Coming to visit Buffalo!!!!! (Union, Arlington: neighborhood, construction, quality of life)

[barblsn]

Originally Posted by MarineFromBuffalo

I can not believe know one has brought up pizza Pizza in Buffalo is amazing. La Novas, Bocce, or Diva's they are amazing.

I am in the Marines Tommy so I dont get to go home as often as I like. When I get home I have to:

Go to Jim's Steakout to get a chickenfinger sub.
Go to Mighty Taco for 6 Mighty Supremes.
Go to Wegmans for one of their HUGE subs.
Go to Elmwood Taco.
Go to Diva's for pizza.
Go to Duff's for chicken wings.
Go to Anderson's for a Beef on Weck and ice cream.
Go to Tim Hortons for a breakfest sandwich and coffee.

My wife hates it sometimes when I am back because I eat like a little fat kid when I am home. But those are some places that I have to go when I come home, and that is straight from a local that goes home maybe twice a year. Enjoy.

SUPER MIGHTYS from Mighty Taco, and Mighty Taco is found only the in the Buffalo area; so its not a chain like Fridays. Go there. You won't regret it.

[FastAsYouCan]

Anchor bar all day! :P

[Buffalonian4life]

Originally Posted by FastAsYouCan

Anchor bar all day! :P

I'd be down with that.

[jenny S]

I mean no disrespect, but I'm sorry, sugarcoating the truth with a response like the one you suggested is rediculous. How many years ago was it that you actually lived in or even visited the East Side, because I would bet good money that it's not the same East Side that you, or I, remember and wish it still was.

I too lived on the East side (and West Side) growing up (Stanislaus St.) and a couple years back on a Saturday afternoon while visiting, I decided to drive past the house we lived in. I was shocked by how bad it looked and how unsafe I felt (I am not the type to fear surroundings or situations, so I was surprised to feel this way). While driving down Filmore Ave. I was stopped by a police car and wondered what traffic violation I had unknowingly broken. When the officer approached my car he asked me where I was going (he assumed I was lost) and told me that it was unsafe for me to be in that area and instructed me to turn around and leave the area.

Now that may have been a bit over-the-top, but the sad truth is that it is not a sweeping generalization that the East Side, while it may still have some decent pockets, is the least safe place in the city. Forewarning these visitors to the fact that they would be be better off to avoid it was a responsible and reasonable response to his request about safe/unsafe areas of town.

Also, I never said that Elmwood Village was the epitome of safe places. As a matter of fact I believe that people should never assume that to be true anywhere they are. And, while it's true that someone alone is probably more vulnerable than a group of six guys, it wasn't really fair to suggest that that somehow means it shields them from harm and they should be less cautions.

Originally Posted by mikesuicide

Growing up on the East Side I really take offense to that. You are no more likely to get mugged on Elmwood then you are on the East Side. I lived there and never once had my car stolen or my house broke into. I lived in the Elmwood Village for 8 years and had my house robbed 3 times and my car stolen twice. Nice try with your sweeping generalizations though.

I will tell our perspective guests that there really isnt a need to go on the east side because there isnt any great points of interest. Nobody is going to confront a group of 6 guys anyway.

[mikesuicide]

Originally Posted by jenny S

I mean no disrespect, but I'm sorry, sugarcoating the truth with a response like the one you suggested is rediculous. How many years ago was it that you actually lived in or even visited the East Side, because I would bet good money that it's not the same East Side that you, or I, remember and wish it still was.

I too lived on the East side (and West Side) growing up (Stanislaus St.) and a couple years back on a Saturday afternoon while visiting, I decided to drive past the house we lived in. I was shocked by how bad it looked and how unsafe I felt (I am not the type to fear surroundings or situations, so I was surprised to feel this way). While driving down Filmore Ave. I was stopped by a police car and wondered what traffic violation I had unknowingly broken. When the officer approached my car he asked me where I was going (he assumed I was lost) and told me that it was unsafe for me to be in that area and instructed me to turn around and leave the area.

Now that may have been a bit over-the-top, but the sad truth is that it is not a sweeping generalization that the East Side, while it may still have some decent pockets, is the least safe place in the city. Forewarning these visitors to the fact that they would be be better off to avoid it was a responsible and reasonable response to his request about safe/unsafe areas of town.

Also, I never said that Elmwood Village was the epitome of safe places. As a matter of fact I believe that people should never assume that to be true anywhere they are. And, while it's true that someone alone is probably more vulnerable than a group of six guys, it wasn't really fair to suggest that that somehow means it shields them from harm and they should be less cautions.

Nice try. I am on the east side regularly. If you arent involved in the day to day life and activities, you most likely will not ever be taken advantage of. Your statements border on racism. I seriously doubt any cop pulled you over and told you to turn back, its ridiculous if not completely illegal. If you look at robbery, mugging or burglarly statistics I'm sure you will find they most often happen in neighborhoods where the getting is good, and that is not on the east side. There really is no reason to go overboard on your doom and gloom, beware posts. a simple abridged statement would have sufficed.
Furthermore, it is implied through your own statements that you no longer weven live in Buffalo. If it is so keep your dated opinions to a minimum especially if they are going to come off as negative

[jenny S]

FYI... We happily moved back to Buffalo last year and I have always been proud of, and to be from Buffalo, so I actually DO have the right to give an opinion, which happens to be accurate. Be very careful about calling someone a liar and racist...neither of which I am. I would NEVER make up a story or tell a lie...especially about something as serious as this...just to make a point and especially not just to prove you wrong. Unfortunately, the story is true.

