The idea of a barge hotel might not be as far-fetched as you might think. I’m sure that there are already readers who are cringing at this idea, but for a short term solution to get more people out on the waters of the Inner Harbor, Buffalo River, etc. the concept is one that should be examined. At Macro-Sea.com, a team has looked closer at what a Barge Hotel might look like (see below). By incorporating a few vintage trailers, a train car, and dumpsters (that second as pools), a utilitarian barge can be transformed into a floating community venue where visitors can eat, watch movies, play games, listen to music, etc.
Of course Buffalo could wait years for a mega-million-dollar floating venue to arrive, and that would probably be more of an upscale and exclusive amenity. The idea of doing this lighter, quicker and cheaper is a way to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. As a matter of fact, last summer at RiverFest Park, Buffalo Marine Construction showed up with a barge (lead photo) that had been outfitted for social activities for a celebratory weekend. The party-goers motored down the Buffalo River and anchored out in the water. A makeshift plank (actually a log) was used to get boaters to and from land. The scene was quite spectacular and everyone on land appeared to be a bit envious of those out on the barge. Even though the floating party was a fraction of what could be constructed, the point is that it could be done on a larger scale without dumping huge gobs of money into a luxurious model. I’m a big fan of the barge concept seen below…