  Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 567 Registered: 09-2004 |
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/617241.html Updated: 03/24/09 08:00 AM Buffalo's Central Terminal promoted as high-speed rail hub Fast trains could be accommodated By Brian Meyer NEWS STAFF REPORTER If high-speed railroad service becomes a reality between Western New York and other parts of the state, some East Side activists are lobbying to make Central Terminal the major hub. Transforming the massive Art Deco landmark into a mixed-use complex that would accommodate fast-speed trains makes sense on several levels, they insisted Monday during a City Hall strategy session. They said the terminal’s location only two miles from the downtown core, its abundant parking and its existing rail infrastructure make it an ideal site as officials eye plans for spending federal stimulus money on high-speed rail corridors. There’s talk of linking the Buffalo region with Albany and New York City via trains that travel at 110 mph. It’s an exciting vision that could help revitalize the East Side while preserving an architectural icon, said Central Terminal Restoration Corp. President Michael Miller. “As you restore the terminal, you could also rent out space for hotels, residential and grade A office space,” he said. More than 70 special events have been held at Central Terminal in recent years as activists continue with restoration efforts. Its location on Paderewski Drive makes it perfect as a rail hub between Buffalo and points east, including Albany and New York, said Mark Lewandowski, the group’s vice president. “There’s a reason Central Terminal was built where it was,” said Lewandowski, a railroad enthusiast who was raised in the neighborhood. A high-speed rail line could easily be extended to Buffalo Niagara International Airport and even to the Walden Galleria, Lewandowski added. Demolishing the 523,000- square-foot terminal would cost between $10 million and $20 million, according to studies, and some believe the remaining land would be virtually worthless. A total renovation could be done for $50 million to $100 million, and preservationists said they’re confident federal funds and outside grants could be snared. The Common Council has already unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the terminal’s use as a prime station for any high-speed rail initiative. Bill sponsor David A. Franczyk noted that $8 billion in federal stimulus aid has been approved for high-speed rail projects nationwide, with an additional $1 billion per year budgeted for each of the next five years. He disagrees with those who suggest that such a link between Buffalo and Albany is a “pipe dream,” and he’s working with terminal advocates to build support. Mayor Byron W. Brown also thinks Central Terminal would be a good location for a high-speed rail hub, he told The Buffalo News on Monday. Letters are being sent to the area’s state and congressional delegations, Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Gov. David A. Paterson. What other project, asked Franczyk, would advance so many critical priorities, including energy conservation, historic preservation, neighborhood revitalization and perhaps even tourism? “Isn’t this a perfect blend of factors?” he asked during Monday’s meeting. Both Franczyk and Brown said it would be misguided if high-speed trains ended up using Buffalo’s tiny Amtrak station on Exchange Street as a hub. “That would be absolutely ridiculous,” said the mayor. bmeyer@buffnews.com ---------- For anyone out there unfamiliar with it, there are many parallels between the Buffalo Central Terminal and our own distressing Michigan Central Station: Both were built by the New York Central or predecessor primarily for their own trains. Both were built well outside the downtown area, for the same reasons. Both feature large office towers in addition to all the usual aspects of a large city station. Both were replaced by small and unimpressive Amtrak stations. Both were abandoned (BCT in 1979, MCS in 1988) and then went through several owners, and were nearly destroyed both inside and out. Both have people who would love to save and restore them just as much as others would love to demolish them. It's really interesting that they should consider restoring old Central Terminal for their 110mph train operations. I think it's EXCELLENT  If they can do it there, then only old Matty Moron can tell us we can't do it here.  Oh, and lastly, check out this link I just found - a retrospective look at MCS comparing views captured of the station in 1973 with others taken last year. Pretty heartbreaking... http://onlyndetroit.com/ (Message edited by busterwmu on March 25, 2009) | ||
Registeredguest Member Username: Registeredguest Post Number: 160 Registered: 10-2003 |
Wow - grassroots, preservation minded advocates pitching a plan that could be feasible, as opposed to a "letter writing campaign" and blubbering about Detroit's beautiful vacant buildings? Could be a model applied in Detroit... It's happening somewhat with Old Tiger Stadium and there's no reason why it couldn't happen with other structures. | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 379 Registered: 05-2006 |
Too bad Matty doesn't give a shit | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4611 Registered: 10-2003 |
I just want to highlight one particular sentence from the article: quote: | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1773 Registered: 05-2005 |
i go to buffalo several times a year, have good friends there, but generally don't get out of the north end of the city. i'll have to check it out next time i go. thanks for posting the article i knew there was some effort behind getting their station redeveloped, but didn't know any specifics. the parallels between buffalo and detroit are endless. byron brown has been a pretty good mayor over there | ||
Registeredguest Member Username: Registeredguest Post Number: 161 Registered: 10-2003 |
http://buffalocentralterminal. org/ Wow - not even a plan, but people actually implementing a plan with community partnerships and involvement. Oh well, maybe Detroit's strategy of lamenting about what an ass Matty M is as opposed to creating an organization, an acquisition plan and partnerships to repair a derelict structure would work better... | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5428 Registered: 06-2004 |
High speed rail into Buffalo would be great, then maybe we could get a good Via Rail run from there to Windsor. The last time I checked all the Via Rail runs had long layovers in Toronto. My aunt lives in NYC and it's impossible to get from there to here by rail in a decent amount of time. | ||
