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A
Message from the Director of
Downtown Buffalo 2002!
There is a story of a man who lost his wallet
at night on the street and chose to look for it under the street lamp
because “that is where the light is.” In many ways the Downtown Strategic
Plan is developing projects where much of the planning work has been done
and there is already significant developer interest and constituent support.
In short, we are implementing projects “where the light is.”
The hard work is to bring new light to the search,
building on the vision and framing the next steps in accord with immediate
possibility and strategic impact. The primary tasks in this effort have
been identified by the reviews of the strategic plan to date and from
our learning based on attempts to implement it. The most important tasks
at hand are to enhance the plan specifically in the areas of housing and
business development.
We have come a long way in housing with the assistance
of the R/UDAT report described in this newsletter and in the development
of a revised Urban Renewal Plan for the 700 block of Main Street. Mayor
Masiello and the Office of Strategic Planning are also convening all parties
in his administration responsible for housing on a regular basis to remove
obstacles to the development of housing units in existing as well as new
buildings in downtown. Groups like the New Millennium Group are organizing
lists of potential occupants for such housing to further demonstrate the
market need and to lower the risk for developers. We have much of the
vision and we have the constituent, developer, and political will needed
to bring a residential population downtown. It is now time to seek the
wisdom of the financial and philanthropic community, constructing creative
ways to finance residential development that make sense for the downtown.
The Business Development Strategy for downtown is
by necessity part of a much larger regional conversation about our economy.
A task group of Downtown Buffalo 2002! is currently working to relate
the range of regional initiatives to the conditions of our downtown. In
addition, they also have the task of looking for unique solutions to downtown
business development that are not simply where the light of regional initiatives
resides. It is clear, for example, that retail does not “just happen”
or simply follow office and housing development. Certainly such developments
help, but it will also take a focused effort like that currently being
undertaken by Benderson Development Company to fill the 18,000 square
feet of retail space in the new Hampton Inn. Success by them in that endeavor
will breed success both north and south on Delaware and Elmwood. It will
also demonstrate the possibility of success, reducing perceived risk and
improving the chances for further retail development downtown.
There is a great deal of exciting work left to do
as we shape the strategic plan over the coming six months. The results
of that effort are driven by past reviews and will, of course, be subject
to another round of full public, professional, stakeholder, and policy
reviews.
Robert G. Shibley, Director, Buffalo 2002
2002!
Retires Five Projects, Adds Four More
As the second year of the Downtown Buffalo 2002!
Implementation Campaign unfolds, five of the eleven projects adopted into
the portfolio are ready to be "retired." Representing the three
priority categories of Living, Working, and Accessing Downtown, all of
the projects will be completed by Summer 2001. Three of the projects,
all private sector driven, involve extensive rehabilitation and reuse
of historic buildings. The remaining two are public sector initiatives
that help address some of the perceived negative aspects of downtown,
namely parking and safety.
The Hampton Inn and Suites
On
Halloween morning 1999, the 75 year-old Ford Hotel located at Delaware
and Cary Streets was brought down in a well-publicized implosion. When
the dust settled, work began to convert the adjacent historic Jackson
Building into a new Hampton Inn Suites Hotel. This $7 million project
represented many firsts for Benderson Development - it is their first
hotel project in the City of Buffalo, their first major project in Downtown
Buffalo, and their first major rehabilitation project.
Opened on May 15, 2001, the 138-room hotel has many
unique features including fireplaces and whirlpool tubs in some of the
rooms, custom wood molding throughout the hotel and high-speed Internet
acces in each room. The exterior of the building was fully rehabilitated,
including brickwork that was re-pointed and stained. Additional improvements
to the project include the creation of a heated enclosed pool on the south
face of the building. The first floor of the hotel has 18,000 square-feet
of retail space. Leasing efforts are now underway and it is expected that
5-10 tenants will ultimately occupy the space. The ribbon cutting shown
below occurred on May 15, 2001. A grand opening celebration is scheduled
for June 2001.
The Watkins Building
In
January 1998, a new not-for-profit agency was formed to promote and advocate
for housing in Downtown Buffalo and nearby neighborhoods. Combining the
missions of the former Revival Downtown! and the Lower West Side Resource
and Development Corporation, this new entity, named Heart of the City
Neighborhoods Inc. (HCN), began its mission of creating and facilitating
housing development in Buffalo's core. The acquisition and rehabilitation
of the Watkins Building is the first major project undertaken by HCN.
