The "Elmwood Village Gatekeepers" have launched a new website for their Request for Proposals on the corner of Elmwood and Forest. You can go to the home page here and look on the left of the page to download a printable version of the RFP.

Request For Proposal
Elmwood Village Gateway and
Greenspace

Elmwood Village Gatekeepers
Responses requested by: September 1, 2006
Submissions requested by: October 1, 2006

Objective of this RFP:

The intersection of Elmwood and Forest Avenues is the prominent entrance or "Gateway" to what is possibly Buffalo's most well known, signature neighborhood, The Elmwood Village.

Assets on the southeast corner of Elmwood and Forest include an elevated green space and five turn of the century historic homes. At the northwest corner of Elmwood and Forest is the "Elmwood Forest" a historic green space containing stands of mature pines, other trees and lawn. An all too rare and precious feature in an urban landscape, and part of the historic Olmsted vision for planning the City of Buffalo.

We advocate re-use and renovation of the existing structures and green space presently on these historic sites to create a unique, uplifting and imaginative entranceway to Buffalo's signature Elmwood Village.

We are seeking conceptual schematics which will:

> Preserve, enhance and re-use the existing five historic homes at the southeast corner of Elmwood and Forest.

> Preserve, unify and highlight the unique elevated green space and
lawns at the southeast corner of Elmwood and Forest, and make them accessible as a public "commons."

> Create a unified view of the unique greenspace at the southeast corner of Elmwood and Forest to reflect the "Elmwood Forest" at the northwest corner of Elmwood, and Forest honoring Olmsted's vision of green ways throughout Buffalo.

For information please email: rfp@elmwoodvillage.net

After nearly thirty years, Pano's Restaurant at 1081 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, New York will end a tradition of being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week by ending its overnight foodservice.

The tradition for Buffalonians, who are able to enjoy drinks at the bars and clubs until 4:00 a.m. will end sometime at the end of August or September, according to overnight manager Wendi Dittmar and resturant accountant Roseanne Jones.

"We will be starting the closure of the overnight shift sometime in the next 2 weeks to a month," said Dittmar in an exclusive interview with Wikinews.

Jones told Wikinews that owner Pano Georgiadis is "just fed up" with the "destruction, the walk-outs of bills and fights that the 'drunk' people cause" to his resturant.

Pano's opened in 1977 on the day of the blizzard of '77' and has "remained open for 24 hours since then", only closing for an hour at a time on the weekends to clean up and prepare the restaurant for breakfast, said Georgiadis.

Artvoice who holds the "Best of Buffalo" competition every year where readers vote for their favorite Buffalo place, has listed Pano's as the Best of Buffalo for best brunch, best Greek restaurant, best patio and best super-cheap breakfasts for 2006.

Georgiadis is expected to make several radio announcements within the next few weeks.

Copyright: Wikinews, Article:
Posted using Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 liscense

WNYmedia.net hase gotton nasty about the opposers of the hotel. Now we are going to get nast back.

OPPOSE the Elmwood Village Hotel proposal

When: Monday July 17, 2006
Time: 5:00pm
Where: Elmwood and Forest

Hope to see you there.

Opposers of the Elmwood Village Hotel have decided to pull a counter attack on the so-called "rally" in support of the hotel on Monday at 5pm on the proposed site at Elmwood and Forest.

Opposers say that the protest of the hotel will be peaceful and be isolated to opposite the side of of the street from the supporters of the hotel. They are asking anyone who is AGAINST the proposal to attend.

WNYmedia.net is calling the opposers "Banannas" and "Nimby's" (Not In My Backyard).

The opposers of the hotel have not once called names of those who support the project and to this day have respected those who support the project and their stance. They have never subjected to name calling and or any kind of rotton names etc... We fought for our cause without the severe defense mechanism that this support group is.

My question is, where were they when we opposed? Why is this the FIRST support rally they had? And most important, how many of them live in the city? I respect those opinions of those who live in Derby, Cheektowaga, Amherst, etc...But I do not support them telling the opposers what's best for their neighborhood/community.

Lets not forget that the only reason why this proposal came about was because of one person. Hans Mobius. If he was not such a "slumlord" and kept his proerties up to code and looking at least halfway decent, then there would be no proposal. He neglected them for many years and continues to do so. And all the crime and violations disappear in to thin air, and he gets a hefty 3 to 4 million dollars for his crimes.

Buffalo, New York - According to the developer Savarino Construction Services Corporation, the proposed Elmwood Village Hotel which would be placed on the corner of Elmwood and Forest Avenues in Buffalo, New york has been withdrawn from the city's Planning Board and Common Council and will undergo a "do over"; however, Eva Hassett, Vice President of Savarino says that the proposal will be resubmitted, from scratch by the end of next week.

