in them, if anyone does at all) -- buildings which are now so bad the city can tear them down. One slated for tear-down is the house my husband was born in -- when it was a nice area (E. Ferry). At that time, it was a neighborhood full of working class people, lots of shops and double homes and homes above stores ( granted, it is over 60 years ago). He knows the building is decrepit -- it was even when he was little and his family chose to move out and buy a bigger dopuble, still on the east side!. If the older building has stood another 50 years, and was decrepit when they left, and is on a list of homes to be torn down.... what better use for the area ( and the list on the street was long and also those around it...apply it to all large areas like this ) than to build homes and stores of market value, not just the ones which get govt. subsidies [and the (low income ) people only have to live there 3 years and then can sell at market value and make a darn good buck on it? (I know people who have done it)]

The city needs to have more than what is in the current housing / neighborhood areas to attract people to move in.... the prices for homes in the Elmwood area are higher than the real value (unless truly having value being restored) , in N. Buffalo some are going down in value. You need stores.... Wegmans on Amherst in N. Buffalo is about the only good supermarket I know and small shops are closing -- people go shop in the burbs. You need shops to attract people to live there, not just coffee shops or convenient or gas, real neighborhood stores.

When you have large areas with many homes going to be torn down, the city might be smart to work with a developer to build to attract the middle class, not just recreate the problems of the past... people are looking in towns for neighborhoods; if it was decent in the city, they'd do the same. If you don't get a good nucleus of people who will come and stay, you can't get that done.

An example: When I was in college (1960s), you didn't dare walk down Chippewa alone, fearing you'd get "propositioned" or be "rolled" by a bum. The place was a mess. It took a lot of guts for people to clean up the street. When they did, it came out great. Elmwood wasn't so hot either 35 years ago. Apts were ratty in the area and many 3 BR [ from Ashland to Grant , n. of W. Ferry ] were rented by college students -- 3 kids, up to 200/each/month -- those crummy landlords made out terrific. I know; I lived there! It isn't like that now.

Another example: Downtown is dead because businesses won't stay. I came over 40 years ago and there were tons of department stores: AM&A's, Hengerer's, Kobackers, Sample, Hens & Kelly, Jenss, LLBerger... and my husband remembers others, like Flint & Kent; add to that all the little stores and five-and-dimes like Woolworth's and Grants. Why aren't they still downtown? Start with cars --No parking. People don't use the buses and rail like they did... so now parking is exorbitant downtown. Result? People go to malls, where everything is cookie cutter the same. Those stores all went out of business... well, AM&A's is BonTon and Hengerers has had several reincarnations and is now Macy's.... But Jenss or LLBerger? Where you could get high end merchandise and get it tailored ( even women) for free? No more. The rail is great if you work downtown... not much else. Even places like the Elmwood stip are infiltrated with Starbucks.... the older places are gone. Cookie Cutter chains are in the place of great stores.

I don't see this as me being pessimistic. I see it as looking at the city with an eye to the past and remembering good things and seeing mistakes which had been made and wondering if a change would have prevented it. Would I like to go downtown to shop in a vibrant area? Sure. It isn't there. I can't. Same with housing... I live in the far outlying burbs now. Why? When we were young, it was a cheap house that was only a few years old. It was what wer could afford. You need to put both affordable housing and stores in so people will want to live there.... Buffalo puts one or the other or skew it so you have to be rich or poor to live in the place... or move out beyond the city.

Buffalo continues to make the same mistakes. I hope someday they learn.

[Quadcore]

I am really optimistic,seriously.