An Epidemic of Empty Buildings Hits Amherst

[300miles]

Miles, I like what you posted. Retrofitting box stores is an appropriate idea and I have seen it done. The Trico Building is one example. Although it is a warehouse structure, the entire building is a box style frame. From what I have read it has quite a few businesses.

Right. If the whole idea of re-use is built into the original design process then the flexibility would make it much easier for other stores, or multiple stores, to use the building after the Big Box moves out. It's not about vilifying big box stores... it's about getting them and their developers to add that extra design step that will help avoid having empty stores that no one else can afford to redevelop. The design of the building should not be limited to what it will do for the next 5 years under 1 owner. The design should plan for the entire life of the building and assume it will have many owners.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Right. If the whole idea of re-use is built into the original design process then the flexibility would make it much easier for other stores, or multiple stores, to use the building after the Big Box moves out. It's not about vilifying big box stores... it's about getting them and their developers to add that extra design step that will help avoid having empty stores that no one else can afford to redevelop. The design of the building should not be limited to what it will do for the next 5 years under 1 owner. The design should plan for the entire life of the building and assume it will have many owners.

LOL.

Wait. You're sensitive. I should not type LOL. Sorry.

Carry on with your circle****

[shortstuff]

Right. If the whole idea of re-use is built into the original design process then the flexibility would make it much easier for other stores, or multiple stores, to use the building after the Big Box moves out. It's not about vilifying big box stores... it's about getting them and their developers to add that extra design step that will help avoid having empty stores that no one else can afford to redevelop. The design of the building should not be limited to what it will do for the next 5 years under 1 owner. The design should plan for the entire life of the building and assume it will have many owners.

I agree, visionary prospectives would be a positive in any future development. I like your long term projections on future occupancy it fits into the smart growth model. Developers can be creative when they are building with the re-use plan will save millions of dollars down the road and we could avoid the loss of green space too.

[WNYresident]

An example of 'people like you' is this post on BRO.

It starts off with the fact that Buffalo has lost half of its population but then goes on to talk about how important it is to save all of these buildings. People throw out ideas of selling properties for $1 or spending money to restore a house that when done will never be worth the cost of restoration...all the while failing to see the fact that half of the people no longer live in the COB.

Look at the whole picture.

Yet "the politcal parties" want to hire or grow government to serve less people... go figure.

[300miles]

Design for sustainability is where the world is heading. Manufacturers are being required to design cars so that the parts can be disassembled later for proper disposal. Companies that sell motor oil, or soda bottles, or flourescent light bulbs are required to take them back for disposal. Buildings too can aim for sustainability measured by LEED certifications.

But the typical big box goes in the opposite direction. They typically destroy greenfield locations, add to sprawl, plan for nothing more than a few years, design a building that is obsolete to them quickly, and can't be reused.... so it either sits there abandoned becoming an eyesore to the community and dumping millions of gallons of water runoff into the overflowing sewer systems, or else it has to be demolished with all those materials (only a few years old) getting dumped into our landfills.

Seems like everyone else except for the big box companies themselves pay the price for their wonderfully short-sighted business model. So adding a bit of pre-planning to their building design so that it's more re-usable makes sense. Maybe it doesn't make sense to them, but it makes sense to the community.

[shortstuff]

You pose some additional information regarding how the automotive industry is working towards regeneration of parts etc. We talk about recyling and consolidation although that is more on a simplier note, it should be modified to meet the future in terms of re-use of development/structure/green space/ etc...

You mention empty buildings -- I think developers like Benderson who typically erects these generic buildings then leaves them unoccupied for years, should have a plan with the town to have some occupants perhaps that are interested before allowing them to erect these empty shells. The one that comes to mind is the huge building he erected on Transit and Clarence Center Road. That has been there for 3 years and no occupants.

What is the benefit of erecting these generic buildings and leaving them unoccupied?

[therising]

I read your site therising and from what I gathered from reading it was that Walmart has a real estate and planning group nation wide that plans their buildings to match the needs of the area. It didn't really specifically stated that Walmart sells empty buildings they vacate to other retailers.

My information is pretty basic but the map that 300 miles posted is pretty good as far as showing you the locations of the empty buildings.

I hope that answers you question, no fact other than what I have seen around the area's.

My bad. I posted the wrong link - meant to post this....
It's a site dedicated to disposition of their vacant stores:

http://www.walmartrealty.com/Buildings/Default.aspx

Sorry about the error. Anyway, I had previously asked you where you were getting your information - that WalMart never leases their old stores out. You didn't say where you were getting it from.