Dcmorrison12 Member Username: Dcmorrison12 Post Number: 130 Registered: 02-2009 |
busterwmu! Start a group, I'll help you! I want to see this building restored in my lifetime! | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 380 Registered: 05-2006 |
Registered guest, easily said. Now, what would you actually do? I see that the entity that owns the building is the entity that is cleaning and attempting to restore. From what I gather, The building was transferred to them for $1 from the previous owner. If we could get Mattty to do that, I think we could do a much better job than Buffalo. The question is, how can we get control of it and at what cost? | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 3517 Registered: 02-2007 |
Reality check. It essentially went under and was abandoned, how would it pay for itself now? I just can't see people taking trains en masse when airfares are so cheap. It's a shame to see such a grand structure crumble, but there is a reason for it, and it isn't simple neglect. If there were dollars to be made, it wouldn't be in the condition it's in. Now if you want to just take up a collection and fix it, more power to you, and good luck with that. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4612 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: If you're travelling a relatively short distance, say 350 miles each way or less, a train would be very competitive. Think about how much time is spent getting to the airport, checking in, security, and in the boarding process. These are the same reasons Amtrak is very competitive in the Northeast, and if service at that level existed in the Great Lakes region, I expect it would perform similarly. From Buffalo, one could travel to Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, Erie, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Albany, and Syracuse (as well as many smaller cities) a heck of a lot faster by train than by air, or even driving. This is even more so, when one considers that air travel becomes even more inefficient if one has to connect at a hub airport to reach a smaller city (e.g. Buffalo to Toledo). I say more power to them! | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1212 Registered: 11-2003 |
It's too bad the most direct rail route between Detroit and Buffalo has been largely abandoned. (Message edited by Burnsie on March 25, 2009) | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 1946 Registered: 12-2006 |
Burnsie, you can go from Windsor to Niagara Falls by train on Via Rail, with a transfer at Aldershot, and the transfer time isn't bad in either direction. | ||
Brian_fitzcarraldo Member Username: Brian_fitzcarraldo Post Number: 53 Registered: 10-2007 |
How long does that ride take overall, professorscott? I'll definitely consider it for next time I go to Buffalo if it's comparable to the drive. | ||
Brian_fitzcarraldo Member Username: Brian_fitzcarraldo Post Number: 54 Registered: 10-2007 |
"Reality check. It essentially went under and was abandoned, how would it pay for itself now? I just can't see people taking trains en masse when airfares are so cheap." 1. Transportation doesn't pay for itself. Think of how taxpayers foot the bill for highways and airports. 2. Cheap airfares depend on cheap oil. They're not gonna be like this forever. | ||
Cloud_wall Member Username: Cloud_wall Post Number: 56 Registered: 02-2009 |
quote: I just can't see people taking trains en masse when airfares are so cheap. "Our current modes of transportation are more efficient!" says the poster named for a steamship. | ||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 800 Registered: 04-2006 |
Go ahead Detroiters, vote for Cockrel and lose over $70 Million per year in state money for DDOT. Go ahead and vote for someone stupid enough to think that spending tax money to remove the MCS will benefit Detroit. And y'all will get another KK Cockrel is just another KK unless he supports Operation Bring Back SMART to Livonia and Southeast Michigan. Go to google and type save fuel tax and click on first website | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 3518 Registered: 02-2007 |
Quote: "1. Transportation doesn't pay for itself. Think of how taxpayers foot the bill for highways and airports." So you are saying we should revive a train that not many would use? You yourself said "I'll definitely consider it for next time I go to Buffalo if it's comparable to the drive." We already have one novelty railpiece downtown. Quote: "2. Cheap airfares depend on cheap oil. They're not gonna be like this forever." Trains don't burn any fuel? I think what you guys are hoping for is a train with tickets circa 1970 prices. Not happenin' One element required for mass transit is demand, there isn't any. Businesses are moving out of Detroit and the jobs and related business travel is going with them. If someone wants to spend some money, hire ambassadors, solicit companies in other states, get them here, create jobs. Everything else is secondary. | ||
Wolverine Member Username: Wolverine Post Number: 635 Registered: 04-2004 |
"Wow - not even a plan, but people actually implementing a plan with community partnerships and involvement. Oh well, maybe Detroit's strategy of lamenting about what an ass Matty M is as opposed to creating an organization, an acquisition plan and partnerships to repair a derelict structure would work better..." Matty owns the building. DetroitYES does not own the building. No one on this site, or even legitimate preservationists could purchase it. It's not for sale, so how can anyone begin to develop a plan when there is not even the opportunity to do something about it. The only actual "work" done so far is people going in taking photos of what's left of it. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4329 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: I think that's really the key distinction, here. Buffalo's was fortunate enough to be owned by an actual party that wasn't rich enough to squat on the thing forever. In the case of Buffalo's, the owner was unable to find a reuse (or was speculating) and owed back taxes on it. But, when neither of those things panned out and having owed back taxes on the property, he really had not choice but to sell it. He sold it to the preservation group for a $1 because he couldn't afford to keep it, and they assumed the back taxes. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 580 Registered: 09-2004 |
 Kind of looks a bit like ours, doesn't it? |
