The winter olympics are coming up in feb. The hockey should be verry good. I don't know the time differance for italy. But it may mean that the primetime coverage isn't live. If that is the Case tehn watch it on the Candian Chanel. Yes they do center stories on the Candian Athletes but that way you can watch it live. I remember at one of the other games there was an olympic concert series. On american TV they would show one song. But On CTV or is that CFTO I forget they would show the entire concert live. There really where some good ones. I havn't looked it up on line yet but for those of us in Buffalo or other places that get both coverages check out the Candian and compare it. If you want to know only about the Americans then NBC will be just fine. But I think if you want to see all of one sport CTV may be better. I'm not saying to write off NBC but watch both. I know CTV covered Live 8 much better then MTV.

I was going to include a couple pictures to show the ever changing Elmwood but I'm having trouble downloading pics onto my computer. I was meeting my sister on on my way down elmwood I noticed that the building nect to Mhtos and where Avenue used to be is gone. It looks like they are going to build something new into the spot there is a sign that I think says Buffalo Fleece on the fence. I know there is all ready one empty space on that block the JR league place moved next to Mhthos on the other side and then the place next to louies is either closed or is still closing I'm not sure. But it looks as if that will be a verry differant looking block soon. It all ready looks differant now. I thought I read on here that Le Metro on that block has been bought by someone.

First of all wow about 14 people on line acording to the count, cool!! I Have to admit I kinda like shoveling the snow flakes as long as I'm not reading something deep or political. Much better then shoveling real snow. I flipped between the Sabres and the Raiders game last night. The hockey game was a great game to watch it was verry exciting and then there where fights also. On mondays I like to read the Link section of the paper sometimes there is some interesting computer stuff in there and some times there is a lot of stuff I don't get. But sometimes there are some really interesting articles. I read in the local section about a car jacking on Elmwood then later the guy crashed the car. It was on page 3 where they have a bunch of couple paraph articles usaly about roberies or fires or thing s like that.

Yesterday as part of my Elmwood excursion I took some pictures on bidwell Parkway. As I took these two pictures of the two houses connected by the new store front I got more then what I was expecting. This guy started talking to me on the corner. I hadn't noticed that next to delshi I think the palce is called is a Jewerly store. Aparantly it is a chain Jewlery store. The guy was verry upset and thought it didn't belong on Elmwood. He said something about he was going to make flyers about it. I admit I don't know if I think it is a good or a bad thing. It is true that there should be mostly local places but then what about Burger King, Blockbuster, Rite Aid, HSBC and maybe a few other places I forgot about. Maybe the Jewlery store will bring in another crowd. Maybe that is good for elmwood maybe it is bad. I don't know if locals spend enough money to keep all the businesses open or if for them all to survive they need some suberbinites. I also don't know Who paid to fix up the building was it the owner or did the diamond place fork over some cash. That conrner building was an eye sore for many years and was falling apart. Wich reminds me of the bills I can't belive they lost, I could kind of feal it as I watched. The Sabres are on tonight I think at 9pm hopefully they can win. I wonder if a sports store will ever open on elmwood. Elmwood is always changing and growing I hope Abrahms is a move in the right direction. I guess we shall see.

Elmwood & Aurburn Finally all fixed up

I have to admit that I think a casino is a good idea. However this article in the buffalo news makes me wonder. The way that I understand the story below is that the sencas are going to knock down the Silos also known as grain elevators in the picture above. This is a sign that they are not doing things the right way. First of all if they are protected nocking them down would be illegal. But If it is a soverign country that may not apply, not really sure. But there there is bigger question. First of all if the silos are protected then why was the land they are on was sold. To me that makes no sense. I could see if a historic bilding was on land that was sold to someone else and as part of the deal they where fully aware of what they can and can't do to the building. If it is protected there are all sorts of permits you have to get approved based on what kind of changes you want to make. Basicly you can only restore it to its original condition most of the time. But another question comes to mind. If you don't know if you are going to buy the D&L terminal then how can you plan what you are going to build whare and if that building should come down. It seems to me that something fishy is going on and Buffalo may have already screwed things up before they get started, lets hope the entire process isn't like this. I think The Senca's want to knock it down So they can have room to Put up a Hotel there. I would like to hear peoples views on the article and the casino even if you disagree.

