Downtown Buffalo 2002!

Newsletter Survey

In November 1999, a survey was issued with the first edition of Downtown Buffalo 2002! News. In that document, issues, action items, and projects contained within the Downtown Buffalo Strategic Plan were briefly described and summarized. Respondents were asked to rank issues and projects according to priority. Over 6,500 copies of the newsletter and survey were distributed at a local, regional (6,000 total), national and international level (500 total) with plan summary, questionnaire, and invitation to the Summit. 287 responses to the survey were returned, representing a 4.4% rate of return.

Issue Priority Ranking

Issue priorities identified in the survey were (1) Living Downtown, (2) Working Downtown, (3) Accessing Downtown, (4) Image of Downtown, (5) Having Fun Downtown, (6) Feeling Safe Downtown, (7) Meeting Downtown, (8) Shopping Downtown, and (9) Learning Downtown.

Figure 2 – Priority Issue Ranking

This ranking represents a shift in priority from 1994, when participants at the 1994 Downtown Summit ranked Living Downtown as #1 and ranked Feeling Safe Downtown a close #2. In 1999, Feeling Safe Downtown ranked #6, and at the December Summit, it was of such little concern that almost no attendees even wanted to discuss it. Another notable change is the increased importance of Working Downtown, which ranked #8 of 8 in 1994 and #2 of 9 in 1999. Figure 2 highlights the results of the priority issue ranking.

Project priorities from the newsletter survey are as follows:

1. Develop the Inner Harbor
2. Business Growth Strategy
3. Reform NYS Building Code
4. Build a new Convention Center
5. Build 3000 housing units in 5 years
6. Revise Street Circulation
7. Parking Rates, New Ramps
8. Cars Sharing Main Street
9. MetroRail Extensions
10. Support New Hotel Development
11. Address Office Competitiveness
12. Complete Preservation Districts
13. Intermodal Transportation Center
14. Expand Buffalo Place
15. Increase Lighting Levels
16. Update Directional Signage
17. Support Not-For-Profit Housing Developer
18. Remove the Skyway
19. Prepare for Possible Gaming

Figure 3 highlights the project priority ranking results. Additional comments from the survey focused on improving and reforming government and placing a greater focus on urban design and amenities.

Figure 3 – Priority Project Ranking

Survey Methodology

In the Issue ranking, respondents were asked to rank projects from 1-9 (1 highest, 9 lowest). The total of the ranking (1-9) equals 45. Thus, a valid survey would be worth 45 points. The base score of each project represents the average ranking across surveys. Since it is an average, no project received a perfect score. The lowest average equals the highest ranking. Therefore, Living Downtown ranked the highest with the lowest score (3.82) To plot this on a graph, the number would have to be reversed so that Living Downtown would have the longest bar. Therefore, the average was subtracted from the total number to get a weighted ranking, so Living Downtown is now worth 41.18 out of 45.00. The average and the total equal 45. The same formula applies to the Project ranking, except that in this case, the ranking was from 1-19, and the total number of points equals 190. Tables 3 and 4 below show the actual project ranking tabulations.

Table 3 – Priority Issue Ranking Results Form

Issue ID #	Issues	Total	Rank Order	Avg.
9	Learning Downtown	37.67	9	7.33
8	Shopping Downtown	39.39	8	5.61
3	Meeting Downtown	39.59	7	5.41
7	Feeling Safe Downtown	39.92	6	5.08
4	Having Fun Downtown	40.18	5	4.82
5	Image of Downtown	40.37	4	4.63
1	Accessing Downtown	40.73	3	4.27
6	Working Downtown	40.96	2	4.04
2	Living Downtown	41.18	1	3.82
Total Points = 45				45.00