Located on Chippewa Street just west of Elmwood,
the building was originally constructed as a small hotel for the Pan-American
Exposition. It was acquired by Heart of the City Neighborhoods in May
2000. Construction on the six-unit project began in January 2001 and is
now well underway towards completion. Interior work is ongoing, and exterior
work will begin now that warmer weather has arrived. Several people have
already expressed serious interest in occupying the new apartments and
a waiting list for the market-rate apartments has been formed. Construction
is expected to wrap up by July 2001 and occupancy will begin immediately
following.
Once the Watkins Building is complete, Heart of the
City neighborhoods will begin searching for its next downtown project.
HCN is also in the process of acquiring and rehabilitating several houses
in the Lower West Side.
Downtown
Buffalo 2002! and the Regional Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT)
Downtown Buffalo was the subject of a recent visit
by R/UDAT, a program of the Urban Planning and Design Committee of the
American Institute of Architects. The visit was hosted by a broad-based
steering committee including representatives from Downtown Buffalo 2002!,
Buffalo Place Inc., the City of Buffalo, Erie County, the Buffalo Niagara
Partnership, and a wide array of not-for-profit and community based organizations,
builders, and downtown residents.
From March 22 to 26, 2001, a team of nine experts
from all over the United States focused on the topic of downtown housing,
the top priority of the Downtown Buffalo 2002! program implementing the
Strategic Plan for Downtown Buffalo. They worked in focus groups with
a total of fifty-seven people, in addition to the steering committee representing
a full range of stakeholder constituencies, and with a large public forum
attended by well over one-hundred people. Their 80-page report was published
and presented to the public on March 26, 2001 and will soon be available
on the web at http://www.buffalorudat.org.
The results of the teamwork confirm and enrich much
of the Downtown Strategic Plan and the review work conducted by the Downtown
Buffalo 2002! program.
Among their major findings were:
_ There is a market for housing downtown.
_ Achieving the market is a high priority and it
is doable, but it will take substantial financial gap funding.
_ A mix of residential types will be required and
absorption will be in modest increments totaling about 300 units a year.
_ The development of housing needs to be part of
a larger strategy of downtown development.
_ Providing housing downtown will require a broad-based
consortium of leadership from the private sector, especially banks and
financial institutions, the community, and elected officials.
_ There is a continuing need for careful address
to the public realm including making a quality pedestrian environment
with good lighting, street furniture, landscaping, and maintenance.
Joseph Ellicott's 1804 radial plan for the
Village of Buffalo
Finally, in a clear description of vision for downtown, the team emphasized
the strength of Buffalo's existing architecture and Joseph Ellicott's
radial street plan. The citizens of Buffalo, the Downtown Strategic Plan,
and the implementation campaign are all focused on the need to take full
advantage of the existing stock of buildings and to build in a manner
that links the City with its neighborhoods along the radials and Main
Street.
(back to the top)
Lafayette Square was identified by the R/UDAT team
as a potential site for housing development
Downtown Buffalo 2002! has agreed to work with the
Buffalo R/UDAT steering committee and will report on action taken to further
explore and implement the report recommendations. This will occur as part
of our quarterly newsletter. A comprehensive assessment of actions related
to the R/UDAT recommendations will be part of a special report from Downtown
Buffalo 2002! this fall.
Copies of the Buffalo R/UDAT 2001 Report are
available at Buffalo Place (856-3150) and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership
(852-7100).
The triangle-shaped parcel located between
Niagara,Huron and Gary streets was identifiable as a possible housing
development site
Projects
New to Downtown Buffalo 2002!
The
four projects being added to the Downtown Buffalo 2002! portfolio continue
to address the priority issues of live, work and access. Reform of the
New York State Building Code has long been considered critical to promoting
housing development in Downtown Buffalo. A new Class-A office building
increases the product offering in Downtown Buffalo, while the expansion
of two parking ramps continues to address the parking question. Finally,
Chippewa Street will get a facelift from a $200,000 capital improvement
plan from the City of Buffalo.
Building Code Reform
Robert G. Shibley, Director of Downtown Buffalo 2002!
has been confirmed as an appointee to the Governor's Fire Prevention and
Building Code Council that is responsible for recommending changes in
the NYS Building Code to the Governor. Richard Ogorek, Deputy Commissioner
of Permit and Inspection Services for the City of Buffalo sits on the
technical sub-committeee that is reviewing the rehabilitation portion
of the code review. On March 14, 2001, the Council unanimously recommended
to the Governor a new International Code that is performance based and
should help to ease some of the restrictions imposed by the current code.
