Downtown is for everyone...

Downtown Buffalo has the capacity to attract the world, the region, and nearby residents. The 1999 Strategic Plan envisions a Downtown with life twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, twelve months a year. It envisions a growing number of residents and expanded related services in the core of Downtown. It reinforces restaurant, entertainment, theatre and cultural venues. And it expands the number of employees working a full range of jobs Downtown.

Buffalo is a central actor in many powerful and world-recognized stories. We need to tell these stories of our region’s natural heritage, architecture and cultural history. The Western Terminus of the Erie Canal was here. The Underground Railroad ran through here. Important battles of the War of 1812 were waged here, and a large portion of the city was burned. Some of the best architects in the world built here. These are important stories to tell, not only for a visitor based economy, but also enrich the lives of all who live in the region and in the city.

The “live, work, and play” activity program will achieve its full potential when residents of the inner ring of neighborhoods choose Downtown as their place for specialized neighborhood retail services, entertainment, and work. It is not possible or desirable to build enough Downtown housing to support such retail services. But combining more than 15,000 residents in the inner ring neighborhoods with the growing Downtown population can generate the market demand to create them. Becoming a preferred venue, in turn, envisions an inner ring of neighborhoods that are clean, safe, friendly, and beautiful.

All entrances to Downtown require travel through the inner ring of neighborhoods. All of our visitor- based economies depend on a Downtown and neighborhoods that are clean, safe, friendly and beautiful. All of our retention and new business development depends on these qualities. The vision for Buffalo is an inclusive one that brings the full diversity of the city and region Downtown. As the city goes so goes the region. As the inner ring of neighbors goes, so goes Downtown.

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