Senecas to raze historic city grain elevator

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Preservationists suing to save H-O Oats site from demolition as part of casino project

By MARK SOMMER
News Staff Reporter
12/6/2005



Dennis C. Enser/Buffalo News
Before construction of a new casino moves forward, the Seneca Nation wants the H-O Oats grain elevator downtown to come down.

The Seneca Nation of Indians is planning to begin demolition of the historic H-O Oats grain elevator and mill Thursday.
The Senecas took ownership Saturday of 9 acres in the Cobblestone District to develop a casino. The site, which includes the defunct mill and silos, is bordered by Perry and Fulton streets, and Marvin Street on the east.

A wrecking ball is scheduled to smash into the building at 10:30 a.m., one day before the Dec. 9 deadline to meet the terms of a gambling compact with the state. Gov. George E. Pataki is expected to be there for the ceremonial groundbreaking.

Preservationists, who are furious over the demolition, claim the nation is ignoring federal, state and city preservation laws and showing a lack of respect for Buffalo's history.

The H-O Oats complex was one of 16 grain elevators in Buffalo made eligible three years ago by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

"H-O Oats is a magnificent landmark," said Tim Tielman of Campaign for Greater Buffalo, which is filing a court injunction with other organizations to block the potential sale of the nearby Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad terminal for conversion to a casino.

"We're losing the type of industrial architecture that is valued so much that people elsewhere are resorting to building fake industrial loft space."

Seneca spokesman Phil Pantano declined to comment on the future of the H-O Oats site. With the nation continuing negotiations to acquire the DL&W Railroad terminal, it could choose to use the newly acquired property to build a new casino and/or a series of parking lots.

H-O Oats came to New York State in 1893, and the brick-and-concrete mill opened in 1912, one of several mills in Buffalo. The familiar towering concrete silos, painted silver with "H-O Oats" inscribed in black, were added in 1931. It has long been a landmark to travelers driving along the Niagara Thruway.

Oat production at the grain elevator ended in 1983, and a fire in 1987 destroyed a portion of the facility.

The building once had three distinct kinds of silos - wood, steel and the surviving concrete, according to Lorraine Pierro, president of the Industrial Heritage Committee. Its unique history was one reason the Department of the Interior compiled a Historic American Engineering Record on Buffalo's grain elevators in the 1990s, according to Pierro, who expressed regret at the Seneca's decision.

Geoff Butler, who lives across the street from the grain elevator in the Lofts at Elk Terminal, expressed anger at the pending demolition and the lack of any public input.

"I think it's a damn shame. A big reason you move down here is because the neighborhood is like living in a historical museum. I would have reconsidered moving here if I had known there was going to be casino parking," Butler said.

But John Webb, who lives nearby on Perry Street, said he thought removing the grain elevator would be a boon to the area.

"I don't have attachments [to the buildings]. I think it will bring a lot of jobs to the area," said Webb, adding that he is part-Cherokee and glad the Seneca Nation is in Buffalo.

Empire Dismantlement, a demolition company, has been working at the former H-O site since Saturday. Electrical, gas and water lines were severed in recent days, and asbestos abatement is continuing..

The demolition of the mill building is expected to take as long as two months. The silos are expected to be demolished at a later date.

Several critics of the project said the Senecas were showing insensitivity by not including the public in its decisions.

John Laping, chairman of the Buffalo Preservation Board, regretted there has been none of the scrutiny or public input required in Buffalo. "It's too bad the Seneca Nation does not feel the same kind of civic responsibility," said Laping.

Richard Lippes, the attorney filing the lawsuit against the purchase of the DL&W site on the grounds that it violates state and federal law, agreed. He hopes the Senecas will reconsider its decision to destroy the H-O Oats complex.

"The Senecas, perhaps more than most, should understand the importance of our history and our environment, and respect these historic structures," Lippes said.


e-mail: msommer@buffnews.com


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