Formal adoption of the new code should be completed by January 2002
Perhaps the most important part of the code revisions
for Buffalo will be the incorporation of an appendix to the regulations
on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. A draft is currently being
tested on some of Buffalo's downtown building stock in close collaboration
with downtown developers. The goal of the testing is to determine the
ease of use of the code and the difference in costs between existing code
constraints and the proposed amendments. The results of the study will
be provided to the technical sub- committee on the Code Council responsible
for proposing the rehabilitation code.
655 Main Street Building
655 Main Street, the site of a former McDonald's
restaurant, is being developed into a four-story, 67,000 square-foot office
building. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership is expected to be the anchor
tenant in the new building, along with the Wolf Group. The building is
being developed Larry Quinn, Gerald Lippes, and Frank McGuire. The building
is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Parking Ramp Expansions
Among the medium-term recommendations that emerged
from the Destination Downtown Buffalo 2002 report was a call to
build two new parking ramps, one in the Theatre District and one in the
Retail Core. After an initial analysis, the City of Buffalo Board of Parking
and Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps (BCAR) determined that expanding two existing
parking ramps, the Adam's and the Augspurger, would achieve the same goal
at a lower cost. The Common Council has given authorization for bond financing
and BCAR has received approval to hire a construction manager and architect.
The total number of new ramp spaces will be 1,600. Work in the Adam's
Ramp is expected to begin in early spring 2002, while work on the Augspurger
will begin later in 2002.
Chippewa Street Improvements
The
City of Buffalo Department of Public Works has been engaged the services
of Foit-Albert Architects to undertake the design work for improvements
to West Chippewa Street. The City of Buffalo has allocated $200,000 in
its Capital Project Account to pay for the improvements. Among the proposals
are plans to install new garbage cans, pour stamped-concrete at intersections,
install new street lighting between Delaware and Elmwood, and banners
and flower baskets. The work is expected to be completed by the end of
the year.
Progress
Report
In addition to the progress report given on the five
projects ready to be retired, below is an update on the ongoing projects
and plans being monitored by Downtown Buffalo 2002!
LIVING DOWNTOWN
The Belesario (former L.L. Berger Building)
The L.L. Berger building has been renamed "The
Belesario" in honor of the developer's father. Phase one of the project,
which included adding a new roof and removing all of the asbestos is 100%
complete. Interior demolitions are also complete and the debris has been
cleaned out. The building is essentially a shell, and more detailed design
work is underway now that a clear picture of the layout has emerged. Housing
development will occur on floors 3 through 8, while floors 1 and 2 will
be devoted to commercial office and retail space. The project is expected
to be complete by early 2002. Ellicott Development received a $300,000
grant from the City of Buffalo to help cover the cost of the initial work.
The City received the money from a Downtown Development Improvement Grant
awarded through the New York State Urban Council.
Century Centre I (former Trico Building)
No
official timeline has been established for the Century Centre I project.
The building, along with the former M. Wile building, has been listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. Both building are classic
examples of "daylight factory buildings" that were developed
in the early part of the 20th century.
Create a Housing Development Strategy
Newly released Census 2000 numbers indicate that
just over 3,200 people live in the core of Downtown Buffalo. This number
represents a 23% increase (600 people) from the 1990 census which identified
2,600 people living in the Downtown core. While the numbers are encouraging,
there is still much work do be done to substantially raise that number.
With the recently completed R/UDAT report in hand (see cover story), the
pieces that help to define a housing development strategy are beginning
to fall into place. Several initiatives are already taking place to move
this process forward.
First, the City of Buffalo has proposed an amendment
to the Urban Renewal Plan for the 700 block of Main Street. The amendment
specifically authorizes the City to add both the historic Vernor and adjacent
Schmidt-Schiffrin properties to its Land Acquisition and Property Disposition
Plan. The amendment also changes the zoning of these parcels from Commercial
to Residential/Commercial Mixed Use. The Planning Board approved the amendment
in April 2001 and forwarded the application to the Common Council for
review. A public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Urban Renewal
Plan will be held on June 12, 2001. The City is also exploring the possibility
of acquiring and weatherproofing a number of buildings in the 800 block
of Main Street that could be redeveloped as housing.
