Battle of the Upstate WNY skyline: Buffalo or Rochester (city hall, credit)

[Buffalonian4life]

BUFFALO:


(my photo - not copyrighted).



ROCHESTER:


Rochester photo credit to Yo on Flickr: Flickr Photo Download: My Town, Rochester NY




What are your thoughts, opinions, preferences, and contemplation on how each skyline can improve, etc.

Please share what's on your mind on these two Western New York cities and their skylines in general!

[JAB27]

Rochester's skyline is more impressive.

[cheese9988]

Its tough, Buffalo has more of the older art-deco buildings, and I would think there are more high rises. I've seen a few city halls up close and I have to say Buffalo's is hands down the best, its like a cathedral inside, not to mention its mammoth size. Don't forget some beauties like the old central terminal (defunct) and the electric tower. The waterfront is being fixed up and adds that little extra touch. Buffalo's skyline is very spread out compared to Rochester, most of Rochesters skyline is contained within the inner loop.

Rochester has a newer look to it, the Bauch & Lomb building is is my favorite in the city, it has the indoor garden inside. The bridge adds a nice new touch to the city. The city hall is very nice on the inside, if you goto the second floor, there are three more floors of marble archways, indoor ponds and skylights, not as nice as Buffalo city hall, but worth seeing. The large corporations and corporate headquarters gives the city a feel of financial wealth. Rochester doesn't have a water front downtown, but it does have the Genesee river in the High Falls area that gives a great view of the water fall.

I grew up in Buffalo, I now live in Rochester. I think I'll wait and look at some more photos before I make a vote.

[cheese9988]

This photo is a little more full (from city-data):

[LucasS6]

Originally Posted by cheese9988

Its tough, Buffalo has more of the older art-deco buildings, and I would think there are more high rises. I've seen a few city halls up close and I have to say Buffalo's is hands down the best, its like a cathedral inside, not to mention its mammoth size. Don't forget some beauties like the old central terminal (defunct) and the electric tower. The waterfront is being fixed up and adds that little extra touch. Buffalo's skyline is very spread out compared to Rochester, most of Rochesters skyline is contained within the inner loop.

Rochester has a newer look to it, the Bauch & Lomb building is is my favorite in the city, it has the indoor garden inside. The bridge adds a nice new touch to the city. The city hall is very nice on the inside, if you goto the second floor, there are three more floors of marble archways, indoor ponds and skylights, not as nice as Buffalo city hall, but worth seeing. The large corporations and corporate headquarters gives the city a feel of financial wealth. Rochester doesn't have a water front downtown, but it does have the Genesee river in the High Falls area that gives a great view of the water fall.

I grew up in Buffalo, I now live in Rochester. I think I'll wait and look at some more photos before I make a vote.

Keep in mind the topic is about skylines and not the better city or better buildings from the inside or even better from street level in downtown. That said, you're right. I can't vote until I see more- I think I've seen Rochester once in real life and Buffalo never.

[Buffalonian4life]

Originally Posted by LucasS6

Keep in mind the topic is about skylines and not the better city or better buildings from the inside or even better from street level in downtown. That said, you're right. I can't vote until I see more- I think I've seen Rochester once in real life and Buffalo never.

I google image searched every possible Rochester and Buffalo skyline pic. Both are nice, Buffalo has more buildings and high rises (due to the fact that it was the 3rd most dense city and 6th largest at one time), Rochester never became a major city, though had better days as well. This has a great impact on a skyline because of the golden age years when buildings were built for both grandeur and density needs reasons.

Obviously, having lived in Buffalo my whole life, and gone to Rochester multiple times (it's basically an hour away), I've seen both skylines quite a bit. It is easy for me to say that Buffalo's skyline is better because I live here and try to promote it, but it is far from perfect, and Rochester has a nice base skyline starting. The new tower supposed to be the tallest in Downtown Rochacha, might put it over the edge, but I love the dense amount of high rises Buffalo has.

[Buffalonian4life]

Buffalo has around 80 high rise buildings, while Rochester has about 50.

(According to Emporis.com)

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by LucasS6

Keep in mind the topic is about skylines and not the better city or better buildings from the inside or even better from street level in downtown. That said, you're right. I can't vote until I see more- I think I've seen Rochester once in real life and Buffalo never.

If we are voting about the skyline, in my opinion the buildings themselves definitely will impact it. I think of it like a portrait, you have to take it all in.

[LucasS6]

Originally Posted by Buffalonian4life

(due to the fact that it was the 3rd most dense city and 6th largest at one time)

Wow. I know that 50 or years ago demographics were very different (very Rust Belt-centric) but I never knew that Buffalo was so prominent. When was this? Top 10 or 15? Yeah, I would've bet good money on it, but #6? Color me impressed.

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by LucasS6

Wow. I know that 50 or years ago demographics were very different (very Rust Belt-centric) but I never knew that Buffalo was so prominent. When was this? Top 10 or 15? Yeah, I would've bet good money on it, but #6? Color me impressed.

Buffalo was very prominent at one point in time. It was more than fifty years ago so alot of the younger generations don't know about it.