Reply With QuoteThe entire thing needs to come down. It's beyond repair. It's 6 or 7 buildings cut and pasted together.
A complete mess.
Here we go again....
Developers vs. Preservationists!
Proposals are due in mid-January for reuse or redevelopment of the AM&As Building on Main Street. Uniland's plan to tear it down and build a new HQs for HealthNow ran into protests after seeking a multi-million dollar subsidy. Other developers wanted their turn at the trough while preservations screemed to save the old gal.
I'm torn on this one. I'd like to see HealthNow downtown, on Main Street. Their talk of relocating to the GasWorks site behind City Hall won't be much of a benefit to downtown- it might as well be in West Seneca. Those 1500 workers aren't going to walk to Main to shop (what little there is) or to eat lunch. I'd also like to see a portion of the AM&As Bldg. saved- particularly the Washington Street side (designed by E.B. Green) which is much more interesting than the Main St. facade.
In any case, something needs to be done with this building/location- its the largest 'dark' site downtown. Sit back and watch the circus come January if/when any proposals are received. In typical Bflo. fashion, expect a lot of arguing and then nothing getting done.
The entire thing needs to come down. It's beyond repair. It's 6 or 7 buildings cut and pasted together.
A complete mess.
who is hte main company in WNY who seems to knock this type of stuff down?
I wouldn't say its one company, but a familiar pattern.
Have an old building, neglect it, and then cry to the city that it costs too much to save. We've seen it with the Chamber of Commerce Building, Pano's, Schmidt's, Vernors, Convention Center Parking Ramp, Harbor Inn, Webster Building, etc. etc. etc.
Yes the AM&A's Bldg. is several buildings tied together. Heck, I remember walking those uneven floors! But the Washington St. facades are worth saving. I'm unimpressed with the 'art deco' Main St. facade.
From the Buffalo Place website:
Buffalo Urban Development Corp. seeks RFP's for
Downtown Site: The Buffalo Urban Development Corp. is
seeking proposals from developers for the 10-story, 300,000-
square-foot Taylor's building at 377 Main St. and it's five-story,
113,000-square-foot warehouse on Washington Street. Many
consider the buildings as prime Downtown development sites.
The Buffalo Urban Development Corporation was formerly
known as Development Downtown Inc. (DDI), an adjunct
company of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency
(ECIDA) and the City of Buffalo.
A previous deal between Uniland Development Co. and the
buildings current owner, Richard Taylor, to purchase the
structures included a proposal by Uniland to demolish both
buildings and replace them with an eight-story, 230,000-
square-foot multi-tenant Class A office building. Uniland made a
request to state and local governments for $11 million in
public-sector assistance to help finance the demolition and
redevelopment of the building. The funding request did not
move forward.
At the suggestion of Erie County an RFP process has been
initiated. Both local government officials and developers hope
this process will produce the best possible outcome for this vital
Downtown parcel.
The RFP is due back by Jan. 14, 2005 and allows for either a complete demolition and redevelopment of the site or renovation of the existing buildings. Buffalo Urban Development Corp. will review the bids and make its recommendation.
_
well, now that HealthNow has selected the Gas Works site, even Uniland probably won't be bidding for the property.
Another lost opportunity. There could have been 1500 employees to help Main Street retail. The eyesore will be there for years to come which will give us something to complain about- and we do like to complain don't we?!?!?
Are the buildings really in that bad of shape....
The main store structure on Main looks OK?
When did Taylor's move out?
I'm just guessing- but Taylors closed about five years ago I'd say.
I read earlier this year that Taylor wanted resolution on the future of the building (Uniland's purchase) since there was several feet of water in the basement. Geez- you're the owner, you resolve the issue!
The building looks like it is in decent shape- but it is so mammoth- its going to be hard to find a new use. The floors are approx. 40,000 sq.ft. each- those are suburban style floor plates but with alot of columns and tall ceilings. We all know there is no need for retail space and the office market is only recently improving. With New York State needing 80,000+ sq.ft. of space when they vacate the Donovan Bldg- this bldg. would be a good candidate and that area of Main St. could use some new blood. Possibly some limited retail along Main Street would be viable. One new use could be ECC expansion. Also, the upper floors are smaller and have views of the Lake- they have residential potential.
But I'm only a city person, not a developer!
Keep the facades, and gut the interior.
I love the Main Street facade. It's a classic.
This is one of my greatest pet peeves with the residence of Buffalo. Nothing can be done unless we preserve the buildings and sites that they sit upon. Time and time again we chase away the developers and opportunity just because they think something is pretty. Well Buffalo Sure is pretty! Pretty poor, pretty run down, pretty vacant, pretty jobless, pretty much in need of everything.
But look over there! Isn't that a pretty building.
Yep sure is and its vacant too! Wonder why?