The City of Buffalo is also proposing changes to
the building permit process that would alter the fee structure to promote
reuse and rehabilitation of existing structures. The old fee structure
was based on the cost of work, which favored lower cost new-build construction.
The old feestructure also required an accounting of items such as number
of outlets and linear feet of ductwork. The new flat-rate fee structure
is based solely on square footage, and equalizes the permit cost of new
build and rehabilitation. The Common Council must approve the new fee
structure before it takes effect.
Finally, several members of the WNY delegation are
developing a number of legislative initiatives designed to encourage the
development of housing in existing buildings. Downtown Buffalo 2002! will
provide more in-depth reporting on the Housing Development Strategy in
the next newsletter and in a special publication due out in the fall.
All of the work taking place relating to housing in Downtown Buffalo will
be incorporated into the Revised Strategic Plan.
WORKING DOWNTOWN
Adelphia National Operations Center
New York State, Erie County, and the City of Buffalo
have reached a deal with Adelphia Communications to build a new National
Operations Center in Downtown Buffalo at the foot of Main Street near
the Inner Harbor. All major legislative hurdles have been overcome, and
the project is now moving into the design and construction phase. No specific
timeline for the project has been established. When completed, the project
will be adding 1000 new jobs to Downtown Buffalo in addition to the recently
added 500. Adelphia plans to create an additional 500 jobs throughout
the remainder of Western New York and New York State. NOTE: This project
is on hold pending Adelphia's recent Chapter 11 filing. We are hopeful
that the project will resume when Adelphia re-emerges from bankruptcy
protection.
Waterfront Entertainment District
One
part of the Inner Harbor/Canal District development focuses on the designated
developer "Dream Team" of Benderson, Cordish, and Adelphia.
This development is expected to occur after the Inner Harbor infrastructure
is built and includes the possibility of retail/office space, entertainment
venues, and recreational sport venues.
Convention Center
Erie County has contracted with Ecology and Environment
to undertake the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that will
evaluate four possible alternatives for the proposed convention center
site. Among issues being considered are location, size, and the expansion
of the existing center versus building a new one. The four alternatives
under study are building new at the Mohawk site, expanding the current
facility, building new at the waterfront, or doing nothing. The draft
EIS document should be completed and opened for public hearing in August
2001. The final EIS will be issued in October 2001, and a record of decision
should occur in November 2001. A detailed and informative website explaining
the EIS process and inviting public comment can be found at http://www.bfloconventioncenter.ene.com/.
Business Development Strategy
The creation of a comprehensive Business Development
Strategy specific to Downtown Buffalo was strongly identified as a priority
issue during the plan review process. This topic will become a primary
point of discussion for both the Action Team and Implementation Council
over the next few months.
There are already a number of initiatives in place
working to improve the business climate in Downtown Buffalo. These include
Empire Zone Tax Benefits, the Byte Belt Initiative, the One-on-One Retention
Program and Low-Interest Loan Packages. Developments at the Buffalo-Niagara
Medical Campus and Exchange Street Corridor also serve to strengthen the
business climate in Downtown Buffalo. Other relevant citywide programs
include the "Live-Zone" programs that reinforce neighborhoods
surrounding Downtown and the "Green-Gold Initiative."
Among the entities working on business development
are the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation, the Erie County Industrial
Development Agency, Empire State Development, the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise,
and the US Small Business Administration. It is expected that these entities
and others will be included in the upcoming discussions. The next newsletter
will highlight the results of some of these conversations.
ACCESSING DOWNTOWN
Inner Harbor Infrastructure
Immediately
following the decision to re-water the historic canal slip, a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement was conducted and redesign work has begun.
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) assisted with the archeological
exploration. In the meantime, a new budget is being assembled to reflect
the changes in design, as will the contracts. The Empire State Development
Corporation is also exploring relocation of the Hamburg Storm Drain that
currently rests in the middle of the historic canal slip. Construction
of the Naval Ship basin and Veteran's Park respectively will continue
to completion in late 2001 and summer 2002. The project will be constructed
in three phases, with a final completion date estimated for August 2004.
Revise Street Circulation
Once the signal poles have been fabricated, work
will begin on converting Huron Street from one-way to two way. Work is
expected to be completed by Fall 2001. Meanwhile, design work on Franklin
Street is underway.A public review of the Franklin Street changes will
occur prior to final design approval. Ellicott Street, which was converted
from one-way to two-way in October 2000, will soon be repaired and repaved
now that fiber-optic lines have been laid. More permanent mast arms are
also being installed along Ellicott Street.
