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Fedup-WNY, of all the users I've known, I respect you the greatest. Your post here is one of true thought and reason as to why you feel this way. Actually you have indeed sparked new interest in myself. The green space factor of any downtown should be one of top priority. And soon, when Main Street's historic buildings fill up, more dense development of Private Investors follows. We don't pay for it! Then perhaps a new build or two to keep up with demand. lol, I will always respect your humble opinion,
Buffalo's skyline needs more density for sure, but the fact of the matter is that the city of Buffalo could not fill 1 new office tower--it would be wasted space. That is a huge reason that nothing notable has been built in 30 odd years or so.
Buffalo needs people downtown, so a few tall residential towers would add nicely. Bring in more people, bring in more life and then everything else follows.
I think Buffalo needs to stick with what they have and improve upon filling/updating old office space and buildings instead of building new highrises that would be just a waste of space.
The more and more I "lurk" on this forum to learn as much as I can about my friends in Buffalo, the more I'm noticing a rivalry or dichotomy of sorts between those saying "preserve at all costs" and those saying "out with the old; in with the new!" Why can't you folks find a happy medium with both as we've done here in Scranton? Granted our city is much smaller than Buffalo, but here are two images from our downtown:
A beautifully restored historic city block---one of many here in the Electric City---that would make anyone feel proud to have in their city's core.
A new multi-story building that was built on the site of a formerly-decrepit building about as tall as the building on the right, if I'm not mistaken. This will soon be home to Scranton's new branch of Merrill Lynch (pending the recession). The building on the left is historic, and I wish I had a better angle to show old on the left vs. new on the right here.
On the far-right you can see the tall and historic PNC Bank Building. At the other end of this block is a new building featuring the Scranton Hilton. Just around the corner from this is the historic Radisson/Lackawanna Station Hotel. Across the street from all of this is the 1990s-era Mall at Steamtown and the current rehabilitation of the historic 500-block of Lackawanna Avenue into lofts, galleries, and boutiques---which will look similar to my top image in the end.
I didn't come on here to tell Buffalo to "learn from Scranton," but my city also has some gorgeous historic architecture that is being preserved while new construction is occurring all over the central business district that is also making people believe we're a progressive city. Buffalo ought to do both as well. Preserve what's worth saving, but don't save every little thing just because "it's old." I think it would be pretty neat to put a massive statue of a Buffalo (the animal) atop the HSBC Building that would be illuminated at night. That would be uniquely Buffalo!
I think it would be pretty neat to put a massive statue of a Buffalo (the animal) atop the HSBC Building that would be illuminated at night. That would be uniquely Buffalo!
I have often thought of that for years! What a great idea that would be - and no small statue. Something in the order of like the "bull" on Wall Street in Manhattan, but on the top of the HSBC Tower...Oh, that would be gorgeous. I can imagine looking across lake erie from Crystal Beach in Canada and seeing the illuminated Buffalo - or from the 33 expressway - entering downtown...even the I-90 or skyway...what a sight that would be .
The more and more I "lurk" on this forum to learn as much as I can about my friends in Buffalo, the more I'm noticing a rivalry or dichotomy of sorts between those saying "preserve at all costs" and those saying "out with the old; in with the new!" Why can't you folks find a happy medium with both as we've done here in Scranton? Granted our city is much smaller than Buffalo, but here are two images from our downtown:
A beautifully restored historic city block---one of many here in the Electric City---that would make anyone feel proud to have in their city's core.
A new multi-story building that was built on the site of a formerly-decrepit building about as tall as the building on the right, if I'm not mistaken. This will soon be home to Scranton's new branch of Merrill Lynch (pending the recession). The building on the left is historic, and I wish I had a better angle to show old on the left vs. new on the right here.
On the far-right you can see the tall and historic PNC Bank Building. At the other end of this block is a new building featuring the Scranton Hilton. Just around the corner from this is the historic Radisson/Lackawanna Station Hotel. Across the street from all of this is the 1990s-era Mall at Steamtown and the current rehabilitation of the historic 500-block of Lackawanna Avenue into lofts, galleries, and boutiques---which will look similar to my top image in the end.
I didn't come on here to tell Buffalo to "learn from Scranton," but my city also has some gorgeous historic architecture that is being preserved while new construction is occurring all over the central business district that is also making people believe we're a progressive city. Buffalo ought to do both as well. Preserve what's worth saving, but don't save every little thing just because "it's old." I think it would be pretty neat to put a massive statue of a Buffalo (the animal) atop the HSBC Building that would be illuminated at night. That would be uniquely Buffalo!
What a great post. I truly love your insight, and love the way you did show us some ideas from the small, but wonderful city of Scranton and gave us some ideas over here in the Buff.
I just hope that once we restore our old, historic buildings in downtown Buffalo, we get some new buildings built on the empty parking lots where beautiful structures once stood. This city is leaning toward a "mixed use" factor, that nearly every new build from now on will mostly incorporate retail and office space, hotel (BADLY NEEDED here in Buffalo), residential (critical), and more. These factors that are fulfilled in the various new builds that could be coming our way would add density, people, businesses and retail, and most of all the need for new downtown hotel and residential uses. If you build it they will come... Hmm, just maybe people might catch on that Buffalo is looking to the future and is no longer stagnant. Hello new business!
Oh, and great pics, Scranhattanite! Scranton looks to be modernizing and restoring its downtown. A small yet progressive city could become a major proponent to its area.
All this chatter of what we can do, or what we SHOULD do... let's actually DO something. Since we all have great ideas, why don't we meet up and discuss things? If we have concrete ideas that could make this area better.. I'm sure city hall would listen. And if it could make money, I'm sure investors would lend their hand.
All this chatter of what we can do, or what we SHOULD do... let's actually DO something. Since we all have great ideas, why don't we meet up and discuss things? If we have concrete ideas that could make this area better.. I'm sure city hall would listen. And if it could make money, I'm sure investors would lend their hand.
Let's Go Buffalo!
That was part of the intention of this thread. To get various opinions together to make a solid foundation on what Buffalo needs to build on. It is hard to be patient, but we WILL follow through once we get a better idea of what Buffalo truly does need and when the economy gets somewhat better.
Hopefully some developers out there are listening! (myself included!)
They need ta build a huge statue of a buffalo in the the middle of the city!!! Then it'll be perfect!!
How big? lol
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I think it would be pretty neat to put a massive statue of a Buffalo (the animal) atop the HSBC Building that would be illuminated at night. That would be uniquely Buffalo! 
I can imagine looking across lake erie from Crystal Beach in Canada and seeing the illuminated Buffalo - or from the 33 expressway - entering downtown...even the I-90 or skyway...what a sight that would be 
