Buffalo Rising Online

One question, with parking at a minimum for the residents in this area, where do the ACS folks expect to park, especially since they are using their existing parking area?

Gosh, only one comment and it promptly raises the terrifying spectre of Insufficient Parking! Are you serious? This, in a downtown that has traded in half its architecture for surface lots and ramp garages? In a downtown served by one subway and how many bus lines? It amazes me how much thinking people do with their cars instead of their brains.

Well, I guess it beats the response we could have seen over a decade ago, which might have been "I don't want those diseased perverts in my neighborhood."

Now, about that front elevation. Surprising good. I like the brick. My only quibble is that the fenestration doesn't match. Glaringly so. If only they had carried the Roanoke's window height over to the addition. I give it a B.

Who knows, maybe some of the employees will opt to use public transportation, or bicycle, or maybe even walk! Worst case, they could drivew their cars to one of the many parking ramps or surface parking lots nearby and just walk a few blocks. People in other cites do it all the time. Oh, wait... this is Buffalo.

If the ground-floor of the addition is parking, it certainly will be camouflaged well....I don't see a garage entrance on any of the elevations.

People pleaseeee!!! Over half of that end of Elmwood is PARKING. Go park across the street from Hutch Tech- only a tiny gas station and the animal shelter take up that entire street. IT'S ALL PARKING! I'd love to see it all FILLED WITH BUILDINGS instead.

FYI- I do like the design so far. It fits well with the current building and surrounding area.

yes this looked like a great project, good design, and smart reuse of that parking space. I often walk down W Chippewa there to catch the 5 Bus out to Riverside and having this building will really help to complete an almost complete stretch of frontages.

It is very close to many reliable bus routes, the 3 / 5 and 20 are right at your doorstep, literally and are some of the most efficient and easy routes in the city. If you live anywhere in the Delaware to Niagara stretch getting here from bus is just as easy as driving, the train is also only about a 5 minute walk down Chippewa. This is one of those locations where on site parking is probably the least needed. At least for business worker who get the pleasure of taking the buses when they are most efficient during commute times.

Great project I really look forward to checking out the construction on my way down the block in the future!

We residents of the West Village have nothing to fear with regard to the need for parking near this building. Very shrotly, we will have in place a resident only parking program. We'll soon be able to purchase a permit for a nominal fee, and have most of our streets (80 percent of the spaces) reserved for us. Of course, this still has some red tape to pass through, but it looks like it's a go, and a so-called "pilot program" is scheduled to be implementedi n the West Village later this year, possibly this Summer. So parking is a non issue as far as I am concerned. And I am happy to see this worthy organiyation expanding and doing their good work in our city. As always, we residents of the West Village overwhelmingly welcome most dowtown development. And I, for one, am happy to see this one moving forward. Congratulations ACS!!!

Just awful, why do we insist on building low rise suburban office buildings downtown? Why are we settling for crap when we could build things that our kids will be proud of? This building has no heart or soul. It would be so much better as a ten+ story mixed use high-rise, we could put shops on the lower level, ACS in the middle floors and residential in the top floors. Top it off with a penthouse suite that overlooks the city! Jane Jacobs would be scoff at this design and so should we.

I think new_village is way off base. This building, while by no means inspired or remarkable in any way (it is by Silvestri afterall) fits well within its context in terms of scale and massing. I'm not at all sure that Jane Jacobs would have a problem with this building. I certainly don't remember penthouse views as being one of her concerns. This is simply not the place for a 10+ story building.

Yes, IMADIVA, I didn't say that the community will be without a voice when we implement our residential permit parking plan in the West Village. I just wanted to say that parking will not be an issue for the residents of the West Village since we've taken matters into our own hands and will soon have 80 percent of the parking spaces reserved just for us.

Oh, and IMA, would you mind taking a moment to elaborate on how exactly ACS has "more than adequately" addressed the parking issue? Have they offered some solution to the (potential) problem, or have they dispelled your concern in some other way? I was aware that they have offered to meet with the West Village Renaissance Board members, but I didn't know that they offered any information to the regular residents who live near their building. I also don't see any information posted on the WVRG's website or blog. Thanks.

More buildings and more people is all very good but why do we think that imitation of historic buildings is the way to go? Imitation is not the only way to "respect" the context. This is disappointing architecturally --but of course more people means more activity and that is a good thing.

For the people that want a 10 story building, you're living in a fantasy world!!!! ACS is NOT a developer, they are NOT in the business of creating retail and residential living spaces for a profit. They are constructing a building that suits their needs. Not every new building in the city needs to be like Bashar's tower. Just like not every building that is less than 10 stories is some "suburban low rise".

newvilliage and rpreskop,...who will pay for your proposed 10+ story building? Im sure the ACS has a budget and they chose this design based on that budget and their need. It would be wiser to investigate the viability of your lofty proposals before you post them here.

I am so sick of reading the words "mixed use with first floor retail" you people are like clones of eachother constantly repeating the same unreasonable suggestions. Its funny to read you squabble about parking. All the elmwood hippies say "ride a bike." All the commuters demand nearby parking. If there are buildings where there are no surface lots you all bitch about no parking. Where there are surface lots and no buildings you all want skyscrapers to magically appear.

I would still prefer a contiguous 3 story city than a city of high rises and parking lots... It is time to rebuild and create a whole city before we can or should expand up.

WVRG, Thanks for answering my questions. I guess I wasn't included as one of "the many residents" who received the "broadcast email." Can't wait to see the WVRG's new and improved website. I have been looking for it now for several weeks.