Soooo happy about this! I got into BofA when I was living in Boston and was disappointed at the lack of locations in the area when I came back here. This is a great addition to the block and they certainly built it to fit the look and feel of the street.
Now I can stop paying those damn $2 convenience charges to use another bank's ATM whenever I head to Faherty's!!!
I totally agree, even if they don't use the second floor having the option there for the future only add value and future adaptations of the building. We can't think the Evan's National Bank, like any other business will last forever. We need buildings that will stand the test of time. The bricks look fantastic I thought, I really like this addition Elmwood. Also the increased visibility of the parking ramp I agree will help draw attention to the availability of parking right of Elmwood. now we just need a Parking with arrow sign, maybe even make it fancy and illuminate it with how many spaces are available.
OK, time for an M&T in Allentown... GO!
What exactly does "faux" second floor mean again? I think it was discussed in a previous post, but I don't really remember. Is it "faux" just because it's unfinished? Or does it have something to do with the construction?
It would be great to see a younger branch manager get an opportunity to manage this new branch.
Hey Union, you could have always walked down Utica, as there was a Bank of America branch right there. And it would be nice to see a new branch manager at this location. The Utica branch manager is a disaster.
Why the dark glass on the first floor? Why weren't the Village design guidelines followed? Storefronts need to be transparent to enliven the street. That';s what attracts people here. This detracts from the streetscape, and is a real dissappointment. I won't even comment on the ugly light fixtures outside.
D^2,
Thanks... I can't believe I never knew about that location. I feel stupid... to think of all the money I've wasted the last couple years going to other banks' ATMs. It makes me sick
THANK GOD that the bricks do not look brand spanking new. That would have been horrible. Can you imagine such a travesty?
Would it really have been that hard for them to find a real tenant for a real second floor that had real people going in and out and turning real lights on and off?
Tinted windows on a bank seems odd. Aesthetics aside, you'd think a more transparent view would be beneficial at detracting the robbers that frequent our fair city.
That's a lot of storefront window which faces the setting sun. This might make it nicer inside. I'm not upset about the glass.
In response to STEEL's query about 2nd floor, two thoughts:
first, it's hard to find tenants for second floor walk up space, so the rents are cheap when you can identify anyone at all.
second, I'll bet BoA feels more comfortable without a tenant in the same building as their money store. From a security standpoint and building management (back office headache) view, it's simpler and easier to be the sole occupant.
wtf is your obsession with "people parks"?? Who in their right minds would want to sit on a bench right next to a drive-thru lane inhaling all that exhaust from the cars constantly whizzing in and out?
Put Buffalo... errr First Niagra on the second floor. There's no elmwood/delaware/easily accessibly locations without going into the core of downtown... are there?
The windows are NOT tinted, these pictures are misleading, in fact walk by it at night and you can see the whole inside of the bank and it looks very nice.
dear god they turned that building into a wallgreens!
So what is with that same fake cornice that every developer insists on putting on every building in this entire region? it is as if every one i buffalo was forced to wear the same hat.
Wouldn't it be nice to walk into the ATM and know if someone was "waiting" inside for you? The dark tinted glass is a big mistake. And if heat gain was an issue, then they could have used a nice awning, sunscreen etc.
Tinted windows are typically mean onlt to keep light from the outside from entering. It is an energy saving device since they would then have to air condition the spaces for the summer. But they also loose the warmth of it during the winter. Just the mentality of a larger bank who doesn't think about design to a local instead of an average US market (southern and warmer). I wonder if they would have saved more money leaving them open to the sun and incorporating some passive solar techniques. Either way what can you do.
I went by there during the day and just as this picture shows you can't see anything going on inside. I assumed maybe this was because of construction but I wouldn't plan on seeing in during daylight hours just at night.
The second floor was built for a future use since banks don't like being in the landlord business. Perhaps if they desires they could build it out as office but in all likelihood it will sit empty until a non-bank tenant take over the building.
Tinted windows are typically mean onlt to keep light from the outside from entering. It is an energy saving device since they would then have to air condition the spaces for the summer. But they also loose the warmth of it during the winter. Just the mentality of a larger bank who doesn't think about design to a local instead of an average US market (southern and warmer). I wonder if they would have saved more money leaving them open to the sun and incorporating some passive solar techniques. Either way what can you do.
I went by there during the day and just as this picture shows you can't see anything going on inside. I assumed maybe this was because of construction but I wouldn't plan on seeing in during daylight hours just at night.
