Buffalo gets decent NYT ink

[therising]

Story about Old Home Week. BuffaloGeek is even mentioned!

August 28, 2006
Buffalo Journal
To Burnish Its Image, a City Stages an Alumni Reunion
By DAVID STABA

BUFFALO, Aug. 27 — Frustrated by decades of watching friends and family flee New York’s second-largest city for warmer climates, healthier economies and sunnier images, a group of Buffalo boosters gave a party this weekend.

The idea for the event, Buffalo Old Home Week, which began with an outdoor concert downtown on Thursday and wrapped up with Sunday brunch in the city’s largest park, grew from an antique postcard promoting a similar observance in 1907.

“I found the postcard about five years ago and realized that this must have been a really great vehicle to get people back to Buffalo,” said Newell Nussbaumer, who at the time was running a store specializing in items with a regional theme.

This weekend, hundreds of people participated in tours of the city. Some viewed historic buildings along what was known a century ago as Millionaires Row. Others went to Central Terminal, a long-vacant structure, in one of the city’s most troubled neighborhoods that is the subject of restoration efforts.

More to the point, there was also a job fair, at which about 500 job seekers mingled with recruiters from several dozen local companies.

One visitor, Kathleen Thompson, said she was looking to return to Buffalo from Charlotte, N.C., after working as a mortgage banker there and in Atlanta for nearly 20 years.

“When I was younger, I wanted to see other places and do other things,” said Ms. Thompson, who is 46. “But now that I’m getting older, I want to come home.”

Ms. Thompson learned about Old Home Week through an intensive Internet marketing campaign waged by organizers, receiving an e-mail invitation after posting her résumé online. The event was also promoted on www.buffalorising.com, a Web site Mr. Nussbaumer helped establish, and on several regional blogs, including buffalogeek.com and buffalopundit.com.

“Buffalo has very poor self-esteem,” said Marti Gorman, one of the organizers, who lived in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as in Atlanta and Boulder, Colo., before she moved back to Buffalo last November after her daughter enrolled at Canisius College here. “There’s a disrespect for Buffalo that is unwarranted, and we’re out to change that.”

In 1907, Buffalo was the country’s eighth-largest city, a booming port connecting the frontier of the West to the cities of the East. The city’s reputation suffered because of the assassination of President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition here in 1901, though, and civic leaders conjured up Old Home Week as a way to brighten the city’s image, Mr. Nussbaumer said.

If the image problems of a century later lack the singular notoriety of the murder of a president, their roots spread wider and deeper.

Changes in modes of transportation and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 rendered Buffalo irrelevant as a Great Lakes port. The steel industry, an anchor of the area’s economy, all but vanished during the second half of the 20th century, and thousands of jobs were lost. Population has plummeted, to about half its peak of 580,000 in 1950.

Mr. Nussbaumer and others argue that negative perceptions, both locally and nationally, helped prevent the sort of recovery experienced in other Rust Belt cities. Across Lake Erie from here, Cleveland, for example, has attracted corporate headquarters, and visitors to attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Buffalo’s image grew even dingier after the Blizzard of ’77, which effectively shut the city and provided Johnny Carson with weeks of “Tonight Show” punch lines. Then there were the four straight Super Bowl defeats of the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990’s.

“I was taught to dislike Buffalo and to want to get out,” Ms. Gorman said.

Another organizer of the festivities was Chris Smith, who runs buffalogeek.com. He attended Thursday’s concert in a top hat, tails and white gloves, portraying the turn-of-the-century mascot designed for the week. Mr. Smith said he had lived in bigger cities for seven years.

“What those other cities lack is the sense of community you’ve got here,” he said. “There’s a sense that everybody is in it together. It’s a more solitary life when you live in Boston or Chicago.”

Mayor Byron Brown, a native of Queens, also said the city’s small-town feel drew him in.

“I came here at 17 to attend college and just fell in love with how friendly people are and how easy it is to get around,” said Mr. Brown, who took office in January. “I’ve been here ever since and I’ve never regretted it.”

Mr. Nussbaumer acknowledged that Buffalo had the same problems as other urban areas. For example, there were four shootings, including the city’s 50th and 51st homicides of the year, over the weekend.

