Ellicott Street: Public Park Space
Plans were unveiled Friday for a linear park and public space along Ellicott Street within the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
According to BNMC Chairman of the Board of Directors William Joyce, the park will run from Goodell to Best Streets and will serve as a public space for employees, patients and visitors of the medical campus. Plans include public art, bicycle racks and custom seating, along with a change to 2-way traffic on Ellicott Street.
Mayor Byron Brown announced his intentions to recommend $230,500 in city capital bonds toward these streetscape improvements to the Buffalo Common Council in a meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 30. Senators Schumer and Clinton along with Representatives Slaughter and Higgins have already secured $1.9M through the Federal Transit Authority and $3.2M through the Federal Highway Administration for the project.
Saying that the BNMC presents "a tremendous engine of opportunity" Mayor Brown explained that his job as mayor calls for him to work in partnership with his colleagues in government to make the medical campus convenient for commercial development as well as the employees and patients.
In addition, Mayor Brown pointed out the transformation that has taken place in the Fruit Belt section of the city, east of Main Street, due largely to the efforts of Rev. Michael Chapman of St. John the Baptist Church. "Reverend Chapman has made sure the neighborhood grows as the campus grows," Brown said, noting church development and housing improvements.
Councilmember Brian Davis backed Brown up, saying " We will carry the ball to the common council. We find this not just an opportunity for the employees and residents here, but this is an important linkage to both sides of Main Street, between the Fruit Belt and Allentown districts."
Davis said the idea was to use the medical campus and new green space to create "a barrier-free community."
"[The BNMC] is one of the most significant projects in the entire state," Brown said.
Top Photo: BNMC Director of Planning and Implementation Mike Ball, Councilmember Brian Davis, Mayor Byron Brown and the BNMC board's William Joyce.
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Comment Options
platt4
That is alot of green ($5.5 million) for what looks like just a little green. Could have been a nice downpayment for a light rail spur into Cobblestone.
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heathersmiles
Phew! I thought this said "Public Parking Space".... we all know how cars are the tools that evil suburbanites have used to cripple our once great city. Our fair city has no need for additional parking spaces, adding them just enables more suburban traffic and furthers our decline. Say yes to bike racks and no to parking spots. Is that right?
That said, this sounds like a great project that unifies the medical campus and enables patients and families to safely travel the area on the safer side of the medical campus. I wonder if they plan on doing something similar Michigan Avenue side of the campus?
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KenS
I agree with platt. 5+ mil for some tress, benches, bike racks and artwork. Does anyone believe in competitive bidding anymore?
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sbrof
There is probably a lot more to this than just cosmetic stuff. I am sure that sewers, electric, fiber optics cfc are all a part of this project. Ellicott st is going to be the spine of the BNMC and with UB moving stuff down there, all the infrastructure is going to need to be modernized to accommodate. everything planned.
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PaulBuffalo
A six-block linear park is more than just a little green space.
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kooksapalooza
hey any chance you can get a bigger picture of the proposed project? i wanted to see what it would really look like and the image is small
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InformedOne
My understanding is that this Project is still in the Design Development phase and more "defined" plans will be forthcoming form the BNMC in time. This Project could really set off the transformation of the BNMC as a truly public space. Exciting!!!
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Assaroni
another competetive bid! Whoever runs purchasing for the city sucks!!! First tens of millions fir a dugout creek ana Erie canal and now 5.5 mil for a backyard project. I want to be the general contractor getting all these jobs. What a joke!!!
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Buffalo21stcentury
Save the money and put up another building to lure another research lab, another startup, another small company or maybe room to start FDA clinical trials.
Build now, beautify later.
Get rid of the Holloway Projects and the Burnie/Bennett Projects. Their prime spots for more expansion. Plus there are other sections of the city that would welcome some infill housing.
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davvid
looks good -- more images for this project are available at http://www.narchitects.com/frameset-BNMC.htm
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MJWorthington
Ivy on the parking ramp looks sweet.
Let's all bitch about costs before knowing what they include. It's fun and easy ;)
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OnRichmond
Why does everyone complain about the good you see? Sure, money can be spent for this or that but when funding is sought for a specific purpose, that is where it goes.
Beautify now, build now. Beautify later, build later. Can't things be done hand-in-hand? It's not like putting in this linear green space is going to cause someone in the future to say they won't build here, it looks too good. There is an incredible level of energy in & around the BNMC. This is an enhancement for the entire campus, not just one block and the entire area will be the benefactor of it. Development will continue here and this is going to make it all the more attractive for the future.
One can only hope that this project is seen to fruition and was not just another photo op for our all-too-camera-friendly mayor.
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