(originally posted as a comment to (e:enknot)'s comment on (e:leetee)'s journal [sorry, don't know how to do the links]- but he said (forgive me for paraphrasing) something about not wanting to see the anchor businesses of a thriving business section demolished.)

Oh, I am so sick of this topic, but I can't let this one go by.

ANCHOR businesses? THRIVING business section?
Correct me if I am wrong, but the shops in question are a clothing store, a video store, a head shop, and something else... tattoo parlor?
Now, I will readily admit I have never been in any of those. For several reasons. 1- I am too busy, and don't go ANYwhere (i've been here almost two years and haven't seen the freaking FALLS yet). 2- I'm not currently in the market for tattoos or bongs (though I don't have a problem with either). 3- the stores are rundown and unappealing and don't make me WANT to go in. And if these stores are so "thriving", why don't they fix themselves up? i.e. try not to look like shitholes. (blah blah blah, I don't want to hear about mobius). Appearances aren't everything, but they do not LOOK like "successful" businesses, they look like "barely scraping by off college students' beer money" businesses. You get the feeling they are only there b/c it is the cheapest real estate in town. Not exactly what I look for in a business to patronize. If I want to go clothes shopping, I can walk just a few blocks down elmwood and go to any of the numerous attractive, interesting, local stores down there.
Frankly, I personally (and by "I" I mean myself and any family/friends that may visit me) would be much more likely to patronize a hotel/retail building on that corner than what is there right now. And if you think that makes me some corporate sellout snob who wants to see elmwood yuppified and turned into williamsville, well you're simply wrong.

And finally- if those crappy buildings (again, I don't want to hear about the how fact that they're crappy is Mobius' fault) are the "anchors" of this end of the elmwood strip, then god help us, we are in DIRE need of a makeover. I'm not saying a monster hotel is the answer. And I support local businesses and don't want to see them put replaced with Gap and Blockbuster. And Dragonfire I'm sorry your house is in danger. But we all say we want what is "good" for the neighborhood. And good for the NEIGHBORHOOD (increased pedestrian traffic, more money spent, better word of mouth, etc) may not be the same as what is good for YOU (status quo, cheap rent, crappy buildings.) If we want things to change and improve, we have to at least CONSIDER, well- change and improvement, rather than just screaming 'no hotel no hotel i won't stay in it thus no one will thus it is bad!'

phew. ok. i hope that is all i have to say on this matter.