Because no one wants to invest millions into an outdated piece of junk. People these are just buildings. We need jobs for people not old buildings to look at and admire. I would like to see how many dollars have been raised from the multitudes of tourists that have come through stared at our old buildings and said "Boy are these not the greatest old buildings you have ever seen?"
My guess not one traceable dollar. even if there is some small change from it it still wouldn't be enough to make even a small differance. All this building saving only makes a few feel good about themselves at, again , the expense of the many. Good job Buffalo!
Originally posted by IAMGONEFROMHERE
Time and time again we chase away the developers and opportunity just because they think something is pretty.
The flip side is this: how many historic buildings have been torn down only to be replaced with surface parking lots? Those parking lots aren't generating any value either, and now those building are gone forever and city becomes even uglier.
That is where the annoying preservationists come in handy. They can force the city to at least think twice and use public pressure to actually DO something of value that balances the loss of architecture. If they're going to raze a significant piece of architecture, they should at least be able to explain in detail WHY they couldn't build on an already-empty lot instead, or HOW the new building will actually stimulate the economy. If they can't answer those questions then they shouldn't tear anything down.
In this case however, if they tore down the AM&A's building and built an impressive modern building worthy of being on prime Main St downtown, I would be very happy.
City and County dropped ball by opposing charter school going into building...... M&T Bank president opposed as well.....
I agree parking lots are also obnoxiousThe flip side is this: how many historic buildings have been torn down only to be replaced with surface parking lots? Those parking lots aren't generating any value either, and now those building are gone forever and city becomes even uglier.
And this statement proves that the management is wrong as well!City and County dropped ball by opposing charter school going into building...... M&T Bank president opposed as well.....
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result
We can do much better than this!Let the brightest among us come forth and produce a new Westerny New York!
Any Takers?
Silly.Originally posted by IAMGONEFROMHERE
This is one of my greatest pet peeves with the residence of Buffalo. Nothing can be done unless we preserve the buildings and sites that they sit upon. Time and time again we chase away the developers and opportunity just because they think something is pretty. Well Buffalo Sure is pretty! Pretty poor, pretty run down, pretty vacant, pretty jobless, pretty much in need of everything.
But look over there! Isn't that a pretty building.
Yep sure is and its vacant too! Wonder why?
Because no one wants to invest millions into an outdated piece of junk. People these are just buildings. We need jobs for people not old buildings to look at and admire. I would like to see how many dollars have been raised from the multitudes of tourists that have come through stared at our old buildings and said "Boy are these not the greatest old buildings you have ever seen?"
My guess not one traceable dollar. even if there is some small change from it it still wouldn't be enough to make even a small differance. All this building saving only makes a few feel good about themselves at, again , the expense of the many. Good job Buffalo!
First of all, not all of downtown Buffalo is vacant. Some is, but not all of it.
Hodgson Russ purchased the historic Guaranty Building and are renovating it. But you'd rather they'd have torn it down and rendered it shovel-ready, probably for some piece of post-modernist dreck that Uniland can erect in 2 weeks.
The LCo building is a fantastic renovation of a warehouse - have you been inside? It's wonderful.
Finally someone will come in and remediate & develop the gas works site, which (coincidentally) still retains a portion of the ornate frontage. Why'd they bother? They may as well have ripped that down, too so they could put in a shopping plaza.
Tear down AM&As for the sake of tearing it down?
You know - down by the water, where the skyway obstructs the view, and urban renewal destroyed the rest, there was once a wonderful maze of cobblestone streets and brick-fronted buildings. They're gone there, never to return. Had someone said during urban "renewal" that they should stay, we would now have a historical waterfront district like Boston's, or Portland, ME's. We don't. We have a Skyway, some crappy new buildings, an empty cobblestone district, and street-level parking as far as the eye can see.
The way to ensure the rebirth of downtown isn't to rip down every historic building in sight so that Uniland and Palladino have something shovel-ready to poop on. The only way is to make sure that there is fundamental governmental and taxation reform in Albany. It's to either consolidate or eliminate county government altogether. It's to lessen the tax and regulatory burden on New Yorkers. It's to make our State, county and local governments more responsive and responsible to the people.
Tearing down every old building in site will lead not to a downtown boom, but instead to a whole bunch of empty lots.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep a beautiful building that's vacant than look at another empty lot downtown.
But since you are "GONEFROMHERE", I don't quite see why you care.
Typical response.But since you are "GONEFROMHERE", I don't quite see why you care.
Words of encouragement that would actually change, mine and others minds from leaving. Western New York should be happy that I still do care and that I haven't left yet!
I have put my money where my mouth is and attempted to renovate many vacant properties in the city only to be shut down by preservationists who would'nt allow updated construction materials to be used. Instead thay insist that my company put the properties back to original look, using the same materials from the 1890's. Needless to say I have not spent anymore capital in the city of Buffalo, which needs to move into the 21st century.
Here is Web site to prove how great Buffalo is doing!
www.localmarketmonitor.com/NationalSummary.pdf
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions