While the rest of Ellicott Street is busy building up a commercial corridor, it looks as if University at Buffalo has different plans for the district. I’m really surprised that the demo crews didn’t knock this down on a Friday afternoon… rather they did the deed yesterday in broad daylight. The next time you pass by this location (568 Ellicott Street) you will see an expanded parking lot – a parking lot that will add to the ‘wealth’ of parking lots that comprise much of this district. Just as Rocco Termini builds up Ellicott to the South, the university pulls this bonehead maneuver to the North.
Thanks to Google Maps (street view), we were able to come up with the photo to show you what stood there as of late. It’s not a great shot, but it’s a visual record nonetheless. With so much emphasis placed upon our building stock (cough, cough), it is a wonder that structures such as this are not preserved – can you imaging if the university had turned this house into a residence for visiting professors? Rather, after the 100 years that this house stood the test of time, it eventually succumbed to bad decision making by a university that should know better. And if you think that there wasn’t enough parking sprawl to begin with, then just check out the overhead from Google Maps. Does anyone else recall that one of UB’s biggest problems on the Amherst campus is parking lot sprawl? Records show that the house was purchased by the UB Foundation.
Updated quote from Harvery Garrett:
“The biggest issue is the lack of a city-wide preservation plan. The right plan would preserve our most important buildings, neighborhoods, and districts while encouraging the development that Buffalo needs to move us forward. Right now developers don’t even have simple design guidelines to work off of and preservationists end up reacting to things – often after it’s too late (which is why we appear so obstructionary). We need a plan that encourages development, sensitive development but development, and one that enforces existing regulations for basic building maintenance. A real preservation plan would have the teeth to prevent crazy demolitions like this one, and discourage building neglect, while encouraging the investment that is critical to Buffalo’s future.”
queenseyes
Newell Nussbaumer is 'queenseyes' - Eyes of the Queen City and Founder of Buffalo Rising. Co-founder Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts. Co-founder Powder Keg Festival that built the world's largest ice maze (Guinness Book of World Records). Instigator behind Emerald Beach at the Erie Basin Marina. Co-creator of Rusty Chain Beer. Instigator of Buffalo Porchfest, and Paint vs. Paint. Founder of The Peddler retro and vintage market on Elmwood. Instigator behind Liberty Hound @ Canalside. Throws The Witches Ball at Statler City, the Hertel Alley Street Art Festival, and The Flutterby Festival. And his latest adventure... FigBuffalo, with the intention of creating a Buffalo United Fashion Front (BUFF). Contact Newell Nussbaumer | Newell@BuffaloRising.com