I recently finished reading A Canal Conversation which is a transcript of the conference put together by Kevin Gaughan in 2000. The purpose of the conference was to bring together subject-matter experts, decision-makers, and citizens “concerned with the future of our waterfront and especially the western terminus of the Erie Canal”.
Having the benefit of more than a decade to reflect on the contents of the transcripts has been interesting. Some items which were discussed have occurred – for good or bad – and others are ongoing challenges, such as design guidelines in this historic area.
I felt compelled to share a message from a speaker at the conference I found to be quite interesting. As was stated by various speakers at the conference, the process of developing our waterfront is a long, arduous process likely to last 20 years or more. This process is now certainly underway and gaining momentum.
I hope sharing this will provoke discussion…
Homer Russell
Director of Urban Design
Boston Redevelopment Authority
“Let me close with the ten principles for a successful downtown. The specifics are up to you, to figure out how to achieve these in Buffalo’s way.
1. Be wary of the novel, bold, sweeping vision, backed by large piles of money. The best cities will incrementally replicate familiar parts of themselves.
2. Identify attributes unique to your city and capitalize on them.
3. Promote and reward historic preservation.
4. Try to correct the past mistakes and embark on rehabilitation and new developments at the same time.
5. Prohibit above and below-grade walkways. Pedestrian activity belongs outside at street level. Cars come second. I cannot tell you how strongly I stress that. As soon as Boston realized the value of the pedestrian and the damage that automobiles did, we really started to do things right.
6. Build dense mixed-use developments right up to the sidewalk with parking underground or structured parking with ground level retail entered from the street. Shopping malls belong in suburbs, not in cities.
7. Build small-to-moderate sized parks with strongly defined active street edges. Avoid plazas attached to buildings and at all costs avoid large windswept plazas that have no activity around them to give them life.
8. Require via design guidelines and zones that new buildings be compatible with, but not necessarily imitate, the existing ones. Highly competent architects, landscape architects, urban designers, and developers should be hired. You and your children will have to look at their work for a long, long time. These things that we build are going to be around for a century at least. So, you have to really take care to get it right.
9. Hold as many local and regional outdoor festivals as possible. The idea of having as many public events as you possibly can on your waterfront, large and small, is an important part of this whole waterfront revival effort.
10. If your downtown is on the water, the edge must be active and dedicated to the public and defined by Buffalonian mixed-use 24-hour development.”
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This is the third consecutive book I’ve read related to Buffalo’s waterfront. The list – 14 years after spoken – reflects a lot of the principles discussed on BRO and some new ones.