Curtain will fall as Buffalo Drive-In gives way to planned medical campus

[steven]

Nearly 60 years of tradition will come to an end this year when the Buffalo Drive-In closes at the end of the summer.

The Harlem Road landmark is to be demolished for the construction of a medical campus.

“It’s the last drive-in in Cheektowaga,” said Mary Holtz, town clerk and town historian.

Walden Development Group is buying the 18-acre parcel after Labor Day.
“It’s sort of bittersweet,” said drive-in owner Steve Valentine. “We’re going to miss it, there’s no doubt about it.

Walden Development had wanted to build a three-story medical office building, but now is seeking permission for a larger facility.

“The response has been so good we have gone from a three-story to a four-story building,” said William Schutt of William Schutt and Associates, the developer’s engineering firm.

The location near the Kensington Expressway, minutes from Buffalo Niagara International Airport and downtown Buffalo, makes the property attractive. Valentine said the drive-in business is a six-month operation, and it is difficult to let the property sit idle, generating no revenue, for half the year.

http://www.buffalonews.com/105/story/40262.html

:(

[Ragin]

Is this the drive-in we were just talking about, steven?

[WNYresident]

If the drive-in is profitable why not knock down some vacant other building that's not paying it's full share of property taxes?



Nearly 60 years of tradition will come to an end this year when the Buffalo Drive-In closes at the end of the summer.

The Harlem Road landmark is to be demolished for the construction of a medical campus.

“It’s the last drive-in in Cheektowaga,” said Mary Holtz, town clerk and town historian.

Walden Development Group is buying the 18-acre parcel after Labor Day.
“It’s sort of bittersweet,” said drive-in owner Steve Valentine. “We’re going to miss it, there’s no doubt about it.

Walden Development had wanted to build a three-story medical office building, but now is seeking permission for a larger facility.

“The response has been so good we have gone from a three-story to a four-story building,” said William Schutt of William Schutt and Associates, the developer’s engineering firm.

The location near the Kensington Expressway, minutes from Buffalo Niagara International Airport and downtown Buffalo, makes the property attractive. Valentine said the drive-in business is a six-month operation, and it is difficult to let the property sit idle, generating no revenue, for half the year.

http://www.buffalonews.com/105/story/40262.html

:(

[crabapples]

I say knock down Cedargrove and build a medical campus there... or maybe wait until St. Joe's closes and then you can have an even larger medical campus!

[therising]

If the drive-in is profitable why not knock down some vacant other building that's not paying it's full share of property taxes?


You would need to knock down a boatload of buildings to come up with amount of land (18 acres, I think?). And I would guarantee that it would cost a ton more than whatever amount they're paying for the drive-in?

[mesue]

Nearly 60 years of tradition will come to an end this year when the Buffalo Drive-In closes at the end of the summer.

The Harlem Road landmark is to be demolished for the construction of a medical campus.

“It’s the last drive-in in Cheektowaga,” said Mary Holtz, town clerk and town historian.

Walden Development Group is buying the 18-acre parcel after Labor Day.
“It’s sort of bittersweet,” said drive-in owner Steve Valentine. “We’re going to miss it, there’s no doubt about it.

Walden Development had wanted to build a three-story medical office building, but now is seeking permission for a larger facility.

“The response has been so good we have gone from a three-story to a four-story building,” said William Schutt of William Schutt and Associates, the developer’s engineering firm.

The location near the Kensington Expressway, minutes from Buffalo Niagara International Airport and downtown Buffalo, makes the property attractive. Valentine said the drive-in business is a six-month operation, and it is difficult to let the property sit idle, generating no revenue, for half the year.

http://www.buffalonews.com/105/story/40262.html

:(
St Joe's is just down the street. What makes this building, that's already built, so inconvenient? There are a lot of empty plazas in Cheektowaga. What makes them so unattractive? Why do we need brand new empty buildings when there's a lot of empty ones that could be used?

[WNYresident]

If the drive-in is profitable why not knock down some vacant other building that's not paying it's full share of property taxes?


You would need to knock down a boatload of buildings to come up with amount of land (18 acres, I think?). And I would guarantee that it would cost a ton more than whatever amount they're paying for the drive-in?

I bet you get get 18 acres for a song and a dance in buffalo somewhere.

[buffy]

I bet you get get 18 acres for a song and a dance in buffalo somewhere.
Why are they building a medical building when Saint Josephs will be clearing out?

[WNYresident]

St Joe's is just down the street. What makes this building, that's already built, so inconvenient? There are a lot of empty plazas in Cheektowaga. What makes them so unattractive? Why do we need brand new empty buildings when there's a lot of empty ones that could be used?

A builder doesn't make money having someone else rent thier empty building out.

[buffy]

Why don't they just raze it and rebuild oin the lot?

