The Skyway

[Member 2358]

Problems? Sure, I suppose.

No other city in the last 50 years has experienced what Buffalo has? None? Hardly.

Acceptable? To whom?

Opinions are not questionless.

OP overly negative and uncalled for? Yep.

Negative & bashing rarely advances a situation.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Problems? Sure, I suppose.

No other city in the last 50 years has experienced what Buffalo has? None? Hardly.

Acceptable? To whom?

Opinions are not questionless.

OP overly negative and uncalled for? Yep.

Negative & bashing rarely advances a situation.

You would be hard pressed to find a city that has declined to similar proportions to Buffalo in the last 60 years. Maybe you need to get out into the world more to have a deeper understanding of just how bad things are.

What people, like you, don't seem to understand is that good stuff happens everywhere and by default. All of the 'good' things that happen in Buffalo happen elsewhere. It has nothing to do with Buffalo.

[grump]

Problems? Sure, I suppose.

No other city in the last 50 years has experienced what Buffalo has? None? Hardly.

Acceptable? To whom?

Opinions are not questionless.

OP overly negative and uncalled for? Yep.

Negative & bashing rarely advances a situation.

You suppose there are problems in Buffalo? Really? And I suppose water is wet. Other cities have suffered problems similar to those of Buffalo but very few indeed have suffered the same degree of decay. Third poorest city in America. One of the highest crime rates in America. THE highest murder rate of any decent sized city in NY and quite possibly the worst murder clearance rate in America. It’s a cesspool of corruption...Riverbend...CAO...BMHA...BPS...NFTA.. .to barely touch the surface. Only idiots, local politicians and their contributors looking for boatloads of payola, a hapless local congressman and the editorial board of a failing newspaper believe that spending $600 million to remove the Skyway is a good idea. And the almost unbelievable final act in this comic opera (well, unbelievable anywhere but here) is that when it’s all said and done a large chunk of the Skyway will be left standing.

[Member 2358]

If the intent is to get a reaction (any reaction)... mission accomplished.

Not withstanding the splashes of truth.

Narrow minded.
Debilitating.
Deceitful.
Hypercritical.

Enjoy yourselves? Really?

I'll choose a better outlook. One that is pragmatic, optimistic, and forward-thinking.

Oh, and calling someone names. Grow up!

[WNYresident]

Put the decline of Buffalo into another thread.

From Push Buffalo

Big Developer Says: "Tear down the Skyway in #Buffalo!? No way!! That's less money that will be in our pockets!! We're already getting by handsomely! Some of us took illegal money bags from the #BuffaloBillion, some of us have showcased fake, luxury, showroom apartments for illegal money schemes, others of us have been getting million$$ in taxpayer funded breaks through loopholes in the law by only adding 1 apartment unit to a luxury project for years, and many of us have benefited from not having to deal with the ridiculous tax reassessments that regular homeowners or property owners in Buffalo with no clout have had to deal with. Those taxpayer dollars going into this project to try to make Buffalo more sustainable could be better spent by going into our pockets!!"

Quoted:

"Some of downtown's biggest developers aren't in a hurry to see the Skyway go away.

Downtown real estate developers are signaling a break with Rep. Brian Higgins and the state over plans to tear down part of the elevated highway over Buffalo's waterfront, convert the remnant to a public park and enhance other connections to the Southtowns.

And their opinions are consistent. It's too expensive. It isn't needed, especially with a major repair project wrapping up. And there are other, less ambitious things that could be done to improve downtown.

"I’m a fan of Brian and he’s done great work for the community. But that’s one thing that I disagree with him on," said Jake Schneider, whose Schneider Development has done several projects in downtown and South Buffalo. "It seems foolish to me to be taking it down. … I just think it's a poor use of money."

"They should leave the Skyway alone. We just spent a lot of money to fix it. It’s fine," said Carl Paladino, chairman of Ellicott Development Co. "And some people like the view. It's a beautiful view."

They also they say it's too expensive, citing cost estimates that have ranged from $340 million to as high as $600 million for the multiyear project.

"If we're going to take hundreds of millions of dollars and inject them into downtown Buffalo, redoing the Skyway is not the best use," said Paul Ciminelli, CEO of Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. "In all my years in real estate, I’ve never lost a prospective tenant because of the Skyway. It’s never been an issue. I don’t think it’s a game-changer".

What ya'll think!?

https://www.facebook.com/push.buffal...23157767861188

[Member 2358]

Put the decline of Buffalo into another thread.

From Push Buffalo



https://www.facebook.com/push.buffal...23157767861188

The Skyway is, and should be, an asset to the area. It could be - and I hope it becomes - an even greater asset. Use it to it's fullest advantage.

[WNYresident]

That is where you and I disagree. It's not an asset. It's just a bridge. The goldengate bridge is an asset or bridges like that.

[Member 2358]

That is where you and I disagree. It's not an asset. It's just a bridge. The goldengate bridge is an asset or bridges like that.

It has value. And, according to developers, it does not possess substantial liability to business. I'd consider that to net to an asset. It could be a 'signature' element to Buffalo (even more than it is now). It's here. Make the absolute best of it... in every manner possible. Be a visionary, right?

