This troubled me quite a bit. I just happened across this posting from the Buffalo News about plans to develop the corner of Forest and Elmwood. The concept pictures look like a flying saucer vomiting a pile of bricks and glass. It's sort of like neo suburban stripmall architecture that populates the places that I finally escaped when I moved down here. I think the corner needs to be developed, I welcome that, but this seems like a bit much.
I especially worry about all of the retail space under this development. If the rent is high enough, we'll probably have a gap and a pottery barn there. Has anybody else heard about this?
i think it is good. I actually don't care particularly either way but i don't find the new bulding horrible. On the gap/pottery barn front , it does not seem ideal fro elmwood but i also don't know that size restraints would prevent it, i mean a gap isn't really larger than a rite aid or even larger than like spot is.
Where did you go, don't you have anything else to say?
I love this plan. The last time something was proposed for this corner, NIMBYism squashed it. So the crappy delapidated eyesore houses were "saved". I HOPE this project happens. And frankly, would love a gap AND a pottery barn right there.
First of all welcome to the site and I hope you enjoy it. Second thanks for posting this story, I meant to but forgot about it. Third I like how the building looks, That being said it is only a drawing and who knows how it will really look. I like how it has that thing that looks like a light house on the top. Would it be cooler to dig up some kind of design that makes it look like an old building, yeah sure, but I think it would be tough to do. I don't think it looks to suburban but when I see a better picture maybe I will change my mind.
I like the change. I hope this happens. I also think the building is urban and works.
I should also add that I'm ok with the corner as is currently. I really like the look of small businesses in old residential homes. So I would probably like to see it stay as is. But if it has to change, then I like the design proposed.
I like the look too. It reminded of a section of retail buildings on UPenn's campus in Philadelphia.
Personally, it doesn't strike me as suburban.
I think that some buildings "seem" suburban because suburban communities try to put up buildings that seem reminescent of urban buildings to bring the urban to the suburban.
Also the zoning for maximum sizes of individual retail stores on Elmwood would prevent a large retailer like the Gap or Pottery Barn from locating there. That's why Rite-Aid is having lots of trouble trying to expand their Bryant/Elmwood location.
I like it, it looks very urban to me. Almost too big-city for Elmwood, even.
What suburb has buildings like that? Note that it is mixed use, does not have a sprawling parking lot, and is built right up to the sidewalk.
:::link:::
P.S. welcome to estrip.
Oh no the link looks like a 404. Did they remove the story? You can just save and upload the pic.