Metropolitan Transportation Center
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is
still waiting for a decision on whether Greyhound Bus Lines wishes to
remain at its current location at the Metropolitan Transportation Center
or move to a new Intermodal Transportation Center proposed for the foot
of Main Street near the Inner Harbor.
Intermodal Transportation Center
The EIS process has narrowed the number of possible
sites for a new Intermodal Transportation Center. The two possible locations
are in the old Auditorium or a site that combines the Auditorium and the
Donovan Building. A second public review of these two sites and their
design options will be held in the next few months.
Long-Term Parking Plan
Among the remaining long-term recommendations proposed
by the Parking Infrastructure Task Force are 1) Enhance NFTA park and
ride service by providing more frequent service at existing park and ride
lots and develop new express bus service; and 2) Further expand access
to low cost periphery parking through expansion of the Park'n Go Shuttle,
an NFTA free fare bus zone within the central business district, and /or
an NFTA shuttle bus circulator route. Expansion of the MetroRail (see
below) was also a priority long-term recommendation.
Cars Sharing Main Street
Staff from Buffalo Place Inc., the City of Buffalo,
the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, and the Greater Buffalo
Niagara Regional Transportation Council are in the process of analyzing
and reviewing options developed by Erdman Anthony for returning cars to
Main Street.
MetroRail Expansion
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has
not yet released the results of the Strategic Transportation Assessment
completed by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The purpose of the study was to explore,
among other things, the feasibility of completing the expansion of the
MetroRail line to the suburbs or airport. Expansion of the MetroRail line
was a priority recommendation that emerged from the review of the draft
Strategic Plan for Downtown Buffalo.
Additional Planning
Expand Buffalo Place
Based on responses from property owners in areas
initially proposed for inclusion in an expanded Special District, the
Buffalo Place Board of Directors has decided to pursue expansion into
the Chippewa/Franklin Entertainment District this summer. Expansion to
Court Street and portions of Niagara Square will be reconsidered after
the Chippewa and Franklin Street process is complete. It is anticipated
that the next steps in the expansion process will include a joint Erie
County Legislature and City of Buffalo Common Council hearing to be held
in midsummer and action by those bodies in early fall to amend the district
boundaries. Included in the proposal is a reduction of the special charge
paid by residential buildings.
Once the expansion proposal has received legislative
approval, and the 30-day veto period for property owners has expired,
the special charge from the expanded district will be collected beginning
January 2003. At its monthly board meeting held on May 30, 2001, the Buffalo
Place Board of Directors passed a resolution in favor of this expansion.
Image Campaign
The local and national image of Downtown Buffalo
affects the progress of all other projects. The need for an image campaign
for downtown was strongly identified as a priority issue in the plan review
process. There are currently a number of separate activities addressing
the image of downtown at a regional and national level. These include
the work of Buffalo Place Inc., the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center
and Visitors Bureau and the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise. However, there
is no single entity or collaborative effort focused on developing a comprehensive
image and marketing campaign specific to Downtown Buffalo. This issue
needs organized analysis and prioritized corresponding activities. Work
to define the problem and come up with viable solutions continues on an
ad hoc basis.
Have You Heard?
DOWNTOWN BUFFALO 2002! was named a recipient of
the Civic Empowerment Award by the Greater Buffalo All-America
Cities Committee. The award, presented at a banquet at the Adams Mark
Hotel on Thursday April 26, 2001, was given for the ongoing engagement
of the public in both the review and implementation of the Downtown Buffalo
Strategic Plan.
ALSO...
The Urban Design Project of the School of Architecture
and Planning, SUNY Buffalo has released the proceedings from the "Canal
Conversation" that took place last Fall. The report will be available
on the web in the near future. For more information contact the Urban
Design Project at SUNY Buffalo 829-3483 ext. 218.
DOWNTOWN BUFFALO 2002!
c/o Buffalo Place Inc.
671 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 856-3150 Fax: (716) 852-8490
http://www.urbandesignproject.org
PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
The City of Buffalo Buffalo Place Inc.
The Urban Design Project at the School of Architecture
and Planning, The State University of New York University at Buffalo
FUNDING PARTNERS
The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency
The Margaret L.Wendt Foundation
The John R.Oishei Foundation The Baird Foundation
JoAnne E. Loughry, Editor
Jessica Jamroz, Graphic Assistance
