So I'm currently working downtown, which has been a very interesting experience. I deal with businessmen/women, homeless, the literally insane and mentally challenged, welfare freeloaders.....basically every type of person imaginable. For lunch I've been shooting over to the Greenhouse Food Court at Main Place Mall, encouraged by the throngs of people there getting food but dissapointed by the 6 or 7 stores in the building, only one of which is a normal mall tenant (Foot Locker). I love looking over and seeing City Hall in all it's glory, nut shudder as I look at the boarded up buildings.
Twice this week while working my first week in Buffalo, I have been approached by tourists who couldn't understand what was wrong. One was a pair of European tourists and the other were two women from Pennsylvania. The Europeans asked if there was a curfew because everything was closed and everyone seemed to be vacating the streets. The other two asked where the stores were and said how depressing it is downtown, saying "this could be such a cool place," specifically referencing Main St. I was working and couldn't spend the amount of time I'd have liked to with either group, but I mentioned Chippewa St. and Elmwood Village as places to head towards. The couple from Pennsylvania asked if anything was planned to reverse the fortunes of downtown and I quickly mentioned Bass Pro, returniing traffic to Main St., the waterfront redevelopment, etc.
I found this personally to be very embarrassing to myself and to the city. These people will very possibly leave with the negative stereotype of Buffalo in their heads and spread it - "we've been to Buffalo, it's all true, depressing and run down!" I know downtown has some newer buildings and in the past decade has made a pretty good swing in the right direction, but clearly more needs to be done fast. And people fighting and arguing about Bass Pro, a Casino, or any other development downtown is only further damaging our city's future. We're not exactly in the position to be picking and choosing what comes to our city. It's not like there's a shortage of abandoned buildings and locales for businesses. I understand the need to preserve the city's historic buildings, but MANY of them are in such a state of disrepair they need to go. The others can be retrofitted, getting an update while still maintaining it's historic shell and significance.
To end my rant, Buffalo needs to do more to reach out to our tourists because they ARE here even though we think they aren't!!!!
Tiburon1724's Journal
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05/11/2007 17:57 #39241
Work & Tourists05/06/2007 20:46 #39186
I have arrived!Finally got into WNY on Wednesday, start work tomorrow (Mon). So far I definitely feel I've made the right decision. Already feel much happier in WNY.
lilho - 05/07/07 15:53
welcome!
welcome!
theecarey - 05/07/07 01:49
YAY! an official welcome to you!
YAY! an official welcome to you!
leetee - 05/06/07 23:07
Welcome to Buffalo!
Welcome to Buffalo!
james - 05/06/07 22:28
you're here?
MWA HA HA HA HA!
Now we tell you that we have sprung a trap of unspeakable horror!!
ahem,
Welcome to town, hope the first day on the job is free of training videos.
you're here?
MWA HA HA HA HA!
Now we tell you that we have sprung a trap of unspeakable horror!!
ahem,
Welcome to town, hope the first day on the job is free of training videos.
chico - 05/06/07 22:27
Welcome to Buffalo!! Hope your first day goes really well!
Welcome to Buffalo!! Hope your first day goes really well!
04/20/2007 00:44 #38969
Season Tix!So today I ordered my Bills season tickets. Not bad, section 241. Didn't want to be in the nosebleeds. Plan on getting the Bills plate when I get up there too, am on the Sabres season ticket waiting list (might take 2 years or so to get to my name :( ) and will get Bandits seasons as well. I'm gung ho Buffalo!
metalpeter - 04/20/07 17:58
The Bandit games are a lot of fun. I wish I could afforod Sabres tickets.
The Bandit games are a lot of fun. I wish I could afforod Sabres tickets.
mrmike - 04/20/07 10:21
Hell, that Monday nighter with the COwboys will be a test of mettle. I'm not looking forward to that one.
Hell, that Monday nighter with the COwboys will be a test of mettle. I'm not looking forward to that one.
jason - 04/20/07 09:13
Well done, my friend, well done! Wait till the December and January games. You'll know how dedicated we are here.
Well done, my friend, well done! Wait till the December and January games. You'll know how dedicated we are here.
04/14/2007 19:41 #38888
Population +2....make that 4?Today my mom surprised me with news that they too were now considering a move back home to Buffalo. My Dad apparently brought it up which is the part that really shocked me. Once I leave they'll essentially be alone in FL so I really home they come back up. So the damage on our part of moving away will be reversed and I'll have added one more person to the area. Let Buffalo rise!
james - 04/14/07 21:14
My folks asked me about investing in real estate up here. They live about 8 hours away. It is funny how things like this happen.
My folks asked me about investing in real estate up here. They live about 8 hours away. It is funny how things like this happen.
