3 replies to this topic

[leets]

Buffalo's economy has struggled for many years.  It is a highly misunderstood place.  Many people think it is near NYC. Though it is actually more than 500 miles form NYC much of its economic stagnation can be traced to NY's domination of state policy.  Recent years have seen a strong resurgence in downtown entertainment and housing.  There is a long way to go to bring it back to its former glory but interesting none the less.  

I know many will look on with much skepticism but Buffalo is a very fine jewel in the rough.  great neighborhoods, great architecture, great natural assets nearby.  Here is for hoping it can sustain some real future growth.


Recently completed
(within last 1 years):

Ellicott Lofts
Lofts at Elk Terminal
Sidway Building Loft Apartments
Bellisario Lofts
Larkin at Exchange Office Renovation (10 story - 600,000 sq.ft.)
Shanghai Red's Waterfront Restaurant

Under Construction:

Acquest Niagara Center 8-story office bldg.
Public Safety Center at ECC - 5-story office bldg.
Bioinformatics Center - 6 story research center
Other medical corridor construction/rehab (don't know all details)
Buehl Block Lofts - Burchfield Bldg.
Holling Press Apartments/Lofts
Ellicott Village Phase II
1912 Electric Bldg. Renovation - Class A office space
Hager Mill Lofts - Elm St.
Main Street - 6 story office bldg. rehab.


Proposed:

Federal Courthouse (11 story)
Bass Pro Project
Erie Canal Inner Harbor Project (partially under construction)
8-10 story office bldg. for Blue Cross headquarters (several sites being considered)
11 story office bldg. on Court Street
Genessee Village Housing Project
Oak Street Alternative School Apartment Conversion
Outer Harbor Redevelopment - mixed use office/ residential/ recreational
Erie Basin Marina mid-rise condo development
700 block Main St. condo development (Sidway Bldg. developers)



here is one of the more interesting new projects



This is  Ani Defranco and her Righteous Babe Records conversion of the former Asbury Delaware church into their new offices/recording studio/performance space.  The building will also house the Hallwalls Gallery.  Hallwalls is a nationally recognized organization which has played a major part inthe early careers of several major artists.

http://www.metropoli...ry.php?artid=50

http://www.hallwalls.org/news.html

http://www.righteousbabe.com/




and another

This will be the mother load of all development in Buffalo if it ever happens.  This is one of three development proposals presented to the NFTA for Buffalo's underutilized outer harbor.  The land has been described as the largest piece of undeveloped urban waterfront in the country.  Some say it has huge potential.  

The scheme shown below may be pie in the sky.  It includes a 1000 room hotel and hundreds of high density condos, a convention center and much more.  The other two schemes seemed a bit more realistic and restrained.  I do not see the Buffalo market handeling this much new construction with its current economy.  However there is an unbuilt (and currently authorized Indian casino which if added to this mix could start to make a huge hotel possible. The remaining schemes will be available for viewing on the NFTA web site Monday.




and these nearing completion

Here are some images of some buildings currently under construction in DT Buff.  There was another building but it was architecturally hideous so I could not bring myself to photograph it.  sorry for the gloomyness of the pics...it was getting dark.
















and this new river crossing

This is one of the schemes being considered for the new Peace Bridge crossing to Canada.  
The existing Peace Bridge at only 3 lanes wide is the second busiest boarder crossing after the Detroit Ambasador bridge.  It is severely undersized.  The Peace Bridge Authority originally proposed a more mundane copy of the existing bridge as a companion span.  But activism in the community forced them to look to building what has been called a signature span.  final design work is set to begin in 2005.

Edited by leets, 28 May 2005 - 07:08 PM.

[DoHen51]

I live north of Buffalo, but I'm closer to Niagara FAlls. I really hope Buffalo finally does something with their water front and the peace bridge. To many years of plans that never go any where.
  I wish that Niagara Falls would get their act turned around as well. It' a shame what has happened with that city(IMO).

[nomadic_buffalo]

DoHen51, on May 30 2005, 01:36 PM, said:

I live north of Buffalo, but I'm closer to Niagara FAlls. I really hope Buffalo finally does something with their water front and the peace bridge. To many years of plans that never go any where.
  I wish that Niagara Falls would get their act turned around as well. It' a shame what has happened with that city(IMO).

buffalo needs to reinvent itself.  the arts are a good place to start.

[Nostyle]

The buildings you show as under construction in downtown, those are in the medical corridor, yes?  That area is booming, as is Allentown.  With Allentown in good shape and downtown filling in with condos, my guess is that the lower west side is going to start to feel some gentrification.