Table 4 – Priority Project Ranking Result Form

Project ID #	Projects	Total of 190	Rank Order	Avg.
14	Prepare for Possible Gaming	175.60	19	14.40
4	Remove the Skyway	176.42	18	13.58
9	Support Not-For-Profit Developer	177.91	17	12.09
7	Update Directional Signage	178.25	16	11.75
19	Increase Lighting Levels	178.32	15	11.68
16	Expand Buffalo Place Districts	178.59	14	11.41
6	Intermodal Transportation Center	178.96	13	11.04
15	Complete Preservation Districts	179.37	12	10.63
18	Address Office Competitiveness	179.83	11	10.17
12	Support New Hotel Development	179.88	10	10.12
1	Metro Rail Extensions	180.21	9	9.79
3	Cars Sharing Main Street	180.59	8	9.41
5	Parking Rates/New Ramps	181.16	7	8.84
2	Revise Street Circulation	181.28	6	8.72
10	Build 3000 housing units in 5 years	181.49	5	8.51
11	Build a new Convention Center	181.67	4	8.33
8	Reform NYS Building Code	182.83	3	7.17
17	Business Growth Strategy	183.30	2	6.70
13	Develop Inner Harbor	184.34	1	5.66
Total Points = 190				190.00

Summary Analysis of Additional Survey Comments

ACCESS (42 mentions)

Parking should be cheap, or free, and easily accessible (12 mentions). If not entirely free, perhaps weekends or after 6pm could be free, but it should also be inexpensive for DT workers. Parking rules should be better enforced.
Disagreement: stop constructing surface lots (1) vs. replace "unsalvageable" stores/homes w/ surface lots (1).
Support and expand public transportation, including Metro Rail and buses (8 mentions).

OTHER ACCESS COMMENTS (22 mentions)

Relocate or remove I-190 (4), or get rid of tolls (1); remove (2) or celebrate (1) the skyway
Focus on intermodal transit (bikes, pedestrians especially) (3)
Improve traffic signal timing (2) and signage (1)
Put cars on Main (1) or keep cars off Main (1)
New, bigger train station DT (2)

STREETSCAPES, AMENITIES (36 mentions)

Improve aesthetics at the street level. Beautify by greening with parks, trees, shrubs, all well-cared for (11); keep the downtown clean: get rid of garbage, sweep streets (8); keep streets and building facades maintained (5); focus on gateways (4); invest in streets, curbs, lighting, sidewalks (5); improve/maintain city parks (4); demolish old "eyesore" buildings (3); pay attention to views of important buildings (1); street vendors (1); public bathrooms (1); public art (1); keep new buildings scaled to street (1).

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (23 mentions)

Expand Downtown Retail. Focus on food availability (5) including juicery/souperie for teens, decent grocery, large (maybe international?) food market; expand (1) or raze (1) Main Place Mall; trendy indoor shopping center w/ restaurants on waterfront (1); get retail sites primed for development (1)
Attract new and maintain existing businesses. Incentives (1), economic incubation program (1); focus on high tech/ fiber optics (2)

LIVING (22 mentions)

Housing is a priority. Build market rate (2), mixed (1), or affordable / low income housing (2); ensure adequate services for DT neighborhoods (3); reform building code (2); have residency requirements for city employees (2); convert/renovate/build 3000 units in 5 years (2); use for-profit developers (2); use incentives for developers (2) and for residents, like cops (1); tax abatements for developers converting to residential units (1).

MAKE PUBLIC SECTOR AN ASSET (22 mentions)

Create centralized or coordinated planning entities to make process more efficient (9)
Permit / building code reform (5)
Lower taxes (4)
Include public (4)

HAVING FUN (20 mentions)

Develop attractions: Fitness/sporting attractions (5) like tennis/basketball, streets closed Sunday for biking/rollerblading; Zoo relocation (3); festivals/celebrations (2); Regal movie theater (1); adult cultural center (1); water taxi to Outer Harbor (1); cruises to Cleveland, Detroit (1); aquarium (1); use natural resources (1)

PRESERVATION (10 mentions)

Preserve Buffalo’s historic heritage. Add historic authenticity to Inner Harbor development (6); follow historic street patterns (1); strengthen protection of old buildings (1).

IMAGE / MARKETING (7 mentions)

Improve self-image and awareness, and marketing will follow. Info booth on Main (1); new motto "A place where we labor and live because it is a place we love" (1); publicity package (1)

CONVENTION CENTER (5 mentions)

Use old convention center for something (2)
Will need more hotels (4)