Hotel Boom in Amherst

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Amherst grapples with hotel boom

So what is everyone's thoughts on the new hotel at the corner of Main and S. Forest? This quote in the BN had me scratching my head...

Many residents, however, say the town’s interests in property tax revenue and higher-density development shouldn’t override neighborhood interests and the impact on community character, particularly along the Main Street corridor, where commercial zoning backs up to residential lots.

For starters, I don't see how a single story Dunkin Doughnuts shop in the middle of a parking lot would be more desirable than a mixed use building that fronts Main. I have not lived in the Village in almost 30 years but I do remember that it being a walkable village was always a positive.

Wouldn't stacking housing along Main just add more people who want to 'walk' the village and in turn make retail elements in the village stronger?

[300miles]

i think the Main street hotel is good for Williamsville. It's built up to the sidewalk and puts lots of people up-close to shops and businesses. I can understand some complaints about the height, but there are other taller midrise towers on the strip.
I haven't really followed the news on the other 2 hotels.

[Colonel Sun]

http://www.erie.gov/comptroller/pdfs...203-2-2011.pdf

I had a meeting reschedule on me, so I had a moment to do some reading. I read this post and something tripped my memory - wasn't there a report on hotel rooms in Erie County? Didn't that report say there were too many hotel rooms in Erie County?

There is and it does. The Erie County Comptroller did such a report in 2011. The link to it is above. The important material starts on page 25.

A more basic question than the issues of hotel height or physical location - Why are we tolerating the building of these structures? Is there a need? Or will these structures end up abandoned and unused, like so many other commercial properties in Amherst?

I don't like these structures. I think the way to stop this overdevelopment is by making the number of hotel rooms, occupancy rates and room price points an issue.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

http://www.erie.gov/comptroller/pdfs...l 3-2-2011.pdf

I had a meeting reschedule on me, so I had a moment to do some reading. I read this post and something tripped my memory - wasn't there a report on hotel rooms in Erie County? Didn't that report say there were too many hotel rooms in Erie County?

There is and it does. The Erie County Comptroller did such a report in 2011. The link to it is above. The important material starts on page 25.

A more basic question than the issues of hotel height or physical location - Why are we tolerating the building of these structures? Is there a need? Or will these structures end up abandoned and unused, like so many other commercial properties in Amherst?

I don't like these structures. I think the way to stop this overdevelopment is by making the number of hotel rooms, occupancy rates and room price points an issue.

The number of hotel rooms in Erie County has little to no weight in the conversation regarding the number of hotel rooms in Amherst. I'll even quote your source:

The distance between rooms and attractions is a factor in room demand. Demand in downtown Buffalo for rooms has remained constant for years, as compared to lower demand in the southern parts of Erie County. Customers look for rooms physically close to the reason for their visit.

So let us exlore this...

What is near Main and Forest where the new hotel is going? hmmm. Would an airport qualify? Now if you were a business travler, booking a room for a couple of days in the region and you wanted to stay close to the airport to catch your AM flight, what would be more appealing?

A - A hotel near NOTHING directly accross the street from the airport?
B - A hotel in the heart of the village that is only 5 min ride to the airport?

Going further, I wonder what destinations are located in Amherst that would be a reason to visit?

Do they have a large university? Why yes they do have UB inside of the TOA?

How about major employers who run back office operations? Why I think they do Colonel.

What about a major thruway that ends right at the town doorstep. Do they have one of those?

[300miles]

...I read this post and something tripped my memory - wasn't there a report on hotel rooms in Erie County? Didn't that report say there were too many hotel rooms in Erie County?

There is and it does. The Erie County Comptroller did such a report in 2011. The link to it is above. The important material starts on page 25.

You didn't read far enough. On page 28, the report states:

Based upon our comparison to the average occupancy in the US, Niagara Falls and Rochester,
Erie County has consistently had a higher rate of occupancy. As a result of our analysis, our
office opines that Erie County does not have too many hotel rooms. However, we do not opine on whether or not there are too many of a specific type of hotel room in Erie County

[WNYresident]

Amherst Zoning Board OKs variance requests for Hyatt project

The controversial Hyatt Place hotel project in Amherst is moving forward despite protests from more than 60 red-clad Snyder residents who showed up at Town Hall on Tuesday night to protest the proximity of the six-story hotel to their neighborhood.

After a month’s delay and a marathon session of the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals that ran for more than five hours, the board approved all nine of Iskalo Development’s variance requests, which ranged from parking to signage associated with the hotel. The variance to raise the building height limit passed narrowly, 3-2, with Chairman Matthew Plunkett and board member David Pollack voting no.

Read the full story in the Buffalo News