Reply With QuoteCity of Tonawanda is a pretty mature area, fully built-out.
There's no room for new subdivisions a la Amherst.
Hi All ~ I am a lurker, but now I have a question. My mother would like to move to the City of Tonawanda. Apparently there is no new construction going on in this part of WNY, but there is lots of contruction going on in other parts such as Amherst. Do you guru's happen to know why? She wants to retire in the Canal area and all the homes are very old and not very appealing. I appreciate your response.
Thanks, Katie
City of Tonawanda is a pretty mature area, fully built-out.
There's no room for new subdivisions a la Amherst.
Because WNY does not have the population for infill development. New construction in existing neighborhoods doesnt command the appreciation and value as new construction in a new development.
The result is that new construction rarely happens in existing communities.
The only possibility for existing communities like Tonawanda is to buy and demolish an entire neighborhood and then have it rebuilt. This was proposed but was shot down by the taxpayers unwilling to use their tax dollars to buy the homes......so these homes will follow Buffalo and eventually drop in value, become slums until they are abandoned (the usual cycle)
If you think Tonawanda is better than Buffalo....its taken what 35 years for the Spaulding site to be cleaned up and that isnt their only un-addressed brownfield and undeveloped industrial site.
If you think Tonawanda is better than Buffalo....its taken what 35 years for the Spaulding site to be cleaned up and that isnt their only un-addressed brownfield and undeveloped industrial site.
What does this mean? Pardon my ignorance, but what is a brownfield? I don't live in Buffalo anymore and sometimes I don't always understand what you all are talking about.
Also, are you seriously telling me that builders don't tear down old houses and build new ones? I thought the Canal area was a very nice area (and desirable). Why haven't the builders started buying up that land and knocking down those houses to rebuild? I hate to tell you where I live, but this happens every day in old and desirable neighborhoods. Maybe it's just not that easy there? So, if my mother wants new construction near the canal she has to buy a house, tear it down and then contract with a builder?
Thanks for your help!! Katie
You must not lurk very often if you haven't figured out the answer to this on your own. Welcome to WNY's way of thinking.Originally Posted by kisch
I know, you're right. I was thinking it as I was typing it. This is WNY after all. I still remember. In-bred politicians who only take care of their own.You must not lurk very often if you haven't figured out the answer to this on your own. Welcome to WNY's way of thinking.
Welcome Katie,
In Buffalo, anything and everything is something to someone......
Every house is going to be "historic" to someone. Tearing down things in WNY, no matter what it is, is a huge task. Almost every time there will be someone who will "lawyer up" to fight this. This resistance adds to the bottom line in development.
Because of this, builders in WNY look to build where there is no demo needed. As previously explained Tonawanda simply does not have this type of demand.
The only way Tonawanda will ever see new construction on a big scale is if the demand for living in Tonawanda justify s the cost to go through the headaches for developers.
I also think there are some crazy construction laws in Tonawanda from what I have read. Something about being forced to hard wire smoke detectors if you change out your furnace. Something like that.
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It doesn't happen here.Also, are you seriously telling me that builders don't tear down old houses and build new ones? I thought the Canal area was a very nice area (and desirable). Why haven't the builders started buying up that land and knocking down those houses to rebuild? I hate to tell you where I live, but this happens every day in old and desirable neighborhoods.
You asked a question - people answered it. If you want a debate as to WHY it doesn't happen here, then say so.
Yes, Katie, as hard as it is to believe, WNY doesn't believe in tearing down old homes in existing neighborhoods to put up new homes. The reason being is that undeveloped land outside of existing areas is relatively cheap and there is negative population growth, so there is no pressure redevelop older areas.
The city of Tonawanda is not a bad place. If and when the area recovers economically I think it will be a prime place for redevelopment. If someone was looking for an inexpensive place to retire, the City of Tonawanda wouldn't be too bad a place.
Downstate is exactly right. I didn't have the patience to explain right now.
It happens where I live too (Long Island).
Probably 20% of the homes have been knocked down in my neighborhood and replaced with McMansions on small lots. Housing costs in my area have tripled since 1999. I couldn't even dream of being able to afford living where I am today if I had to buy into it at the present price.
Katie, I sent you a private message.
By the way, there is a rather large new development planned for the City of Tonawanda, but it probably won't be approved until the Spring of 2008.
What about those townhouses right along the canal behind the Tops Plaza? Those are fairly new for this area -- 10 or 15 years old, I think. Maybe being newer, they might be too pricey.
Sorry, Timmy, but I don't think that the Tonawandas are going to go Buffalo's way any time in the foreseeable future, no matter what urbanists claim. The fact is that the primary conduit from middle class neighborhood to slum is the concentration of multiple dwellings. The secondary conduit is the lack of interest in enforcing zoning laws by the municipal government. Both the City and the Town of Tonawanda are predominately SFD, and both municipalities seem to serious about keeping their neighborhoods in good shape.
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