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Leetee's Journal

leetee
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03/07/2006 19:52 #25590

Hotel Shmotel
In a comment to (e:Jenk)'s journal, [inlink]jenks,86[/inlink], (e:Dragonfire1024) wrote:

Well again, we would not be where we are today if Hans Mobius would have kept his peoperties to code...ok so fine build the hotel. Whil we are at it lets reward every slum lord in Buffalo.



If Hans Mobius had kept his properties to code and wasn't such a slumlord, then perhaps all the tennants in those houses would have had way way way way higher rent, perhaps even not been able to afford to do business or live there?!?

So, the options are for him to sell the property to someone else and be rewarded or continue to be a scumbag slumlord? Neither are attractive. If he ends up in jail because he is a slumlord, what happens to the buildings and the tennants? Does the city take over? What the heck would they do with the buildings? Condemn them and boot out the tennants? Or sell them to the highest bidder and then the tennants would be out anyway?

Instead of telling me what is wrong with Hans Mobis and him being a slumlord and wanting to sell to a developer that will do things you thing aren't good for you, your neighbourhood and the tennants of those buildings, how about what you are hoping will happen? What is your suggestion in an ideal world? Really, i am not being sarcastic or arguing, i really want to know...
dcoffee - 03/07/06 20:33
Great points Leetee.

03/07/2006 00:36 #25589

My Turn?
Some of ya'll are getting sick and tired of the "Hotel on Elmwood" debate... heck, i think some of ya'll got sick of it before it really got started. *waves to (e:Paul)*

I thought i was gonna stay out of it. Then, (e:Metalpeter) posted the Buffalo News story about revitalizing things over here on the westside at Grant and Ferry. [inlink]metalpeter,581[/inlink] Thanks, by the way, (e:Metalpeter), appreciate you posting about that.

Personally, i don't have any issues at all with anyone wanting to build a hotel on Grant. Closer to Buff State, that might even be a good idea (as per a comment from the lovely and talented (e:Uncutsaniflush) [inlink]metalpeter,581[/inlink]). Hell, build it at the end of our street, on the corner of Bird and Grant. I could work there as a maid (have i ever admitted to ya'll that when i was a kid, my parents asked me what i wanted to be when i grew up and i got all excited and said "a maid!"). It would be so close, no long bus (i don't drive) commute.. Ok, who wants to build a hotel at Bird and Grant?

I understand why some people would not want a hotel on Elmwood. I understand the reasons... not wanting to see Elmwood change, not wanting to see tennants misplaced. I get it.

In a comment to (e:Metalpeter)'s post [inlink]metalpeter,581[/inlink] (e:Dragonfire1024) wrote:

No one would stay in the hotel on grant no, but you know what, its not about the looks. I am not going to use the hotel and neither will anyone in the area. It does not benefit the neighborhood, since no one will use it personally. I will not shop there, eat thewre or stay there. As far as I am concerned, if I or anyone else will not use it, then its NOT beneficial to the community.



One of the things you have mentioned a few times, (e:Dragonfire1024) is that no one you know will use the hotel. I agree. Locals don't use hotels in their neighbourhoods. It's the people that live out of town that use a hotel. Like maybe on Elmwood it would be people who are want to visit the gallery for an opening, but don't want to stay way out in the 'burbs. Or because the woman that walks her dog down the street has the cutest top that she got on some street in Buffalo and look at that, there is a hotel right there...! And look, there is a college right there.. i wonder if little Billy would want to go there when he grows up!?! There are so many reasons for a tourist to want to stay in a hotel on Elmwood. The same reasons you and i and so many others think it is a cool place to be are the reasons people might want to visit.

Saying that no one in the neighbourhood would benefit from a hotel just isn't true. Not everyone would. Some wouldn't. But some would. like maybe me... i might want a hotel job. Might be my dream job.. i did want to be a maid when i grew up! Now, i just need to grow up!
jenks - 03/07/06 11:04
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 (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. 3- the stores are rundown and unappealing. 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 (blah blah blah 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 it is bad!'

phew. ok. i hope that is all i have to say on this matter.
enknot - 03/07/06 08:48
Ok I'm a new pundit in this debate, but I don't think that thriving business section needs to have 3 of it's anchor business knocked down eminate domain style.

Maybe it's for the best and those business will move further up or down elmwood (depending on your orientation), and bring their good business elsewhere, but I hope to gawd they're getting a fair shake for having to move (likely not though).

03/05/2006 11:33 #25588

It's Sorted
As (e:Uncutsaniflush) mentioned [inlink]uncutsaniflush,174[/inlink] our Sunday morning paper did not arrive. I made a quick phone call and it was all sorted. Cortney at the Buffalo News told me it should have been there and one will be sent out. Within an hour, it was. Not bad. The dude that delivered it drove the wrong way up Bird Ave to do it. He looked rather confused. He walked up on the porch, put the bagged paper on our doorknob, went back to his truck, got out a clipboard, looked at his watch and wrote something down. I was talking to my dad on the phone at the time, and we both got a chuckle out of my description of him trying to turn around in the truck on our street, with cars parked on both sides, small snowbanks everywhere...

02/27/2006 22:49 #25586

Welcome, Welcome...
... to all the new (e:peeps) that have been signing up lately.

03/04/2006 17:12 #25587

It's All In My Head?
Mucus. Holy crap, i didn't think so much could actually come out of a single skull. How many boxes of tissues can one person use? My head feels like it is made of some of that pastel Easter cotton used to line children's baskets.

I'm not gonna even start about the crap coming out of my lungs. I did quit smoking for good reasons! I did quit smoking for good reasons!! I did quit smoking for good reasons!!! I've been told that the first 3 days are for the physicall addiction, the first 3 months for the social addiction and another 3 years for the lungs to be clear. *sigh*

My sense of smell is coming back in fits and starts from this cold. I find myself able to smell subtle things, but not really strong things (which can be a blessing at times).

Today, when we were at Wegmans, i didn't have my I.D. and (e:Uncutsaniflush) was buying beer (i can't tell you how many times i have been carded at Wegmans.. i would be flattered if i weren't annoyed. i am not the one buying or drinking it!), so i thought i would wander around in the seasonal department for a while. If the cashier doesn't know i am "with" him, then i won't get carded. All of a sudden, a smell hit me like a ton of bricks. Chocolate. Easter chocolate. It was so overwhelming, i thought i could taste it.

Is it all in my head, or does Easter chocolate smell different than, say, year round chocolate? I had a rush of olfactory inspired memories of childhood Easters...
metalpeter - 03/05/06 14:07
The ID rule. Legaly everyone who is togather has to be ID'd. It is so Mom, Olderbrother, olderfriend or anyone else can't buy beer for a minor who is with them. They don't ID people who are obviously way to young like little kids with there parents.
leetee - 03/05/06 11:15
Thank you both very much, (e:mrdt) and (e:Judy)! I appreciate your kind words of support. This cold just makes me feel like i quit smoking yesterday, when it has been over a year! I heard colds were supposed to be easier when you quit!
judy - 03/05/06 09:54
Leetee, u go girl! I quit in 1998 when I could lock myself away for 3 days to vomit & hallucinate. I even had employers tell me that if I ever tried to quit while working there I was fired! lol And, yes, all the smells; I walked down the sugar aisle in the market and could smell it (powdery icky). But, I promise u will look at other people smoking & think, "Why are they doing that?" Hang in there. You will be a winner. Judy, Holly's mom.
'
mrdt - 03/04/06 17:23
cigarrettes where the hardest substances I stopped using...it only gets easier.