Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The fight over the future of historic properties in Buffalo's Cobblestone District continues in the days after a fire ripped through a large portion of the brick structure that sits at the corner of Illinois Street and South Park Avenue.
In an interview with WBEN this past Friday, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says of the six properties affected by the fire last Tuesday, the city is eyeing to stabilize 110 and 118 South Park Avenue, which are some of the oldest structures remaining in Buffalo, dating back to the Civil War.
Meanwhile, property owner Darryl Carr told WBEN on Friday he continues to remain optimistic about his plans to build a 55-story complex in the Cobblestone District. However, he says the only way that can happen is if the buildings come down and the property is cleaned up.
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Local developer Gerry Buchheit has been following the battle between the City of Buffalo and Carr from afar, and is aware of the plans that Carr has with that piece of property in the Cobblestone District.
Buchheit got a chance to observe the site with WBEN this past week, and noticed the mess that the fire left in its wake.
"To try to protect this and bring it back to its original condition is going to be impossible, as far as I can see. Trying to restore this is just crazy," said Buchheit.
Buchheit adds as he was first observing the site before our interview, he saw a bunch of bricks fall from the structure.
"There's limitations, how far can you go? It's like the [Great Northern grain elevator] they were trying to preserve and save. As a developer, you've got to be able to make money, and you've got to make it worthwhile so that it's not being built in a state or form where there's crutches and you're always fighting to try to just break even," Buchheit said. "I don't really see that the integrity of what's left is worth saving. Sometimes you've just gotta let it go."
A few years back, Buchheit was working to develop the Queen City Landing project, which was set to bring a 20-story building along Buffalo's Outer Harbor. However, he ran into a similar roadblock to Carr when trying to demolish the old Freezer Queen building on that property he owned.
"We ran into some issues with the Common Council not favoring it in the end, although they said they were going to earlier. Besides that, we fought against the preservationists for the demolition of the Freezer Queen site and won the battle, by the way, and it cost a lot of money to get to that point," Buchheit recalled. "But to save that dilapidated building was just a ridiculous thought. We had to fight the preservationist for that, and why they wanted to save such a building is beyond me. But it's down and it looks better now than it did ever before."
For years, Carr has been working to get progress underway with a massive project to bring a 55-story building called the "Unity Tower" to the Cobblestone District. He believes such a project will bring the City of Buffalo into the 21st century.
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While many have felt the project was not valid, or that it couldn't realistically work, Buchheit believes the Cobblestone District would be a very good location for a project of this magnitude.
"I don't know the wherewithal of the developer, to be honest with you. It does sound like a pipe dream, but it's a great location for a 55-story building, if it's at all feasible," he said.
Buchheit adds if there was a brand new structure built on site and the rest of the Cobblestone District were to follow suit with further development, it would be a great place for people to meet and visit in the City of Buffalo.
"We're right on the water, the terminal (DL&W Terminal) that's been talked about to be improved is right next door. The Inner Harbor is right here, it would be a great idea. But it costs a lot of money to do such a thing. You've got to work with contractors and developers, and I don't feel they're doing it, at this point, to make that happen," Buchheit said.
In the development work Buchheit has done locally and across the nation, he has noticed quite a difference between a city like Buffalo and others he has worked in over the years.
"I see a lot of very progressive cities going in a positive direction. I love Buffalo, but I don't see those right things happening here. You just can't keep preserving old buildings. You've got to move on. You've got to be progressive and start doing some new things, and that's not happening here," Buchheit said. "The people that are preventing those kinds of things are foolish, in my opinion, because Buffalo is never gonna get better if you don't do it that way. You don't see cranes all over the place like you do in so many other cities. That's the No. 1 factor, when you see cranes everywhere. You only see them at the new stadium, Highmark Stadium (in Orchard Park). I wish it were to happen in Buffalo, but it doesn't seem the people really have the interest in making this a progressive city and moving forward."
Buchheit adds the people that keep fighting and pushing back on any potential development in Buffalo, no matter how old or new a property may be, are only scaring interested developers away.
"What people have to understand, especially the politicians, the demographics for Western New York and Buffalo are not what they are in other places. The mean income is not nearly as high as other areas, so you've got to be creative, and you've got to be helpful to the developers in doing such a thing. That's really important."