Buffalo is the best planned city in America. This is true primarily because of the work of Joseph Ellicott and Fredrick Law Olmsted. Olmsted's Emerald Necklace of parks and parkways once ringed Downtown and could again. Building on the concept of the necklace, one could imagine all of the east-west connections and the Genesee radial as part of the larger system.

Short Term Action items (six months to one year)

Policy

• Increase focus on the importance of Washington and Pearl Streets as entrances to Downtown
• Put in place a moratorium on surface parking lots
• Determine priority areas – focus on one block at a time

Analysis

• Conduct urban design inventory – public and private spaces

Implementation

• Complete Chippewa Street Improvements 
• Create a position of Downtown Code Officer and include biannual parking lot inspections at license renewal time 
• Develop standards for trees and landscaping 
• Develop a land-use plan for Downtown 
• Develop an Urban Design Action Plan 
• Develop urban design standards 
• Implement changes and continuous maintenance – volunteers/corporate sponsors 
• Seek sources of funding for improvements (Public and Private Sector)

Medium Term Action items (one to three years)

Policy

• Restore/ Clearly define Preservation Districts 
• Focus on the greening of Downtown 
• Develop and enforce surface parking and parking ramp design standards

Implementation

• Pedestrian Mall rethink or reinvest 
• Revamp Downtown signage 
• Capital replacement of sidewalks 
• Improve all gateways into Downtown 
• Live-Work art space in vacant storefronts 
• Explore occupancy requirement for commercial structures (can not be vacant for longer than x months or fined)

Long Term Action items (three to five years)

Policy

• Advocate development of Michigan as low rise building site

Implementation

• Reconnect radials to the neighborhoods 
• Convert Elm-Oak corridor to a parkway (see Access) 
• Offer an advocacy category of membership in Buffalo Place to all of Downtown so that one organization can effectively advocate for Downtown issues.

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