Curfews and banning co-mingling could help Chippewa Street

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN)......Following a violent weekend where fights - mostly among teens - were reported along Chippewa Street, there is a renewed call to enforce a 21 and younger ban and prohibit co-mingling events at bars along the popular downtown Buffalo entertainment district.

The curfew push and co-mingling ban come at a time when there is a concerted effort to revive downtown Buffalo's swagger and attract more people and businesses into the core of the central business district.

The Fourth of July holiday weekend saw several fights reported along Chippewa Street - all after midnight. No one was injured and no arrests were made and the fights palled in comparison to East Side street takeovers that saw 11 people shot - none fatally - or two people killed by gun fire in Niagara Falls.

""From midnight on, it becomes the witching hour," said Chris Ring, Chippewa Alliance president and operator of the Rec Room in downtown Buffalo. "After midnight, some people think they can get away with anything."

Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski said he would like to see the 21 and younger restrictions put into place along Chippewa Street and also ban, or severely limit, co-mingling special events that target teenageers.

Mayor Sean Ryan said he wants to talk with his mayoral counterparts in Rochester, Albany and Syracuse before instituting any new policies.

Co-mingling and age restrictions for Chippewa Street are not new. In years past, similar discussions have been held with mixed results.

"If anything, there is stronger support now," Ring said.

Ring said the Chippewa Alliance backs the curfew and 21 and younger restrictions.

Support has come from the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center along downtown residents and businesses.

Reports of the holiday weekend fights only damages Chippewa Street and downtown's reputations, warns Steve Carmina, Buffalo Place Inc. chairman.

"It has a major impact on people's confidence," Carmina said.

Further, it comes on the eve of several M&T Bank-backed "Meet Me Downtown" special events including a July 11 Chippewa Street outdoor dance party that is expected to attract more than 2,000 people. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Ring said the average of those attending the dance party is 45 years old.

"You are not seeing any of these situations in the middle of the day or early evening hours," Ring said. "It seems like all of the problems from those younger than 21."