04/07/2007 21:21 #38791
ApartmentFinally found a place to live for my first year in "Buffalo" and it's in Amherst. I know, I know, sorry. But the criteria was tough...a 2BR rental with central a/c that allows large dogs. After 6 months or so I'll start looking at houses in the city, then I'll finally really live in Buffalo.
dragonlady7 - 04/08/07 22:57
I'm a transplant to Buffalo, too. (Originally from about 300 miles east, so, you know what, the weather sucks worse there. I think it's great here. I have a nicer garden than my mom because more plants can grow here.)
I live about 200 feet from the city border, so technically I'm in Tonawanda I suppose. I spend lots of money in Buffalo; I'm not not part of the solution. There's nothing wrong, per se, with the suburbs, and they need help and people too. Settle in before you start beating yourself up for not living in the city.
One thing nobody's mentioned so far about how much Buffalo rocks: We finally have our own ROLLER DERBY TEAM!!! :::link:::
:D Sorry, that's my obligatory-pimpage post. (I am a member of the Nickel City Knockouts.)
And we do not discriminate: we come from Buffalo, Amherst, Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Lackawanna... even Southern Ontario. It's all good, baby, it's all culturally relevant.
Welcome to Buffalo. You will most likely be furnished shortly after your arrival with a list of restaurants at which you are required to eat before you can continue living, because it is that important to experience them. They are one of the reasons I'm still here. From humble hot dog joints to five-star gourmet places, there's pretty much nothing here I'd regret eating.
I'm a transplant to Buffalo, too. (Originally from about 300 miles east, so, you know what, the weather sucks worse there. I think it's great here. I have a nicer garden than my mom because more plants can grow here.)
I live about 200 feet from the city border, so technically I'm in Tonawanda I suppose. I spend lots of money in Buffalo; I'm not not part of the solution. There's nothing wrong, per se, with the suburbs, and they need help and people too. Settle in before you start beating yourself up for not living in the city.
One thing nobody's mentioned so far about how much Buffalo rocks: We finally have our own ROLLER DERBY TEAM!!! :::link:::
:D Sorry, that's my obligatory-pimpage post. (I am a member of the Nickel City Knockouts.)
And we do not discriminate: we come from Buffalo, Amherst, Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Lackawanna... even Southern Ontario. It's all good, baby, it's all culturally relevant.
Welcome to Buffalo. You will most likely be furnished shortly after your arrival with a list of restaurants at which you are required to eat before you can continue living, because it is that important to experience them. They are one of the reasons I'm still here. From humble hot dog joints to five-star gourmet places, there's pretty much nothing here I'd regret eating.
carolinian - 04/08/07 16:48
Central air is definitely worth it, and I'm proud of your girlfriend that she stood her ground on this issue.
Central air is definitely worth it, and I'm proud of your girlfriend that she stood her ground on this issue.
tiburon1724 - 04/08/07 16:34
about 15 minutes. It's the fact that I'm not within city limits and therefore not truly part of the "solution" so to speak.
about 15 minutes. It's the fact that I'm not within city limits and therefore not truly part of the "solution" so to speak.
james - 04/07/07 22:45
(e:Jim) and I have a Newfie so we understand how tough it is to find an apartment that allows large dogs.
If I hear of any 2bdr that allow them I will let you know so that you may come ever closer to our beloved city.
(e:Jim) and I have a Newfie so we understand how tough it is to find an apartment that allows large dogs.
If I hear of any 2bdr that allow them I will let you know so that you may come ever closer to our beloved city.
paul - 04/07/07 22:07
Oh man, that is so tragic.
Oh man, that is so tragic.
There are two things that kinda happendend at the same time that killed the stores in the mall and the downtown shoping area. No one likes to admit they don't like young black high school kids but most white adults don't. You had all the school kids hanging out in the mall. Then at the same time chain stores that drew a lot of people like AM&A's then bonton moved out to the Galleria mall or other malls. So the few whites who would shop there when it was all blacks wouldn't shop there anymore. Eventully the mall after it was to late realised we can't have high school kids hanging out here and they put in rules to stop that. But by the time they did that it was to late. Taylors then tried to bring people who where downtown into there place. I'm not saying they where to upscale for downtown but when you have a dress code no one is going to shop there so they went out of business. I'm not saying that the high school kids where trouble. But a lot of the kids who hung out there where loud, it isn't there fault when you have a bunch of kids talking and messing around it gets loud. That being said there is no reason why the suburbs can't sprawl back into downtown. With all these High Priced lofts I don't see why more shops don't enter the mall or the close area. Our downtown is really a downtown and not a shopping area. But now that more people are moving in maybe that will change.