The hotel would require the demolition of at least five properties, 1109-1121 Elmwood and would cause the closer of several businesses. Already, two businesses, Skunk Tail Glass and Six Nations Native American Gift Shop have relocated, outside the Elmwood Strip. Don apparel, H.O.D. Tattoo and Mondo Video still remain on Elmwood; however, Mondo Video is planning on moving to a new location. The hotel will be 72 rooms and will cost at least 7 million dollars to build.

"We're lovers, not fighters. Our energies should be spent on developing a really wonderful project, not wasted in court. We'll start over with a clean slate and take as much time as necessary to hear people out and end up with a very positive project for the neighborhood," said President of Savarino Construction, Sam Savarino.

The hotel will not undergo any major changes in its design says Savarino. "We would anticipate little if any physical change to the plans." He also alleges that the issues with the hotel were not with the design or the proposal and also says that the hotel is still right for the intersection.

"The perceived problem was with the process, not the proposal itself. We believe this is the right thing to do on that corner," added Savarino.

According to the Buffalo News, the projects resubmission is aimed to "shed the lawsuits" against the proposal. The Buffalo News also claims that the Common Council members are all still "in favor of the project." The proposal was unanimously passed by the council on March 21, 2006.

Attorney Arthur J. Giacalone who represents the plaintiffs, Nancy Pollina and Patricia Morris, who operate Don Apparel (a vintage clothing and collectibles shop at 1119 Elmwood Avenue), Angeline Genovese and Evelyn Bencinich, owners of residences on Granger Place which abut the rear of the proposed site, Nina Freudenheim, a resident of nearby Penhurst Park, and Sandra Girage, the owner of a two-family residence on Forest Avenue less than a hundred feet from the proposed hotel's sole entrance and exit driveway, says that the hotel proposal was "inappropriately rushed," but some council members disagree. Defendants in the lawsuit against the hotel are, Buffalo's Common Council and Planning Board, Mayor of Buffalo, Byron W. Brown, Savarino Construction Services Corporation, Hans J. Mobius and his son Hans S. Mobius owners of the properties at stake, Pano Georgiadis, owner of Pano's Restaurant on Elmwood, and Cendant Corporation, the parent company of Wyndham Hotels, which will be, according to Savarino, the hotel operator. Attorney David State is representing the city, Planning Board, Mayor Byron Brown and the Common Council.

"I don't think it was a rush job," said Dominic J. Bonifacio Jr., the council's Majority Leader. He also alleges that the only way to make "it [the hotel] a better project and ease the concerns of some neighbors would be to find a way to provide more parking."

In an exclusive phone interview with Wikinews, Giacalone states that the lawsuit against the hotel and the city "will not be moved [withdrawn] unless the Common Council resins their [prior] decisions in passing the proposal." Giacalone also says that Savarino has yet to sumbit any new plans for the proposal to the city. He also says that he "still plans to represent all plaintiffs" if they wish to continue with the suit and the use of his services.

Giacalone rescheduled the preliminary hearing which is "still in place" for July 27, 2006. When asked if the properties are still owned by mobius, Giacalone replied "yes" and that according to attorney Bob Knoer, the Lawyer representing Hans Mobius, the owner of the properties that could be demolished, there is "no contract between Savarino" and that Mobius "plans to put the properties back on the market." Mobius has not returned phone calls or e-mails and has not yet commented on the situation or the proposal itself. The city denies these claims.

Area councilman Joseph Golombek also states that the reason for the resubmission of the proposal was due to "a mistake in the Planning process" and that none of the council members have "indicated that they have changed their opinions on the hotel" and still remain in favor of the project.

"I still think the Hotel is a good idea for that part of Elmwood. For Elmwood to stay strong and vibrant it must continue to grow and adapt to change. It is a different community than it was twenty years ago and will be different in another twenty years. The opponents of the Hotel have the opportunity to challenge it and are doing that. Even though I disagree with them I am glad there is a safety mechanism for people who disagree with government. We need to keep moving forward," added Golombek.

Supporters of the hotel proposal are planning on holding s rally to support the new development. WNYmedia.net claims that the first rally will be held to support the hotel proposal on July 17, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. on Elmwood and Forest, on the site of the proposed location. According to WNYmedia.net they "are tired of the anti development crowd in Western New York." They also blast opposers of the hotel proposal calling them "banannas" and "nimbys." Opposers of the hotel proposal are planning on "counter attacking" with their own protest on the same day and time.

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