[shortstuff]

Oh, that's fine therising. HOwever, I did go on the current link and it really indicates that Walmart/Sam's Club search for the space to lease if there is empty shells, but readily construct there own. It did indicate that the vacant space is on decline therefore they appear to be utilizing some of the vacant buildings left behind. I thought that I had read long ago about a coalition that went after Walmart and their vacant buildings. But that may have been in a different state.

I did also answer your question "no fact other than what I have seen around the area." The new Walmart on Sheridan is a super store, the original Walmart in the area was on Niagara Falls Blvd. They vacated that building to relocate at the new construction on Sheridan.

[300miles]

http://www.walmartrealty.com/Buildings/Default.aspx

Good find. That site lists 130 walmart/sams buildings they are trying to sell or lease, which is down from the 246 in 2007 listed on the other site I linked to. Although that other site also listed "soon-to-be-vacant" stores... so it's hard to tell if there really has been a reduction in empty stores over the past 5 years.

Also I noticed the empty Niagara Falls Boulevard store is *not* listed on the Walmart site. So I wonder if they are still technically paying the lease on it, or maybe someone else has already contracted to lease it, or their website just isn't up to date?

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Yet "the politcal parties" want to hire or grow government to serve less people... go figure.

Oh...you did not get the memo did you.

Every private business in WNY should go out of their way to be efficient, regardless of cost, to ensure for potential outcomes that are not even considered statistical probablities. However, government has no such responsibility. Rather funny that with all of the arm chair developers and business experts, who think they have a clue as to how that world works, likes to pontificate about how things should be done fail to take control of the one area where they can control...that being the local government.

Take a read on this BRO post that talks about 10 years of residential development in the COB. In that time just 700 units have come on line. While better than nothing, in comparison to others areas, it is almost nothing. Yet in those same 10 years the COB, with government funds, have spent 100s of millions on sh*tty suburban style housing in areas that are unproductive and do not provide a ROI. The only rhyme or reason is that these developments are close to the 'churches' that are run by 'preachers' who think they are developers. Yet the stagnation of the downtown 'rebirth' is due to the developers who put their money where their mouth is do not moving fast enough.

In 10 years they have yet to create the type of density that would allow for spin off benefit in the DT core. One has to wonder what would be the current outlook if those arm chair experts had spend half of the time ensuring competent leadership lead the city to develop in the core rather than build needless structures for so call pastors and barber shop owners on the east and west side of the city.

[therising]

The WalMart on the Boulevard won't remain empty for long. I'm willing to take bets on that.

Anyway, it wouldn't be on their website, because it's not owned by them.

[shortstuff]

I thought the site was a good find too therising. They also indicated on this site that they are trying to be good "stewards" of the environment.

The site on Niagara Falls Blvd. will require less retrofitting, I believe it isn't as big as some of Walmart's current facilities. So retrofitting might be easier at this particular site on the Blvd. It is in a prime location. I think all that space on the Blvd. & Maple is struggling to find space to build for retail, so therising you right, this site will go fast.

[therising]

My prediction is that the Falls site will be turned into some sort of warehouse/office use.
Boulevard will be occupied by the Fall (or at least end of year.)
Hamburg is a tough one. Maybe the building will come down.

[Save Us]

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/erie/su...01&status=true

Very disturbing that even Channel 4 News featured a story on the "ghost building epidemic" in Amherst. Special attention was directed at Benderson's property on Maple and North Forest (Vix).

Nice to know Weinstein and gang are encouraging RE-development in Amherst. This is as it should be. All of these elected politicians should demand re-developing before allowing ANY MORE destruction of green space in Amherst simply to cater to developers because of cronyism and generous donations.

This attitude shift is what is needed not only to preserve the integrity of the politicians but also the integrity of Amherst so it too does not become a "zombie community".

Maybe I am wrong but I thought that the first ring suburbs were already being zombified! Isn't Erie county still losing population? It's funny how we spell success and defeat by one community without context for the entire area. Then again WNY is about as fragmented as you can get. The only thing that is that is disturbing and astonishing is how asleep most people are when it comes to these issues. You can't do anything without regional vibrant population.

[WNYresident]

Maybe I am wrong but I thought that the first ring suburbs were already being zombified! Isn't Erie county still losing population? It's funny how we spell success and defeat by one community without context for the entire area. Then again WNY is about as fragmented as you can get. The only thing that is that is disturbing and astonishing is how asleep most people are when it comes to these issues. You can't do anything without regional vibrant population.

There ya go. You have a point. We are losing population but there are people who believe we need more government workers servicing less people. Then we have people like Mark Poloncarz who are trying to extend more government handouts by raising the limit of income for these hand outs. Don't they realize people have to work for this money.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle730205.ece