[Allgirl4BD]

Drive-in movies are becoming rare. I sort of envy you getting a medical campus...we're getting a Walmart!:(

[therising]

I bet you get get 18 acres for a song and a dance in buffalo somewhere.

Maybe, but it's irrelevant. They want to be in Cheektowaga.

Besides, name one 18-acre site in Buffalo. :confused:

[OneEmerald]

The drive-in doesn't do much business, but I bet this summer it will be packed! The whole place is an eyesore from the rusted screens and fencing to the garbage laying around, which happens to be a rat's haven.

I haven't been there in 20 years and I live very close as some of you know. So I say ADIOS to the drive in.

[mesue]

Why are they building a medical building when Saint Josephs will be clearing out?
That's what I want to know.
Besides, like this area needs another empty medical building or any other medical building. We're decreasing in population. There are more than plenty of medical buildings around.

[therising]

That's what I want to know.
Besides, like this area needs another empty medical building or any other medical building. We're decreasing in population. There are more than plenty of medical buildings around.

If I want to build a hamburger stand, the government has no right to say to me "Sorry, we won't let you do it - we think we already have enough hamburger stands". If they did say that my response would be "I'm investing my own money here....if my hamburger stand doesn't succeed, it will be my loss. So please butt out".

[WNYresident]

Maybe, but it's irrelevant. They want to be in Cheektowaga.

Besides, name one 18-acre site in Buffalo. :confused:

how many city blocks make up an acre? I don't really know. There seems to be so many vacant buildings up and down like broadway and genesse etc, just demo them and build.

[Surfing USA]

The last time I went to the Buffalo Drive-In, there were kids from Cedargrove throwing rocks over the fence at the vehicles. If the Angola drive-in is turned into a Wal-Mart, we'll only have the Transit Drive-In remaining. I wonder if they'll take advantage of the situation by increasing the fee to be eaten alive by mosquitoes? :rolleyes: I love the drive-in but I hate donating a quart of blood to insects. :D

FYI:http://www.transitdrivein.com/

I don't know if it's too late, but I located a petition to save the Angola Drive-In at the following website: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/grandview

[Surfing USA]

BTW: I hope there's plans to widen Harlem road in that area.

[OneEmerald]

BTW: I hope there's plans to widen Harlem road in that area.
Surfin, you haven't driven down Harlem Rd in a while. It is a construction nightmare. Harlem Rd is being widened from just past Genesee to Kensington. Be prepared for those crazy flag waving, $30 per hour, what the hell does he want the traffic to do, so-called traffic directors.

[therising]

how many city blocks make up an acre? I don't really know. There seems to be so many vacant buildings up and down like broadway and genesse etc, just demo them and build.

An acre is 43,560 square feet.
I don't know how big the average city block is, but let's say the average residential parcel is about 40x100.
40 x 100 = 4,000 SF.
So, you would need about 11 parcels to make up an acre.
11 x 18 acres = 198 parcels, say 200.

So, to find 18 acres for this medical park in the city, you would have to buy 200 parcels.

Regardless of the fact that you'd probably have to displace the residents of at least 1/3 of these houses (let's say 2/3 are vacant), you would then have to deal with the fact that these suburban doctors are now asking their suburban patients to travel into the city for their doctor's appointments.

So, you can either tear down a poorly-maintained drive-in (granted I will miss it), or you can displace 60 families from the City to build a medical park that will have questionable success.

Which is better?

[Linda_D]

All you drive-in movie nostaglia buffs just c'mon down to Jamestown this summer. We have a twin screen drive in built within the last five years just south of the city on Route 60! :)

[WNYresident]

So, you can either tear down a poorly-maintained drive-in (granted I will miss it), or you can displace 60 families from the City to build a medical park that will have questionable success.

You think you really need 18 acres? Exactly what is a medical campus anyway? What will be the speciality?

[WNYresident]

The Buffalo Drive-In (http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/nybuff)

Go look at the pictures.

I wonder how much of the lot will be used for the actual building versus parking

[Riven37]

If the drive-in is profitable why not knock down some vacant other building that's not paying it's full share of property taxes?


Because, the owner (s) are two young guys who I spoken to once last year, and they turned down the Cemeteries offer last year for a better deal. Now, here is the better deal...

[Riven37]

how many city blocks make up an acre? I don't really know. There seems to be so many vacant buildings up and down like broadway and genesse etc, just demo them and build.


THere is a great parcial of land right on broadway heading toward lancaster...its the old strawberry patch land...its about 18 acres....great spot for a new driven-in huh...what ya think huh..huh...you think huh...

[crabapples]

THere is a great parcial of land right on broadway heading toward lancaster...its the old strawberry patch land...its about 18 acres....great spot for a new driven-in huh...what ya think huh..huh...you think huh...

