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That's just not true, Buffalo got Cheescake factory a year or two before Rochester, same for Joe's Crab Shack, Bonefish Grill and the Melting Pot.
I believe Rochester is still awaitng the arrival of the following mid to upper end restaurants - Dave & Busters, Bar Louie, Gordon Biersh, Johnny Rockets, Bravo! Cucina Italiano, Hyde Park Steakhouse. And even lower end places such as 5 guys Burgers & Fries, Jack Astor's and Salsarita's Fresh Cantina.
As for retail I think rochester is stillwaiting for such Buffalo mainstays as Brooks Brothers, Urban outfitters and my favorite Orvis. Of course rochester did get upstate NY's first Dollar Tree BTW isn't the Bon-Ton exiting the Rochester market?
I was a bit shocked to read that a couple of posters are comparing the two cities by the number of chain restaurants each one has, and which one had them first. The only logical take on this is that the posters see this as a reflection of a good economy. I hope so, for the sake of humanity.
Because let's be sincere. Regardless of whether one's taste in food (and food quality) is good or poor, when you see the same restaurants (not to mention supermarkets, box stores, etc) repeating over and over again in a continuous chain (ha!) from one end of the country to the other, in the third most populous country in the world with the fourth largest area, well, you wonder whether it makes any difference where in America you live or whether you can even tell cities apart save the natural landscape and weather.
It is the single, individual, mom & pop, immigrant-owned, alternative, quirky, one-of-a-kind restaurant, store, market, whatever, that helps make a city unique and interesting in the 21st century. Not if it has a lot of Best-Buy superstores surrounded by concrete parking lots the size of a small Caribbean island nation.
Look up facts buffalo just the city its self has 50,000 more people than rochester and as for declining populations both cities were in the top 10 population decline in the country and if you look at our metro area
Comparison buffalo out numbers rochester by a few hundred thousand its substantially larger
While we are looking at facts, metro Buffalo has about 1,130,000 and Rochester about 1,080,000 so there's your 50,000. As of the 2010 census, Rochester had a net gain of about 52,000. hmm. Actually with the bad economy many people didn't migrate to other regions and I think Buffalo has stopped hemorrhaging people so it probably won't happen in 2020.
Another note: Genesee County (pop 52,000) used to be part of Rochester's metro. You become attached to a metro when your county is economically connected to the host city. It still is. 2X as many people from Genesee Country commute to Monroe as Erie. The only reason it was separated from Rochester's metro is that the census created a new micropoliton area which Batavia is one.
Why can't we all just get along and work together to solve upstate's problems?
Location: WNY (NOT NYC for the geographically challenged)
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Are we seriously basing which city is better over marginal population differences? Baghdad is much larger than both cities, does that mean it's a better city? LOL
Yes population = success. You must scrap & fight the stats as much as possible to make your city better than others, then you win. By the way, are you counting the greater Baghdad metro area & suburbs when stating that Baghdad is larger?
Are we seriously basing which city is better over marginal population differences? Baghdad is much larger than both cities, does that mean it's a better city? LOL
Over the last few decades, hundreds of thousands of people have moved to Rochester. At the same time, hundreds of thousands have left Buffalo. Why do you think that is?
Over the last few decades, hundreds of thousands of people have moved to Rochester. At the same time, hundreds of thousands have left Buffalo. Why do you think that is?
Buffalo seems to have a lot more going on now than Rochester. There is a real building boom downtown, IBM is creating 500+ jobs, and Tesla is opening a giant battery facility that should employ more than 1,000. What's going on in Rochester?
PS - I don't live in Buffalo and am not a booster. Just interested in economic development stories.
Buffalo seems to have a lot more going on now than Rochester. There is a real building boom downtown, IBM is creating 500+ jobs, and Tesla is opening a giant battery facility that should employ more than 1,000. What's going on in Rochester?
PS - I don't live in Buffalo and am not a booster. Just interested in economic development stories.
Yes there does seem to be lots of building in downtown Buffalo. But why? The most iconic Building in Buffalo is 95% vacant. Most of the construction is for existing companies exiting their existing office to move across town, leaving even more vacancy. IBM is also adding a few hundred jobs at UR, only without the HUGE government grant.
As for the solar and battery issue, again Rochester has many projects underway at the Eastman Business Park without the HUGE government grants. Buffalo's medical corridor has about 8,000 employees. Rochester's has 24,000.
Keep in mind that Rochester has lost far more jobs than Buffalo did, so all of the NEW jobs haven't shown up in the stats. Rochester already has a high tech economy. Andrew Coumo is pouring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into Buffalo because he lost the Buffalo vote to Carl Paladino the last election. It still remains to be seen weather this will help, or be a flop, but so far this, coupled with talks of the Bills and a new stadium have created a lot of hype.
I like Rochester, but I'm born and raised in Buffalo.
Buffalo is the better city, Rochester is the better town for family / suburbs IMO. Rochester's population is a little more upscale. Buffalo has more heart though. Buffalo's heart is unmatched anywhere in the country, really.
Yes there does seem to be lots of building in downtown Buffalo. But why? The most iconic Building in Buffalo is 95% vacant.
That building needs an incredible renovation. In addition, nothing will be done with it until the gets through bankruptcy court. Apparently, the building is worth something like 25% of the mortgage, so foreclosure is imminent.
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BTW isn't the Bon-Ton exiting the Rochester market?
