Comments on: Shrinking Cities

By: CMS

CMS — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 06:06:14 +0000

“Bullsh*t Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater)”

Wow, what a bankrupt life you must have. “Hating” cities. It’s speaks so profoundly.

By: tsetse

tsetse — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 05:08:17 +0000

So how does one right size? Is there a point at which you say no more new jobs? . This is not a new concept in Buffalo. They talked about this 40 years ago,i.e. that Buffalo should gracefully accept becoming a second tier city. See what happened with that mindset! A self fufilling prophecy – and then some.

By: BenMcD

BenMcD — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 20:02:35 +0000

On a positive note, when an economy decides to get its head out of its arse and do things the right way, it grows quickly. The asian tigers are evidence of that.

By: Bullsh*t Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater)

Bullsh*t Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater) — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:27:51 +0000

Oh yeah, one other thing: “Right-Sizing” needs to begin with “right-sizing” the government payrolls in proportion to the dwindling population size. When population shrinks but government employees appear to rise, something isn’t right with the region. But what do “da yooon-yons” care.

By: BuffaloPundit » Blog Archive » Blueprint Buffalo

BuffaloPundit » Blog Archive » Blueprint Buffalo — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 16:19:34 +0000

[...] Jim Allen from the Amherst IDA sent along a link to this report on vacant properties in Buffalo called “Blueprint Buffalo: A Regional Strategy for Reclaiming Abandoned and Vacant Property in Buffalo”. You can check the policy brief here, and the action plan here (both in .pdf). The report, released before supportive regional and local officials, business leaders, and civic groups, sets forth four leadership and four policy actions to prevent, abate, reclaim, and reuse vacant and abandoned properties within Buffalo and its surrounding first-tier suburbs. [...]

By: realist

realist — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:55:32 +0000

Ryan, I saw your crappy truck drive down Sheridan, but the tiny little driver didn’t even look our way – let alone give the finger.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:45:29 +0000

Ryan, do you forego medical treatment just because previous generations of doctors believed bloodletting was a legitimate treatment for disease? Ease off the planners, ok?

Every profession has its errors, from which, one hopes, subsequent generations learn. Furthermore, planners are not all-powerful, they are subject to the political whims of the day. The expressways you mention are the result of politicians and traffic engineers and state officials as much as planners. And, from what I’ve been told, the entire light rail system was supposed to be above ground (and therefore much cheaper) until Canisius College pitched a fit about overhead wires in front of its lovely campus. Remember, good planners, like good doctors, dispense much advice and recommendations, but its up to the community, or the patient, to implement.

By: Jim Allen

Jim Allen — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:03:20 +0000

A just-published report–Blueprint Buffalo: A Regional Strategy for Reclaiming Abandoned and Vacant Property in Buffalo– calls for such a strategy. The report was a joint effort of the City of Buffalo, Amherst, Cheektowaga and Tonawanda and was based on the realization that a strategy of “right-sizing” the region was the most appropriate route for us to explore. The report was conducted in conjunction with the National Vacant Property Campaign and is available on its website http://www.vacantproperties.org.
I recommend that anyone interested in this issue read the report.

By: ryan

ryan — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 05:09:57 +0000

So the same people who brought us the most amazing feats of urban planning such as the I-190, Skyway, Scajaquada Expressway, the 33, and an above-ground subway now believe they can concoct the perfect plan to help us shrink? I guess incompetence supplies its own demand.

Of course, that was the old crew of urban planners that screwed up the city. Now we have the neo-urbanists whose ideas are much greater than their forefathers. It’s almost comical to watch these fools trip over themselves trying to be the first to market with the next great urban model. Unfortunately, it’s the common citizen who is forced to deal with their ineptitude when the “master plan” is finally implemented at great expense.

Jackasses of all trades, masters of none.

By: Bullsh*t Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater)

Bullsh*t Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater) — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 03:45:18 +0000

Um…in case you haven’t noticed, it’s not just Barfallo that’s shrinking, it’s your whole stinking region. Yes, Buffalo may be losing population to the suburbs, but western NY in general is at a net loss for people overall.