This was spoken at the meeting at Forever Elmwood Last night(March 13, 2006 Start:6:30pm) by:
Pano Georgiadis, owner of Pano's on Elmwood speaking on the proposed Elmwood Village Hotel. This is exact:

"Now Karl (Frizlen) said, at the last meeting, that they will build this hotel right on the borderline [propertyline]. If a wall forty-five to fifty feet high goes next to this house, I could touch it with my hand. Of course its not right. You really have to go with whatever the city code says, so you have to get back as many feet as the city code says."

"If you try to get a variance to change the code, I will sue you. This is my home, number one. First of all I think we are all wasting our time here, you [Savarino], have already made up your mind, but if you go against city code, and you try to do the most rooms with a minimal amount of parking, again, I will sue you."

Any comments?

P.S. See my journal entery on Bagels :)

So...I aquired about oh...lets see..maybe about 100 day old bagels. Some plain, some onion (i think, because i can smell them) and some sesame and some cinnamon and raisen. I had only one so far, the cinnamon and raisen. MMMM...

So does anyone want any bagels? Thet were baked last night and came from a place where the owners/bakers follow strict Orthodox rules and there is something about they cannot make bread or something after sunset, and so they bake brand new ones in the mnorning.

Have you ever seen a load of crap? Sure you have, and it wasn't brown or on the grass. Its called Forever Elmwood. Yup...they are a load of crap.

The meeting tonight was just as I suspected and what Pano suspected, one big pile of $hit. It was not a "community meeting." I recall the last big meeting Savarino had was at Buffalo State College, where the general community got stuff in their mailboxes about the meeting. Funny thing is, I learned about tonights meeting through the media. WB 49 to be exact. Kris O'Donnell told me. If it were not for her, I probably would not have gone. This was not a public meeting as there were only about 15 people there? And seemed like there was only one there that was for the hotel, that was NOT affiliated with any Elmwood group or development. Even that number is pushing it. In fact, all they are trying to do is force this down my throat and everyone elses and trying to get us to "comply" with the hotel. They didn't answer questions, they just gave reasons, that we already heard, to why we need this. They showed us the same pctures the saem layouts the same everything. I have the whole thging on tape. And I can say, that if the hotel goes through, and the developers take the house I am in, by getting a variance, which they ARE doing, then Pano will sue them. Said it out loud to everyone, and I have it on tape. As far as I am concerned, they made no effort whatsoever to inform the public of this meeting and they could care less what anyone opposed thinks.

So if the city approves it, then lawsuits will hold it up for a few years. Looks like its the "no tell hotel" now.

Meeting tonight....892 Elmwood (Forever Elmwood office in the basement of Fleet Feet) Between Lafayette and Delevan, on Elmwood, at 6:30pm.

Elmwood Village Hotel Protest on Saturday March 18, 2006 at 2:00pm on Elmwood and Forest (at the proposed site)

Work: I hate work sometimes. The dishwasher broke and we had to wash dishes by had all night long. That was tedius and cut into time to do everything else. When I left at 7am, it was still broken :(

The storms are fun :) I love thunderstorms and will try and get lightening pictures :)

Jason

Of course its not :) At least not until the 21 technically. But it was so nice the other day, I went outside :) That is big for me considering I work overnights and rarely have time to go out of the house and do anything "fun".

Before leaving, I opened the door to the porch and a few windows to get some fresh air in the house (this was on Saturday). I then went around to Dona Apparel to see what I could find in there. When I have time I will get a picture :) I then went to Skunk Tail and got a "piece". They really do some awsome work, and its fun to watch.

I came home and cracked open a beer and sat outside for a few before I had to sleep for a few hours.

Its too bad this weather is not lasting, yet. I miss the porch parties ;-)

Jason

Well I just got an E-mail from Patty of Don Apparel, the Buffalo Current is NO more. They pullled the plug. They are done.

WB 49 News at 10 is also done, pulled the plug on that.

No reason as to why yet, but there is specualtion, IMO, they sucked, but I wonder what the true motive is??

Anyway, I love vintage stuff. I went deep discount shopping today at Don Apparel and was just amazed. They have an attic full of stuff too!!! My god it would take me days to go through everything. And I mean dddaaaayyyysss.

