Andrew J. Rudnick is at it again. The president of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership has again gone on record saying that investing in the Statler is unwise. Curious talk from the head of an organization “working for improved business competitiveness and expanded economic activity in the region” and advocates for “policies and resources to increase private sector investment and jobs.”
Rudnick is interviewed by YNN’s Ryan Burgess:
“It’s an enormous building in a state of significant disrepair that requires investment that the market won’t support,” said Rudnick.
“It’s thinking with your heart or thinking with your head. With your heart you want to preserve it. With your head, you find it very difficult to be able to justify it,” said Rudnick.
A group headed by developer Mark Croce has a November 15 deadline to close on their winning bid for the building. Andrew Rudnick fears the $100 million it could take to restore the Statler might merely shuffle the deck of downtown real estate.
“That won’t create one job. It will likely just make it more attractive for people to move from yet another office building downtown into that office building. Or another set of apartments to that one,” said Rudnick.
A Google search didn’t find Rudnick rallying against suburban office buildings, green field subdivisions, hotels being built, new office construction downtown or the numerous residential conversion projects completed in recent years. Each had the potential to pull tenants from existing buildings. Shouldn’t the head of an organization “working together for growth in our region” be recruiting new businesses to the area to fill both new and existing space?
It makes you wonder why Rudnick is so vocal in support of demolition of the Statler and the creation of a two-acre parking lot shovel-ready site on Niagara Square.
Get Connected: Buffalo Niagara Partnership: 716.852.7100; Rudnick email.