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 June 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Life & Leisure Tielman's Recipe for Success in the Historic Erie Canal District By Nancy Jo Eckerson
Excerpted from The Erie Canal Harbor Project Draft Master Plan, published in November of 2004: “Construction of the Erie Canal in 1825 established an all-water passage from the Great Lakes through Buffalo to the port of New York City and the world, transforming Buffalo from a frontier village into a thriving commercial and industrial metropolis. "Commercial Slip (slip-feeder canal) and Central Wharf were key locations within the canal district. Influenced by the flow of goods, people, and ideas, a port culture emerged among the Slips, wharves, grain elevators, warehouses, businesses, saloons, shops, residences, and hotels of the canal district. This port culture was instrumental in shaping the character of Buffalo.” Tim Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture, here shows us a solution that both respects the historic space that shaped the history of our entire nation, and the need for commerce. Nancy Eckerson: What led you to take up the cause of preservation in Western New York? Tim Tielman: My family is Dutch, and I lived in the Netherlands during my adolescence. Small towns and cities there invariably have a historic core, along with new construction and rural landscapes close at hand. This is environmentally, socially, and economically sound. When I returned to Buffalo, I saw a city flailing about, demolishing the very buildings and neighborhoods that could be its salvation. Urban and village life with a strong, socially pleasing core is what we need. I became determined to save what we have, and when we build new, to reinforce both old and new by building compatibly. NE: What are the two plans that share the limelight for the Canal District right now? TT: The first I’ll call the “People’s Plan,” because it was the result of a long, democratic process that I helped lead which caused a very bad project — excavating the entire Canal District for a yacht basin and naval ship display — to become a very good one. Construction based on the People’s Plan has been underway since 2005, and has lead to the reconstruction of the Commercial Slip, the construction of a new museum on the footprint of the historic Coit Block, the unearthing of historic archeological sites that people can walk into, and the construction of an evocative bowstring bridge spanning the slip. This summer, the historic stone-street network and Central Wharf were to have been reconstructed into a unique public space.That is threatened by the proposed Bass Pro megastore directly on the public space of Central Wharf. Together with a 300-car parking ramp across the street, it would effectively destroy Central Wharf, overwhelm the rest of the Canal District, and transform the visitor from a citizen to a consumer. Throw in another three parking ramps, four square blocks of prime land handed over to Benderson Development for $10, and $130,000,000 of public money upfront. That is too high a price to pay.
TT: Plenty. The Canal District is only eight acres. Buffalo is 42 square miles. We are proposing a public investment to construct a building on the east side of the foot of Main Street, across from Central Wharf, to replace the DL&W passenger station, which was demolished in 1979. Together with the existing train shed and reconstructing a unique viaduct that was also demolished, this complex could house any “big box” you can think of. NE: In the People’s Plan, what provisions have been made for parking? TT: There are 11,000 off-street parking spaces within 1,500 feet of the site. That is ample. The area can handle upwards of 20,000 people at a time, as we can see from Sabres’ games in HSBC Arena across the street. But these spaces are the least utilized in all of downtown. Outside of games and concerts, only 23 percent of the spaces are used during a typical workday, and less on weekends. Building the People’s Plan would bring more revenue to the existing parking operations. Further, one of the biggest supporters is the Federal Transit Administration. They want improved public transit to the site, which would further offset the need to build expensive and ugly ramps. NE: In your estimation, what are the benefits of keeping the People’s Plan intact? TT: Happy citizens, an important national historic site open to all, and self-sustaining economic development in the form of two- and three-story brick buildings with ground-floor retail and apartments above. That works very well in Buffalo’s most successful neighborhood, Elmwood Avenue. Wouldn’t it be glorious to have such a neighborhood in this scenic and history-rich spot? NE: What can citizens do to further the cause of preserving our heritage, and saving the Erie Canal Historic District? TT: Write letters to Governor Eliot Spitzer, Congressman Brian Higgins, Senator Charles Schumer, and Mayor Byron Brown. Plus, get informed at our blog, at http://greaterbuffalo.blogs.com, or call 854-3749 to volunteer your services. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