A woman named Michele was trying on some clothes...She picked out a lot of really nice things.

We were calling her "Donna Parrel" :)

Well anyways they have a lot of really cool stuff in there. Its not just ladies stuff either :)

Ok...no bitching...no debating...just an event note on the hotel

My latest news article: Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal delayed further

1. Meeting at Forever Elmwood at 892 Elmwood. Monday 6:30pm. Their office is in the basement of Fleet Feet sports shop between Lafayette and Delevan on Elmwood.

2. Protest the Elmwood Village Hotel - Saturday March 18, 2006 at 2:00p.m. on the corner of Elmwood and Forest. (on the proposed site). We will have signs as well.

Please attend these events :)

Jason

I decided to walk down Elmwood to do my weekly chores, as opposed to taking the bus. It was quite warm today, but not sunny. But that didn't matter.

I started by going to work to get my dinero. I headed to the bank and each week it still amazes me to see that every one of my co-workers will be at the bank around the same time every week (between 2 and 3pm). I never realize how many people I work with until I see them all flock to the bank. I think this is the only day of the week I can gurantee that no one will call in sick, pay day :)

I back tracked to go to Cole's to meet up with the roomie and to give her money for the bills. I hate bills. Expecially when you have to pay like three hundred bucks. Oh well...they are all paid. I decided to have a beer, Labatt's Blue Light. My Usual, and of course draft. I did not eat there though.

I then continued my walk down Elmwood. I had my camera and was hoping to catch a decent picture, but it started to rain :( I did take a picture of the Auburn and Elmwood shops and the Globe Market.

As I was walking further down towards Utica Street, the rain stopped. I decided to get some food and so I stopped into Louie's Hot Dogs on Elmwood. Man how I love them.

I ordered a 1/2lb cheeseburger with ketchup and mustard and dill pickles. I never had the Cajun fries, so I got those too. I decided I need something to wash it down so I got a Pepsi.

I would have taken a picture of what I got, but I ended up getting ketchup all over me and did not want to risk messing up the cam, and getting it all greasy :(

But it was DELICIOUS. The Cajun fries were, well very cajun. Lets just say that my sinus's are perfectly clear now. When they say Cajun, they are not kidding. I was not able to finish them because the burger was so filling and delicious. But man, were they good. I reccomend them highly, if you like spicy food.

I continued my walk to Allentown and met up with friends and we watched the movie Domino. Nice action, a hot guy ;-) but the plot sucked. But it was a free movie.

I had a few bits of some chicken Parmesan thet my friends girlfriend made. Boy can she cook. I even invited her over to my house to cook dinner ;-)

Around 8:00pm I headed back home and it started to rain again, so I got on the bus, and here I am.

What, were you expecting somethiong about the hotel? Suprise :)

Jason

Actually I am not taking this personally. I do not like anyone less or more than when I first joined. I just hope everyone else is not taking this personally. Some might say I am shoving rthis down your throat....hmmm well now you know how I feel...Savarino is shoving this down my throat. And I am sorry if I pissed anyone off, and that was not my intention(s) and they still are not my intentions. I hope that everyone is not mad at me. Sorry.

RE: Why do I feel like no one is listening? Because the reasons some of you give are just plain rediculous.

I am all fdor something happening on this corner, but I see absolutely no reason whatsoever that all these homes and businesses need to be demolished to do it. If these buildings were abandoned, empty, half burned, or unrepairable, then I might agree to a hotel right here. But the truth is, Mobius and the developers would rather ruin lives that fix a few things.

If we let this happen, then we may as well let it happen everywhere in Buffalo. Everyday people buy buildings and then just let them sit and rot. Why does a development company HAVE to do this? They don't HAVE to. All they want is their 7 million dollars. Honestly, I really think they could care less about us or anyone's houses.

Well anyways. It seems there is probably only one thing stopping this hotel from going up, and that's this house. They need 60 feet from the house to the hotel, and they don't have it. And the owner, is not selling this house. Unless this house goes, then there will be no hotel. I fear that imenent doamin might take a play in this house and the one next door if the city agrees to the project. Some say if that happens then I have lost, but lawsuits are a bitch. If they try to force the owner to sell through imenent domain, then I can almost promise you lawsuits will be filed, and this project would be delayed indefinately.

