Through the grapevine…
Knowing some long time workers at Marine Midland/HSBC, I heard today that HSBC is contemplating moving their Buffalo offices to Chicago after obtaining a decent sized company in the Windy City. The HSBC tower was sold to Hunt Commercial last year and the second it happened, I got the feeling HSBC could be moving most of their operations out. When that happens-I officially give up on Buffalo.
Thank you, Sabres.
I covered the Sabres because no one really did…then they got hot and are now covered as if its the only thing in Buffalo (don’t be smart ass by saying it is, k?) So after an amazing playoff run that defied the odds all I have to say is
Thank you.
And ummm we’re winning the cup next year. Period.
A new beginning for Buffalo
Today was the official introduction of the Medical Campus to everyone. Since the public sector had a very important part in the funding of this project-Schumer, Hillary, and Pataki were there to claim credit and what have you. But beyond that, this project symbolizes the future for Buffalo. As the city tries to finally overcome its decision generations ago to become dependent on manufacturing jobs, they take the risk in trying to become the go-to place for bio-informatics in America. The problem is that a lot of other cities have this-we have to make sure we do this right, that we make sure its the best damned bio-informatics center in the US. This itself will provide some jobs to slow the bleeding but what we’re all banking on is the private sector. We can only hope that the private sector will come in and add thousands of jobs. Already this part of downtown has turned itself from an eyesore into an emerging and appealing part of the city with Allentown, the Church of Scientology, and Granite Works cleaning up this blighted part of the city. From here, it should only get better. Then again…this is Buffalo.
Random sights and sounds downtown
*LaRouchies transforming into a choir and singing German opera outside of Byron Brown’s democratic dinner at Fountain Plaza
*Antoine Thompson shaking hands with a crack head
*David Franzyck shopping at Main Place Mall
*Being offered drugs by a dude even though there were five cop cars behind him
*Two dudes selling chalices and comparing styles
and PS…the hot dog vendors downtown…without a doubt the hottest girls I have EVER seen since moving back to Buffalo
I want to believe this so badly
According to the Buffalo News, the AM&A’s building downtown is going to be purchased by June 1st by a downstate investor with a solid history of developing apartments. The entire facility would be apartments except for the 1st floor which wil be retail. With a facility of this size, it could finally bring that critical mass to downtown that is necessary for retail to even START on this long overdue street.
God I hope this goes through. 10 years is a biiiiiit too much to have a huge abandoned building in such a prominent site.
Let’s ride the subway like its 1985!
Buffalo Business Journal reported that the NFTA is spending 36 million to upgrade all their rail cars by 2010.
I’ve been asking myself how they’ve managed to still let the ol’ brown/orange/yellow color scheme remain while using the blue and red mostly. This year they finally changed all the subway station signs to fit the new colors but way too many of the old rail cars remain. Now we can no longer have eyesores as subway cars. Whoop whoop.
Boredom hits a new low
Talking to my friend on instant messanger, I inform him that there is an MC battle going on Public Access TV (this is 230 am). What comes next is my Ukranian friend dropping rhymes about Buffalo…
“yo son go to the door before i run to yo crib and throw all your beef on weck on the floor”
“ill take it nice and slow with your girl like the buffalo metroooooo”
“IM ILL”
“ILL LIKE OUR ECONOMY”
“im big in buffalo like unions fellas guts yoooo”
“big like dem inflatable rats”
“ill have you whole fam scared like suburbinites visiting tha citay”
“YO GIRL WAS TASTY IN BED LIKE SALSARITTTAAAAAASSSSSSSSS”
“i run the city like scalpers on the streets at a bisions game”
“YOU FUCKING WITH ME IS A BAD IDEA LIKE BEING A PIZZA DELIVERY MAN IN B-LO”
and my favorite…
“Ill demolish you like a Frank Lloyd Wright office building”
We major! In Japan?
Here’s a bunch of ads with the Simpsons for “CC Lemon”. A Japanese beverage.
Click on the picture of Homer Simpson at the ballpark and watch the video
For some reason its been in a bunch of places. Trojan Condom ads (circa late 90s) Vh1’s “I love the 90’s” (story about Marge Schott) and Bill Nye the Science Guy.
HealthNow HQ Update
More than most projects in Buffalo, this one has been going muyyyy rapido! Seven out of the eight stories of steel beams are up but a lot of the purchased lot is still pretty vacant. This buiding despite not being very tall-will definitley define the landscape on this side of downtown for many years to come. And City Hall of course makes for a perfect backdrop to it.
Granite Works
Walked by Granite Works for the 1st time since early April. Its looking purdy good. Now they have put up banners for availible apartments and retail space. Also in the project is one more building connected to the 3 visible followed by a seperate apartment with a similar architectural style to the Mansion on Delaware.
I’m telling you, this part of Downtown is gonna be somethin. With Allentown, the Medical Campus, Granite Works, and then the Theatre District…mmmm its gonna be a much more vibrant and happenin place. Something you couldn’t have even dreamed of 20 years ago.