BTW, The Golden Gate Bridge did not simply happen to become iconic. It was marketed (heavily) through massive (for the time) placement efforts, hotels, and the municipalities. Not unlike what Sault Ste Marie has done with the locks... and Welland (and neighboring communities) is presently doing with the ditch. Take what ya got and build upon it!

[WNYresident]

It has value. And, according to developers, it does not possess substantial liability to business. I'd consider that to net to an asset. It could be a 'signature' element to Buffalo (even more than it is now). It's here. Make the absolute best of it... in every manner possible. Be a visionary, right?

BTW, The Golden Gate Bridge did not simply happen to become iconic. It was marketed (heavily) through massive (for the time) placement efforts, hotels, and the municipalities. Not unlike what Sault Ste Marie has done with the locks... and Welland (and neighboring communities) is presently doing with the ditch. Take what ya got and build upon it!

I still disagree. The skyway is not the same at the Golden Gate bridge. Even if it wasn't marketed it's still an iconic element compared to a thruway over pass. I am all for saving old buildings/things with style/architect value. My opinion.

Nothing is wrong with being visionary but be visionary with your own money when it comes to certain things. I don't have an opinion either way as to keep it or not. Money was just used to fix it up so it would seem pointless to tear it down after that was just done.

[Member 2358]

I still disagree. The skyway is not the same at the Golden Gate bridge. Even if it wasn't marketed it's still an iconic element compared to a thruway over pass. I am all for saving old buildings/things with style/architect value. My opinion.

Nothing is wrong with being visionary but be visionary with your own money when it comes to certain things. I don't have an opinion either way as to keep it or not. Money was just used to fix it up so it would seem pointless to tear it down after that was just done.

Opinion respected... but, I'm curious, isn't the Skyway already an iconic element of buffalo (and it's skyline)? I say capitalize on what it is already. it may never reach the degree (icon-wise) as the GG... but, who says everything has to be equivalent(?). Letchworth's middle falls is hardly as grand (icon-wise) as Niagara Falls... but is it really then nothing? It has it's own qualities that attract... just as the Skyway does/could.

As far as 'being a visionary with private money'... the GG was built with public monies... was that then wrong?

[WNYresident]

I don't think it is. I save a lot of Buffalo items. I don't think I saw anything that focused on the skyway as a signature element of Buffalo.

I took this photo 11 years ago.



When I look at that photo I think that the thruway over pass is blocking a nice view of the Arena and the grain storage units. I don't see the photo as a nice view of the skyway.

In this photo it's just the over pass



On the other hand I consider this building a signature element of Buffalo.

[grump]

If the intent is to get a reaction (any reaction)... mission accomplished.

Not withstanding the splashes of truth.

Narrow minded.
Debilitating.
Deceitful.
Hypercritical.

Enjoy yourselves? Really?

I'll choose a better outlook. One that is pragmatic, optimistic, and forward-thinking.

Oh, and calling someone names. Grow up!

You’re right. I only included splashes of truth. To report the entire dismal mess in this area would run for pages. Narrow minded? I don’t know...I think I covered a number of issues across a number of areas. Debilitating? I hadn’t thought of that but you may be right. It’s possible that my comments are far more debilitating to the area than the highest taxes in the nation, or a public school system that is demonstrably among the worst in the country, or a city and county government that not only do not clear and maintain streets but, in fact, don’t even try to, government rife with corruption, including, but not limited to, proven cases of bid rigging, the election of a convicted criminal to public office, a list of state officials as long as your arm who can’t keep their hands (and other pertinent body parts) off interns and staff....I’m sure my post is far more debilitating than these and other didos that go on here regularly. Deceitful? I don’t think I deceived anyone unless you’re saying that my “slashes or truth” really weren’t. Hypercritical? I’m not sure that pointing out the actual problems facing an area is hypercritical; some might consider it simply stating facts. As for enjoying myself, I do most of the time; thanks for asking. As for calling people names, as the old saying goes “if the foo sh*ts wear it.”

[Member 2358]

I don't think it is. I save a lot of Buffalo items. I don't think I saw anything that focused on the skyway as a signature element of Buffalo.

I took this photo 11 years ago.



When I look at that photo I think that the thruway over pass is blocking a nice view of the Arena and the grain storage units. I don't see the photo as a nice view of the skyway.

In this photo it's just the over pass



On the other hand I consider this building a signature element of Buffalo.

Got it. Always interesting to hear of others well reasoned mature perspectives.

[WNYresident]

Got it. Always interesting to hear of others well reasoned mature perspectives.

If I called you a poopy face it wouldn't have made my opinion any more valid.

I hate seeing old buildings torn down unless the cost of restoration is so high it's not possible. Or there really isn't anything left to restore. Example.. We have 20 bricks from this building and we need to rebuild what was once here.

Once that stuff is gone it isn't coming back.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

The Skyway is, and should be, an asset to the area. It could be - and I hope it becomes - an even greater asset. Use it to it's fullest advantage.

It's not an asset. It's a massive liability.

It will needs hundreds of millions in maintenance in the very new future. That, and Buffalo no longer needs an expressway to the industrial sites that no longer have industry, is the reason it's being removed.

You're thinking is why Buffalo is the way it is. Congrats on that.