Myabe we do need a hotel. I am NOT saying we do not. We just do not need to destroy all of this end of Elmwood to do it. Where will they shop? Well not on this end. They will go to Auburn and Elmwood. Or allentown. Or Hertel. There will be NO shops other than the overpriced ones in the hotel. Where is this benefiting us or Elmwood?

Jason

(e:Dcoffee) said:

Stores like, Everything Elmwood, Urban, and etc have a real advantage over the businesses in these homes, one reason is that they have big windows right on the sidewalk. They're more inviting because when you walk by you can see what's in the store, and therefore you feel more comfortable walking in and hopefully purchasing something from them.

Have you even read anything I wrote? Have you seen Rocco Termini's design? Seven strofronts, all tenants stay and theres room for more. They will look just as you described.

How many more college students would be spending their beer money at these stores if they could easily see what the place is selling,and who is inside, right from the sidewalk?

Last time I checked, there are many many college students who go to these shops. I have seen them. How many college students will spend their "beer money" in this hotel?

furthermore, think of the parents coming to visit their sons and daughters at the college. Many of us went to college, I went to Fredonia, it was far away enough to be your own person, but close enough that mom can come down for lunch. How many students from Elma, Clarance, Hamburg, Rochester, batavia, and elsewhere have parents coming to visit them at Buff State?

Are you serious? You make it sound like those places are hours and hours away from Buffalo. And as far as I know most students go home on breaks and such anyway. But I could be wrong, you seem to have the answers for that one I guess.

and how many take their children out for lunch at some nearby restaurant, and wander down the street? With a big new commercial building on the corner, this shopping district will look a lot more attractive to visiting parents who may not have ventured down there to shop yet

So where will they shop again? the 2 or 3 possible shops in the hotel? Remember, there is no gurentee that any shops can afford to move in there and if they can afford it, then they will be overpriced as the rent will be outragous. So will these visitors shop at another resturant? We Never Close? Mobil? Give me a break. The shops that do exist on this end of elmwood will be demolished. So we are sending these people all the way to Auburn and Elmwood. Build the hotel there then.

and the businesses would really appreciate visiting parents because they are likely to spend money with their children while in town. A new 4 story building would create a grand commercial gateway, and make this part of the city seem as active as it really is.

So the students and their parents will go eat at a resturant then proceed to Coles and Mr. Goodbar to get drunk? Right...Active? You mean see the wandering puking drunks right? The bums asking for change 24/7?...the crazy people from the hospital?...yeah real attractive. And when they see a seven million dollar hotel there then they will flock to this corner like there is no tomorrow.

It is a commercial strip, that is it's purpose, and if the businesses there succeed and expand, then the area is doing well. If you don't like living on an active commercial strip, move to linwood, richmond, colvin, ashland, or any one of the million Buffalo streets that are residential. the greatest challenge for the city today is for it to reestablish itself as the commercial center of WNY, and take some of the money away from the big box chains, which are trampling our farms and forests as the suburbs sprawl ever outward. You know?

No. Elmwood is not a "active commercial strip." There are people that LIVE on Elmwood too. So your statement is wrong. Elmwood is not a strip mall. If we allow a hotel, we may as well call Walgreens back and offer them the site where We Never Close is. Ok...so Wyndham Hotels is not a big Chain? Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't they International? Tell me to move? I live in this neighborhood, and again who are you to tell me or anyone else whats good for OUR neighborhood? If you love the hotel so much, let them tear your home down.

That corner deserves more, and this hotel is far better than anything I expected, someone is really willing to put some serious money into that corner. it never had a great corner building like some of those in my neighborhood and around the city. this is an awesome step in the right direction.

Don't get out much do ya. Pay attention. I wrote all about Rocco's plan. Whats wrong with it? So far no one has given any reason as to why his design is not worth it. Afterall Elmwood is a VILLAGE not a damn mall. Let them say your house is next and you tell me you want a hotel.

Jason