I had a visit today from Patrick E. Hinchey, R.A., and president of Ever-green Design Architectural Services.
Hinchey has a plan for the waterfront from Bethelehem Steel to the marina north of the razed Pier that has gotten a little notice, but he makes a point of saying that he’s not quite ready for prime time yet. The objective as Hinchey sees it, is to market Buffalo and bring in new money. He hopes that by having waterfront amenities, Buffalo will be able to channel people back into the city and thereby boost tourism and economy throughout the area.
“At one point the NFTA, Uniland and three major developers were looking at this for development” Hinchey said. “When the NFTA pulled out, it died. That’s when I started asking people, ‘What would you like to see on the waterfront? What would bring you down there?'”
Hinchey said that all of the plans he’s drawn up so far–that will be redrawn before he’s done–have a basis in what he learned from people. “Ninety-nine percent of what you see in my plans are things people told me they wanted to see. The first phase would involve developing the outermost land west of the roadway.” As you can see from the Image, this would create mixed-use areas, one that would produce tax revenue for the city comprised of residences and businesses, and one that the city would maintain as parks and sports complexes. The first seventy-five feet of waterfront would be reserved for public use in both instances. Additionally, Hinchey has included a floating concert platform.
But Hinchey’s big touristy draw would come in the next phase, and that would involve a promenade encompassing 17 “Culture Districts” that would feature the looks, smells, tastes and sounds of each particular culture that is highlighted. In time, he would like to see this area geo-thermally heated and flanked by a shallow canal that would allow for water taxis in the summer and skating in the winter.
Hinchey believes that the combination of private and public funding that would fuel this project would come back in the form of jobs created and an overall healthier economy.
“Out-of-towners are always telling me what a beautiful city we have…that we have a great thing going,” Hinchey said. “I want to find a way to bring more people here. It’s my dream, and I just want people to look at the plan. I don’t know how else to present it. If I go into meetings casual, they think I’m a dreamer. If I go in a suit and tie, they think I’m some sort of salesman.”
Hinchey’s ideal is getting his word out in order to get feedback and redraw what the people he hears from want. His wife, Renee, whom he calls the vice president of everything good, said her husband is looking for ideas, and I assured her BR readers would have them. “If I get 50/50 in favor, it will be a lot better than I’ve had,” Hinchey said.
David Steele
Architect ( a real one, not just the armchair type), author of "Buffalo, Architecture in the American Forgotten Land" ( www.blurb.com ), lover of great spaces, hater of sprawl and waste, advocate for a better way of doing things.