I think thats annoying

[Sully49]

Buffalo Drive-in...we used to go every other weekend, every summer....lately finding a worth-while movie to see was a problem....I'll miss it.

First Ja-Fa-Fa Hots, now this!

How sad

[WNYresident]

THere is a great parcial of land right on broadway heading toward lancaster...its the old strawberry patch land...its about 18 acres....great spot for a new driven-in huh...what ya think huh..huh...you think huh...

What about like where that vacant Kmart is on broadway?

If this is a medical type campus... why isn't it near the "bio" area downtown?

If they are closing St Joes why not use that building?

Time to start building inwards towards the city.

[therising]

THere is a great parcial of land right on broadway heading toward lancaster...its the old strawberry patch land...its about 18 acres....great spot for a new driven-in huh...what ya think huh..huh...you think huh...

I think it's an environmental mess.

Good thought, though. Although, I get the feeling that drive-ins just don't make it anymore. Why else would they all be closing?

[therising]

What about like where that vacant Kmart is on broadway? What about it? If you're saying they should put a medical building there, that's a good point. But if you're saying they should put THIS medical building there, you're high. The developers stated clearly, in the paper, that they were focusing on suburban doctors. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but most suburban doctors don't want to relocate their offices to Broadway and Fillmore.
And, most suburban soccer moms don't want to have to lug the sick kids to the City, either.


If this is a medical type campus... why isn't it near the "bio" area downtown?See above.



If they are closing St Joes why not use that building? Good point. But I don't think St. Joe's is a done deal yet. St. Joe's can easily be domo'd to make way for a CVS. :)


Time to start building inwards towards the city.
You're reading too much Buffalo Rising. Besides, you can't get much closer to the City than Harlem Road.

[WNYresident]

What about it? If you're saying they should put a medical building there, that's a good point. But if you're saying they should put THIS medical building there, you're high. The developers stated clearly, in the paper, that they were focusing on suburban doctors. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but most suburban doctors don't want to relocate their offices to Broadway and Fillmore.
And, most suburban soccer moms don't want to have to lug the sick kids to the City, either.


I though doctors were able to drive cars? And soccer moms to can drive. I know what you mean but it doesn't seem like sensible developement.

[yokes]

I though doctors were able to drive cars? And soccer moms to can drive. I know what you mean but it doesn't seem like sensible developement.

The consumer demand makes it sensible.

[WNYresident]

You're reading too much Buffalo Rising. Besides, you can't get much closer to the City than Harlem Road.

Well then WNY has to decid what is going to be central WNY and build out from there and try not to develope area's away from the central core.

We should be knocking the snot out of other cities in the USA and we are not because of poor planning. Yes we lost industrial base but these other cities that are doing fine didn't have that base to begin with as we did.

[WNYresident]

The consumer demand makes it sensible.

Will incentives be given to build this new medical "campus" ?

[therising]

I though doctors were able to drive cars? And soccer moms to can drive. I know what you mean but it doesn't seem like sensible developement.

You're ridiculous. Can I PM George B and ask him to slap some sense into you? :) :mad:

I would HATE to see you in Government. You'd be a gestapo, telling people where they can, and cannot locate.


Well then WNY has to decid what is going to be central WNY and build out from there and try not to develope area's away from the central core. Go take a look at a map of WNY. Put your finger right on the middle. It will be Thruway Plaza at Walden and Harlem. It's no coincidence that the galleria is where it is.

RES - for all the pro-city talk you do, why is your business in Cheektowaga?? :confused:

[WNYresident]

I would HATE to see you in Government. You'd be a gestapo, telling people where they can, and cannot locate.


It's called zoning. Actually where the drive-in was is no biggie. It's probally more of a traffic issue than a medical building.

There is just so many vacant buildings in various spots in buffalo it seems a shame to lose green space or any space in the burbs. Once it's gone it's gone.

[WNYresident]

RES - for all the pro-city talk you do, why is your business in Cheektowaga??

Because when I started in 1982 I still lived on lovejoy. I wanted to purchase a building but couldn't find anything in buffalo that was reasonally priced. This building where I am now was on a bus route so I was able to go to school and open up the business. The purchase fell through but the purchaser called afterwards and gave me a deal I couldn't refuse to get started which I did. I've been here 25 years in October.

The corner I'm on now is far different than it was 25 years ago. I watched the developers have thier way with the town board and now union is strip mall city... fun wow.

[mesue]

If I want to build a hamburger stand, the government has no right to say to me "Sorry, we won't let you do it - we think we already have enough hamburger stands". If they did say that my response would be "I'm investing my own money here....if my hamburger stand doesn't succeed, it will be my loss. So please butt out".
Huh? I never said anything about the govn't.