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I think we are all fully aware of the bleakness in Buffalo for more than 30 years. Having watched suburbia built up, seeing losses of corporate commerce in Buffalo, hearing the negative overtone of the city in all this time isn't helping.
My ideas for this topic was how to increase people back through the city, albeit chain restaurants or retail. A positive idea, imo.
Looking at these two pictures, answer honestly: do we really need more of the same old conversations wallowing in self-pity over the downfall of Buffalo, or should there be a better focus in trying to turn Buffalo around?
In these pictures, would we rather see a downtown today as it's been for many years, or a Main Street with lively citizens deciding on a place to eat/shop?
Imagine if there are suburbanites who come downtown to pay their taxes (or whatever reason) and they stop for a bite to eat, a cup of coffee, purchase a pair of jeans in the city instead of jumping into their SUV and heading back to suburbia.
Margin of error?? The NAR stats aren't a poll, but based on closed sales figures! 3% increase in property value might be meager, but the good news about Buffalo is that we are GROWING even if volume has declined marginally. Gratefully we don't experience the wild ups or downs when it comes to our housing market. Please don't forget that we live here, and are more than aware that the tax and government structure in this area are expensive and far less than perfect. We live it! Loving Buffalo is more than just appreciating its lovely architecture, and there is certainly nothing wrong with having pride in our wonderful city (with all its faults). With regard to our weather, believe it or not some folks really look forward to the cold and the snow and rather love our climate and change of seasons. Our Winters are fun, our Falls are no less than gorgeous, our Springs are invigorating, and our Summers are simply glorious. As a repatriated Buffalonian, I find it refreshing to come to a place like this forum to find others that have hope for Buffalo and want to see it revived. We may not all agree, but it is wonderful to discuss and read the varied ideas and positions.
FedupWNY - I checked out your pictures. It makes me so sad to see desolate spaces like that. I honestly don't like chains, but realistically it may be a good start. If we truly want to draw locals and tourists to the waterfront and downtown, familiar named chain restaurants and shops may be help restart retail downtown.
FedupWNY - I checked out your pictures.It makes me so sad to see desolate spaces like that.
A test of true faith is standing in the middle of Main Street with the only sound in your ears is the Goo Goo Dolls - "Let Love in". It's the best letter ever written to Buffalo.... (in part)
Quote:
Originally Posted by the Goo Goo Dolls
"There's nothin' we can do about
the things we have to do without
the only way to feel again
is let love in"
"You're the only one I ever believed in
the answer that can never be found
the moment we decided to let love in"
1. UB not in the city! 2. We play Football in OP not on the waterfront! 3. RT 33 splits the city on the way to the "Burbs"! 4. Metro Rail killed Main Street!
Nice point of mentioning retail chains I think it may help draw people back to Buffalo as well.
Franchise Chain food is just awful! Stay in the burbs with all the plastic fat SUVS and their fat kids...the city should offer tax breaks to recent grads from CIA to open up here - Buffalo always had great old restaurants that were one of a kind and they are PRECIOUS...Chefs, Santasieros, Quaker Bonnet, the old Park Lane, Rue franklin West, Just Pasta, etc.
So keep your depressing cardboard franchises in the burbs - those guys wouldn't know a good meal if it bit em anyway How much more dumbed down can it get than Tim Hortons? - yeah right..anybody remember Freddy's ? No comparison...
And while we're on the subject, I'd also encourage a really good chinese takeout, a vietnamese restaurant, and a raw restaurant to open here as well. Baltimore does restaurants - especially Italian ones very well - all the rich lawyers from DC make the trip on the weekends...so it is doable...mangia!
Franchise Chain food is just awful! Stay in the burbs with all the plastic fat SUVS and their fat kids...the city should offer tax breaks to recent grads from CIA to open up here - Buffalo always had great old restaurants that were one of a kind and they are PRECIOUS...Chefs, Santasieros, Quaker Bonnet, the old Park Lane, Rue franklin West, Just Pasta, etc.
So keep your depressing cardboard franchises in the burbs - those guys wouldn't know a good meal if it bit em anyway How much more dumbed down can it get than Tim Hortons? - yeah right..anybody remember Freddy's ? No comparison...
And while we're on the subject, I'd also encourage a really good chinese takeout, a vietnamese restaurant, and a raw restaurant to open here as well. Baltimore does restaurants - especially Italian ones very well - all the rich lawyers from DC make the trip on the weekends...so it is doable...mangia!
This would all make a perfect end result, though investment won't be made unless there's people spending in an area, right? My OP was not about turning the entire city into a big-box-Buffalo. Maybe a chain or two to give a little jump-start. Food for thought, (no pun intended) imagine if an Applebee's and IHOP open on Main Street and somewhere in between, a "Betty's Kitchen" opens featuring Granny's old-fashion hot apple pie. Then, seeing there's money to be made, a "Joe's sandwhich stop" opens with fresh baked bread daily and before you know it, everyone wants to be as close to Main Street. Of course it's dreaming, but what does Buffalo have to lose? IMO, encouraging a few chains to settle is much better than downing the city (for another 30 years) because we have nothing, right?
This would all make a perfect end result, though investment won't be made unless there's people spending in an area, right? My OP was not about turning the entire city into a big-box-Buffalo. Maybe a chain or two to give a little jump-start. Food for thought, (no pun intended) imagine if an Applebee's and IHOP open on Main Street and somewhere in between, a "Betty's Kitchen" opens featuring Granny's old-fashion hot apple pie. Then, seeing there's money to be made, a "Joe's sandwhich stop" opens with fresh baked bread daily and before you know it, everyone wants to be as close to Main Street. Of course it's dreaming, but what does Buffalo have to lose? IMO, encouraging a few chains to settle is much better than downing the city (for another 30 years) because we have nothing, right?
Yes, having a franchise in lieu of a boarded up shop is much better...porblem is franchises are expensive investments - need early payoff to make them work...local young talent is a different market..incentivize them! EVen a coffee shop is not expensive to start - I had one in Wash DC - my parents had a donut shop on Grant St. in the 1950's.
I'd check out the rents in commercially viable areas ie Hertel...when I move back to Buffalo that is !
The title of this thread suggests a cause-and-effect relationship that, with all due respect to FedUp, does not seem to exist.
The buildup of suburbia is an effect, the cause is that suburbia is simply where the money and customers are.
Putting aside discussions of the quality (or lack thereof) of the food, looking at chain restaurants in particular, they will simply follow the money. Another issue at work is that in urban locations, a chain must confront the difficulties of retrofitting the restaurant's design to older buildings, plus dealing with zoning restrictions and the lack of parking vs. erecting a new standard-design building on empty land.
Chain restaurants often open locations in urban neighborhoods, but obviously only when their research indicates that it will be profitable. Unfortunately, most locations within the city just do not have the population or daily traffic to support these businesses.
Here in NYC it seems the issues are always the direct opposite of Buffalo's. Here, chain restaurants and stores are sprouting up all over the city and many locals consider this an affront to local culture and a threat to the uniqueness of the city.
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Four things that helped kill Buffalo!
I think it may help draw people back to Buffalo as well.