“There are sections that are definitely struggling and we have to figure out ways to combat what’s happening there,” he said. “There’s violence in every city, and there are beautiful neighborhoods all over this city. I’ve lived in Buffalo for 38 years and I’ve never heard gunfire.”

Michael A. Tritto Jr., a Buffalo native who teaches theater at a community college in Hyannis, Mass., said the weekend’s events had helped ease the doubts of his wife, Virginia Riordan, about moving here; she comes from Bohemia, on Long Island.

“I’ve been talking about moving back for 16 years,” said Mr. Tritto, who is 44. “This weekend helped open her eyes to the opportunities there are for her here.”

Mr. Tritto, who said he planned to return for good next July, added: “There’s this perception that Buffalo is a great place to grow up, but that you have to go elsewhere to prosper. This city can never be the blue-collar factory town it once was, but there’s a real entrepreneurial, forward-looking spirit here.”

[Downstate Buffaloian]

It's about time Buffalo got some good press. What they said about the sense of community in Western New York is true. You really do feel like WNY is one community. An example of this is when the Bills are playing an important game and everywhere you go, even in grocery stores the game is playing over the intercom. That would never happen downstate. People are just too fractured into their different little niches to care about a common community event.

Yeah the WNY economy sucks, but I wish my son could experience a childhood like I had in WNY. In a lot of ways people in WNY don't realize how good they have it. I'm glad someone is finally recognizing it.

[therising]

Yeah the WNY economy sucks, but I wish my son could experience a childhood like I had in WNY..

He can.

You said you've been on the Island s few years, right? I'm sure your house has gone up in value a minimum of $100k. Bite the bullet, sell the house, buy one here for a fifth of the price.

Come home, dude. Do it for your kid.

[ForestBird]

Talked to a New York friend, this evening. He read the article ... his reaction was basically: "when the **** are you getting out of that dying place?"

[1964]

Are you people that desperate that you actually think this article says anything good about Buffalo? And the NY Times? Like they know anything!

Here's what Buffalo is all about:
Bad weather.
High Taxes.
Higher Utilities.
Sick populace.
Zero growth.
Good places to get wasted.
No good jobs.
Union stranglehold.
fleeing populace.

and if you want more - it's all negative.

[300miles]

Here's what Buffalo is all about:
Bad weather.
High Taxes.
Higher Utilities.
Sick populace.
Zero growth.
Good places to get wasted.
No good jobs.
Union stranglehold.
fleeing populace.

and if you want more - it's all negative.

you're just a sad little man, aren't you.

[therising]

300 miles captured 1964 very well.

'nuff said.

Move, '1964. Be sure to write. You will not be missed.

[Downstate Buffaloian]

He can.

You said you've been on the Island s few years, right? I'm sure your house has gone up in value a minimum of $100k. Bite the bullet, sell the house, buy one here for a fifth of the price.

Come home, dude. Do it for your kid.

I'm working on coming back in 2008. That's when my mother retires (free babysitter), my son enters pre-school and hopefully my wife will come around to the idea of moving. After years of fighting me on this she starting to think it might be a good idea. However, it's tough to dislodge a New Yorker from what they perceive as the center of the universe.

I've lived on Long Island for almost 7 years and oh I've made alot more than 100K on my house! That's one thing I don't regret about living on Long Island. Unfortunately prices are starting to fall, I hope they don't fall too much before I'm ready to get out. Even if they fell to half their current value I would still be ahead.

I want my kid to grow up in Western New York so that they can see the rest of the world as interesting and worthwhile; not as a cynical New Yorker that thinks no place else has anything to offer. How can you aspire to anything if you think what you have is the best life has to offer? Downstate is nice to visit but you don't want your kid growing up here, trust me.

[Downstate Buffaloian]

[QUOTE=1964]
Here's what Buffalo is all about:
Good places to get wasted.
[QUOTE]

That's a negative? That's one of main selling points on which I try to convince my wife to move to WNY. She's Irish after all!

[SolarEclipse]

I was escorting the photographer around the Terminal during the tour so he could take that photo. I took a photo of him taking that photo.

[Dumbfounded]

you're just a sad little man, aren't you.

I agree with "the sad little man" on the REALITY of Buffalo's pathetic state of affairs, however, I DO understand that dwelling on the negatives of Buffalo accomplishes nothing EXCEPT identifying WHAT problems must be addressed, HOW to address the problems and WHY.

