Here is an interesting site on the history of it
Buffalopundit even called it
.Buffalo's unofficial convention center
Why dwell on a building so far removed from the downtown area and in such bad condition? After attending an event at the "neo convention center" it seems like suburbanites would be much ore likely to flee home to the suburbs than to go out downtown. Especially for some non-city people, downtown would seem downright freakin' scary if that neighborhood (e:paul,38905) was their view of Buffalo.
It seems like it was always too distant to serve downtown.
The New York Central had agreed in 1926 to build an additional Buffalo station to satisfy the city officials who believed that the East Side location was too far uptown to effectively service downtown Buffalo. This promised downtown station was never to be built.
The Environmental Question
How much would it cost not only to rehab it, but to make it hospitable, environmentally sustainable and cost effective in our winter climate. When people talk about how this type of rehab happens all the time in places like San Francisco, they fail to note that it gets to freezing temperatures here most of the year. I am just saying be realistic. According to one of the comments on Buffalopundit's journal
The building was once heated by a separate coal plant behind the terminal that pumped steam heat into the building was torn down in the early 80's.
Even then, would it even change the neighborhood around it. Why would we not invest in things closer to areas that are already succeeding and let it expand from their instead of planting seeds in this distant, broken location.
At the two events I attended there during the last week, I heard so many people say, "Wow, I had no idea it was still so crappy and cold."
What do all you rehabbers propose as a responsible and sustainable heating mechanism in a cement chamber with 100+ foot ceilings in a place where winter is nearly perpetual?
Does anyone think that if the Central Terminal is renovated, that businesses are really going to sprout up all around it and a light rail system will connect it to the city?
You bring up an interesting point when you mention the light rail. Granted I havn't been to a lot of major cities but one thing that most of them have is a large rail system and bus system that works togather. The Metro is a great way to connect between buses and move from one end of the city to the other. But it really needs to be expandend. I think if it went down to and through to where the "New Waterfront" is suposed to be it would be a great improvement. If you where to then expand it either on the street or underground through the city the making the central terminal a place where a few trains meet might be a good idea. You could have shops there also. I'm not saying that the neighboorhood will spring back but if the waterfront grows far enough it could have some impact over there. What I want to see won't happen though. I want A new (like Cleveland and Pitsburgh I belive) Football stadium On the waterfront. I think that would be amazing and that it would bring so many people downtown or at least into the city it would be such a benefit for Buffalo and the Neighboorhood near the staduim and you could still have you small shops closer to downtown. Of course a big part of that is expanding the metro rail to both spots. Who Knows maybe the Central terminal could even be a form of a park and ride where they send trains from there that go right to the staduim .
I think the preservationists can get a little extreme. The talk of reviving the central terminal has been going on since the 80s. Personally, I think if we have to have a casino in Buffalo, it would have been the site for it as I think the Senecas the only ones with the money to rebuild. I think its too far gone.
Can you imagine the folks who posed naked in there for that photographer a few years ago?
I think I am not for knocking down the terminal. At the same time I couldn't believe it was still in such disrepair as it was when I first went there with (e:paul) when I was like 12. I was talking about it at work and two other people were like "yeah I thought they had like fixed it but I went there and it is still just broken windows and walls". I don't know, I think maybe they should have fixed it a little more before using it, but I guess they prolly needed the money from the events to fix it. I guess it is a vicious cycle but it has left many people not impressed it seems like.