The second floor was built for a future use since banks don't like being in the landlord business. Perhaps if they desires they could build it out as office but in all likelihood it will sit empty until a non-bank tenant take over the building.
queenseyes' perspective is a popular one and it encourages mediocre architecture. Architects like Carl Frizlin understand that they can appease the community by throwing on some cheap historicism or adding a tiny bit of landscaping. Now the big issue are tinted windows? This piece by piece criticism doesnt lead to satisfying everyday architecture.
carl is so right. This is as good as a Walgreens.
hate to be a nay-sayer (actually, I do). the road set-up looks kind of screwy to me and complicated. it's going to be a bitch to have to make a left from elmwood into this driveway, and then intersect with users of the garage existing the grarage. pedestrians also will have to scramble.
The new Bank of America branch building on Elmwood looks terrific. It is very urban with its warm red brick facade and storefront like entrance. This new location will be a massive improvement over that drab, crummy branch location on West Utica Street. Since I am a Bank of America account holder, this location will be more convenient for me to reach whether riding on metrobus or riding my roadbike. I can hardly wait until this new branch opens.
The tinted glass impacts more than the streetscape. Successful businesses depend on the public seeing what they offer. Wouldn't it be more inviting if we could see inside the space? This is the same problem at New Era. Wouldn't it be nice to see some of the displays from outside? Instead we get to see dark glass. The dark glass style went out in the 70's.
And I don't buy the energy argument. Curtains, overhangs, blinds etc. can keep the sun out. And in the winter, they can let the sun in.
Darth Vader lives (on Elmwood).
Pretty sad when a once-great city thinks this is something to crow about. Any strip mall in suburbia has as much.
Should be interesting when one of the crack heads from Sunoco or KFC try to rob this place with a candy bar.
Tinted glass is a mistake. Get more security on Elmwood and you might have more people shopping and walking around.
"Successful businesses depend on the public seeing what they offer. Wouldn't it be more inviting if we could see inside the space?"
Somehow I doubt that folks will be confused about what's being offered at this location, tinted glass or no. Maybe the giant "Bank of America" is a clue?
I think this building looks fine. My only concern is the drive-through part in the middle of this block. Wouldn't Friday's and first of each month be busy with cars coming and going while people are trying to WALK past? Really, especially in a neighborhood that promotes walking and biking, do you really need a drive-through here?
Okay, i guess the windows are partially tinted, however the m&t 5 blocks away has similar windows, and you can see in at night for atm purposes and so forth. Tommbluez i feel your pain, i hate that first Niagara doesn't have an elmwood branch.
First Niagara has a pretty new branch on Connecticut, just 2 blocks or so from Richmond. It's close enough to Elmwood to make another location there unlikely. It was the newest of Greater Buffalo's branches before its demise.
GDC; never understood that--people spending more time in their cars with motors running doing their banking when they can simply walk in and be taken care of (usually) alot quicker. The block btwn utica and hodge already is a bitch for walking, parking and driving; this makes it worse
wow this went up fast. the second floor makes such an improvement over the old pier one store. i dont know what everyone is crying about... its just a bank
There was supposed to be provisions for a second floor but there is none. There are no floor joists and no provisions to support floor joists. Second floor apartments are popular on Elmwood - like in the building next door or the apartments above Globe Market - just look around - they are everywhere on Elmwood.
First floor tinted windows are against the law. City Charter 511-146. B. (9) passed in 1999 - The M&T Bank was constructed in the 1970s. I have no idea why "BloCity" thinks the windows are not tinted - oops I see he (or she) changed his/her mind. Yes, at night with the lights on you can see inside - this is because when the outdoors is darker than inside one can see inside when the lights are on. During the daytime when it is brighter outside you cannot see inside.
Actually I have lived near the M&T Elmwood location for almost 10 years now and have NEVER stepped foot inside. I'm not an account holder, but the one main reason is that the dark glass makes the bank seem very private. Even a bank can be more "inviting" with transparent windows, showing off the furniture, design and people inside. Remember the old Citibank (new M&T) on Hertel and Delaware that had (has?) a ginormous tree inside the branch? Very cool. Just an observation.
I'm surprised no one has praised the fact that it was build right to the sidewalk. I actually hate the benches outside of M&T. All I ever really see there are bums and dog crap lying around. Parks are made for parks, not banks.
You would think Bank of America would at least pretend to be a community bank but apparently it wants to appear corporate even in it's neighborhood locations. All the effort to put a fake second floor on, build of decent materials is negated. At least it could be fixed someday.
It's just another one of those dreary single-use structures that becomes an unnoticeable part of the landscape. Did anyone expect better from this bank? If they could get away with dropping a concrete shell from a crane and plugging in their sign, they would.
ohhh, I supose they should of built a quaint victorian structure...lol
nice building, good location, and great for the block, but windows are really ghetto.
Watching people inside conducting business would really help liven this block.......now it looks cold and guarded.
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