Buffalo is a "sick city" on many levels;Our bloated city/state and local govts are TOO FRAGMENTED with WAAAAAAAAY too many politicians and their cronies doing each other favors-In essence, Buffalo IS a PETTY CITY.

Regionalization will NOT work even if it WAS a great solution to most of Buffalo's problems because people are too "selfish" to let their workers go elsewhere, among other things.

Those that are REALLING IN CHARGE of Buffalo MUST be disciplined and/or brought-to-task by an "honest higher governmental authority" that goes far beyond the control board.

All of the fragmented, divisive "tribal" bickering, arguing, favors, nepotism and other dirt would have to take a back seat to Buffalo having ANY REAL CHANCE of moving forward and progressing into the 21st century, becoming a proud, viable city.

That or bankruptcy.

Buffalo IS petty and that pettiness is a BIG part of what's "frozen" this city.

QUICK EXAMPLES: Whenever ANY historic property is going to be knocked down for a new development/businesss, the well-meaning Elmwood
preservationists cry "murder!"

Bass Pro-Any other city and it would have been a "yes" or "no" decision within a short period of time and/or never considered because its a horrible regional business decision.

Ideas for waterfront development:OK. Knox sold the property that the Amherst UB is on and UB isn't on the Waterfront-There's been DECADES of chances for creative financers to turn the Waterfront into a "gold mine" or at LEAST something worthwhile.

Buffalo IS a VERY SICK city and to TRULY "cure" Buffalo, all of its sad, repulsive and depressing symptoms MUST be faced without making excuses, rationalizing or petty bickering.

Now just follow my simple directions for recovery and in ten years, Buffalo will be a paradise. NOT!

[concernedwnyer]

I agree with "the sad little man" on the REALITY of Buffalo's pathetic state of affairs, however, I DO understand that dwelling on the negatives of Buffalo accomplishes nothing EXCEPT identifying WHAT problems must be addressed, HOW to address the problems and WHY.

Buffalo is a "sick city" on many levels;Our bloated city/state and local govts are TOO FRAGMENTED with WAAAAAAAAY too many politicians and their cronies doing each other favors-In essence, Buffalo IS a PETTY CITY.

Regionalization will NOT work even if it WAS a great solution to most of Buffalo's problems because people are too "selfish" to let their workers go elsewhere, among other things.

Those that are REALLING IN CHARGE of Buffalo MUST be disciplined and/or brought-to-task by an "honest higher governmental authority" that goes far beyond the control board.

All of the fragmented, divisive "tribal" bickering, arguing, favors, nepotism and other dirt would have to take a back seat to Buffalo having ANY REAL CHANCE of moving forward and progressing into the 21st century, becoming a proud, viable city.

That or bankruptcy.

Buffalo IS petty and that pettiness is a BIG part of what's "frozen" this city.

QUICK EXAMPLES: Whenever ANY historic property is going to be knocked down for a new development/businesss, the well-meaning Elmwood
preservationists cry "murder!"

Bass Pro-Any other city and it would have been a "yes" or "no" decision within a short period of time and/or never considered because its a horrible regional business decision.

Ideas for waterfront development:OK. Knox sold the property that the Amherst UB is on and UB isn't on the Waterfront-There's been DECADES of chances for creative financers to turn the Waterfront into a "gold mine" or at LEAST something worthwhile.

Buffalo IS a VERY SICK city and to TRULY "cure" Buffalo, all of its sad, repulsive and depressing symptoms MUST be faced without making excuses, rationalizing or petty bickering.

Now just follow my simple directions for recovery and in ten years, Buffalo will be a paradise. NOT!

Hey hey what he or she said said!!!!! You cannot debate sound fact.
This area needs a "reboot" with a cleansing of of the bad soles.

I have to give Spitzer some leeway. He seems to be sincere and I get a general sense that he will work hard to get Buffalo back on some type of track. He does not seem to be afraid to call an ace of spade an ace of spade.

[300miles]

Article in Wall St Journal

Investors See Hope Where Times Have Been Hard
By MAURA WEBBER SADOVI
February 21, 2007; Page B6

Even as Buffalo loses more jobs and people, a handful of investors see better times ahead for the once-mighty industrial region.


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