There have been a number of overly grandios Walgreens going up in Williamsville and Amherst that have a simaler look, less glass, more brick. Again my concern isn't for the development itself. The Idea is good. Some of you commented that it looks like downtown Philly, the article itself said it was reminiciant of downtown Torronto. That is more my problem. Elmwood is an urban area, but not the same as a downtown district. I'm worried that too much of this might take the village out of our village. It should be said that I don't care for the look of the new pano's either. Especially that gawd awfull sign. That sort of architecture has it's place, but in 5 years I don't want to be living in Chipawa phase two. The design of the new building just doesn't seem to take into consideration any of the history, or existing character of the area that make it one of the 10 best neighborhoods in the country. I realize that problems of aesthetic and neighborhood character which are relatively intagible by comparison to finacial gains, but I don't see why we can't do both. What do you guys think?
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02/18/2009 07:44 #47792
New Development part two02/16/2009 23:02 #47768
New development plannedCategory: development
Hey all,
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?
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?
mike - 03/04/09 22:29
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.
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.
paul - 03/04/09 21:31
Where did you go, don't you have anything else to say?
Where did you go, don't you have anything else to say?
jenks - 03/03/09 16:38
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.
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.
metalpeter - 02/17/09 19:06
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.
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.
drew - 02/17/09 13:11
I like the change. I hope this happens. I also think the building is urban and works.
I like the change. I hope this happens. I also think the building is urban and works.
janelle - 02/17/09 12:22
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 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.
janelle - 02/17/09 12:20
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.
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.
jim - 02/17/09 12:19
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.
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.
jim - 02/17/09 12:16
I like it, it looks very urban to me. Almost too big-city for Elmwood, even.
I like it, it looks very urban to me. Almost too big-city for Elmwood, even.
james - 02/17/09 11:40
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.
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.
paul - 02/17/09 09:12
P.S. welcome to estrip.
P.S. welcome to estrip.
paul - 02/17/09 09:11
Oh no the link looks like a 404. Did they remove the story? You can just save and upload the pic.
Oh no the link looks like a 404. Did they remove the story? You can just save and upload the pic.
you miss the korner kafe?! I live half a block from there, and never went. Wasn't it there for what, like a month?
Sure, I don't want everything overdone... but I don't see why we're crying about saving these "historic" shithole houses. I just feel like we oppose all change... and that's not good either. It's OKAY for a neighborhood to grow and change. That's a GOOD thing.
though I don't like the panos sign either. If only it didn't change color.
Thanks for the reply. You make a good point too, it really is the end of the Elmwood strip; and, to be sure, some neo-victorian nonsense shouldn't go there either. I guess I can't picture that corner looking good with something so massive and overwhelming there. It will be good to get something solid in that spot though. Maybe something that will help a restaurant flourish where the Korner Kafe bit the dust finally. I miss that place.
You make a good point that it is possible that the Village won't look like a Village anymore. I think that it still will. A lot of people think of that corner as how people enter into the village and that why how a building looks is so important. But I think of it as Where the Elmwood Village ends. When you see that you know you are heading towards Buff State and the muesums. or if you go up to Delaware you hit the S Curves and then off to the shopping areas. Brick is a city Look but so many places in the burbs use it to make the place feel more like a town. I like the Pano's sign. It is good to know the history of Buffalo, but to have a building that isn't old but looks old makes the legit history look fake or at least confuse people. Yes some Victorian style eurepean Horse Stable or something building would look cool, but it wouldn't really fit either.
I really like the Pano's sign too.
The historic homes on elmwood are a dime a dozen in this town. They have already been chopped up into stores and apartments. The interior has salvageable elements possibly, the outside is generic. Historic preservation does not mean creating a Victorian theme park. We were thankfully too poor and mismanaged during the first wave of urban renewal to rip down our historic centers and put up concrete monstrosities. With lessons learned from urban renewal I think that part of Elmwood is the perfect spot for some architecture that isn't 100 years old.
Why is everyone so down on the new Pano's sign? I say great for them, its good to see a business that is doing well expand. Elmwood Ave is such and anomaly in Buffalo. There are so many neighborhoods in Buffalo that would never get the kinds of development plans that Elmwood gets. I am all about preserving buildings that are historical. But I also face reality, some buildings although they look salvageable on the outside are rotten to the core. I say knock them down and start generating a tax base here. I can't comment on the Chippewa district much because I don't know if it looked like Elmwood did five years ago. But from what I hear my mom says its where all the prostitutes hung out back in '78. So I guess its a slight improvement :)
While I'd like Elmwood to retain it's character, the older homes that comprise the majority of buffalo's housing stock not having adequate insulation in an era of every-increasing energy costs and increased attentiveness to "greeness" is probably a greater threat to Buffalo urban living than big-box stores.
If you're really interested in how the area develops, you should probably join the Elmwood Village Association. They put together design standards for development in the area recently.
Both my husband and I are members and my husband is on the board.
I've expressed my concerns and opinions a couple of times with Justin Azzarella with the EVA and I always feel like he listens to my concerns.