You keep ignoring the fact that I have stated that the East side does have some good pockets. The entire point of this thread, to which other have pointed out the very same thing, was that a group of men, unfamiliar with our city, asked if there were places they should avoid while visiting out city for weekend. Should we have suggested they venture to the Central Terminal where they could have very easily found themselves lost in the Fruit Belt or A, B, & C streets? I am happy that you, and many, are still happily navigating the streets of the East side without incident, but just as you stated in your own thread, it's because you basically ignore the "day to day life and activities going on there" in order to get by. Sounds great... let's send the six guys looking to party and have a good time into the middle of it and see how they manage.

I'm done responding to this issue now...it's not productive and not my style.

Originally Posted by mikesuicide

Nice try. I am on the east side regularly. If you arent involved in the day to day life and activities, you most likely will not ever be taken advantage of. Your statements border on racism. I seriously doubt any cop pulled you over and told you to turn back, its ridiculous if not completely illegal. If you look at robbery, mugging or burglarly statistics I'm sure you will find they most often happen in neighborhoods where the getting is good, and that is not on the east side. There really is no reason to go overboard on your doom and gloom, beware posts. a simple abridged statement would have sufficed.
Furthermore, it is implied through your own statements that you no longer weven live in Buffalo. If it is so keep your dated opinions to a minimum especially if they are going to come off as negative

[mikesuicide]

Originally Posted by jenny S

FYI... We happily moved back to Buffalo last year and I have always been proud of, and to be from Buffalo, so I actually DO have the right to give an opinion, which happens to be accurate. Be very careful about calling someone a liar and racist...neither of which I am. I would NEVER make up a story or tell a lie...especially about something as serious as this...just to make a point and especially not just to prove you wrong. Unfortunately, the story is true.

You keep ignoring the fact that I have stated that the East side does have some good pockets. The entire point of this thread, to which other have pointed out the very same thing, was that a group of men, unfamiliar with our city, asked if there were places they should avoid while visiting out city for weekend. Should we have suggested they venture to the Central Terminal where they could have very easily found themselves lost in the Fruit Belt or A, B, & C streets? I am happy that you, and many, are still happily navigating the streets of the East side without incident, but just as you stated in your own thread, it's because you basically ignore the "day to day life and activities going on there" in order to get by. Sounds great... let's send the six guys looking to party and have a good time into the middle of it and see how they manage.

I'm done responding to this issue now...it's not productive and not my style.

The central Terminal is nowhere near the fruit belt.
Nobody suggested they go there.
I simply disagree on how you went about illustrating it.
I'm never careful.
Now I'm done

[tommyc_37]

Thanks for all the pointers, guys. Really appreciate it.

Seeing that none of us have ever been to Buffalo, I'm curious as to what the overall "vibe" of the city is. In my mind, I envision a mid-sized city (Buffalo is roughly the same population size as the city I live in, Jersey City), with brutal winters, and an overall blue collar vibe. Is this accurate? What main industries are in Buffalo? Any large corporations headquartered there?

[Urban Peasant]

Originally Posted by mikesuicide

Growing up on the East Side I really take offense to that. You are no more likely to get mugged on Elmwood then you are on the East Side. I lived there and never once had my car stolen or my house broke into. I lived in the Elmwood Village for 8 years and had my house robbed 3 times and my car stolen twice. Nice try with your sweeping generalizations though.

I will tell our perspective guests that there really isnt a need to go on the east side because there isnt any great points of interest. Nobody is going to confront a group of 6 guys anyway.

Sorry to hear about your experiences in the Elmwood Village but in some ways I believe you. Neighborhoods that are more affluent and popular than surrounding areas can be targeted for robberies, burglaries, etc if there is no deterrent to keep away the criminals. The problem with Elmwood is that it is nearly ringed in by more downtrodden neighborhoods with some streets such as Delavan, Ferry, and Utica cutting right into it from the bad areas. All it takes is one quick bus ride and someone from another neighborhood can be dropped off at your doorstep. Its like if there were five people at a restaurant and only one had enough money for a splendid hot meal while the rest had to survive on cold water and crackers, of course the other four would be tempted to attack the one with the meal. One solution is to revitalize a nearby area such as Grant/Ferry (hopefully that is coming along) and beef up community policing. With more revived areas, things for Buffalo's urban youth to do, and a healthier regional economy, things will get better. That said, I still think the Elmwood Village is pretty safe. I checked a recent crime log for 2008 and saw it had nowhere near the level of crime as the East Side but still it had some crime incidents worth taking note of.

I take it you are not a believer of the "broken windows" theory or the "defensible space" theory.

[coldwynn]

Originally Posted by tommyc_37

Thanks for all the pointers, guys. Really appreciate it.

Seeing that none of us have ever been to Buffalo, I'm curious as to what the overall "vibe" of the city is. In my mind, I envision a mid-sized city (Buffalo is roughly the same population size as the city I live in, Jersey City), with brutal winters, and an overall blue collar vibe.

I've only been to Jersey City once, got lost in Union City a couple of times (didn't like that one bit), been to Hoboken several times, mostly lived in Morristown and Mt. Arlington.

So here's my take: think of Elmwood district as kind of like Washington St. of Hoboken, lots of quaint shops, restaurants, cafes, very few (thank goodness) chain stores. Allentown (which begins on the South-end of Elmwood) and Chippewa (which is close to Allentown), I would liken more to downtown, NYC - angled narrow streets, more business like. The North-end of Elmwood has a park that was designed by the same person who designed NYC's Central Park.

But here's the big difference. Whereas NYC and most of NJ have an North-East Coast, tough as nails, it's got nothing to do with me, kind of vibe - Buffalo has that, but is softened by its proximity to the midwest. So it's like, blue-collar, hard-working, but friendly and neighborly (at least in the Elmwood/Allentown areas).