Community Input on Proposed Development

What are your hopes and dreams for 303 Lafayette?

17 responses

Garden

Affordable safe housing surrounded by community garden and play space

First, I appreciate those of you who created this site! Also, one positive outcome is we are getting to know each other. We are showing up. We are making ourselves known. I feel fortunate to have my neighbors. I'm not here because I am unable to be anywhere else, I am here because I chose to be like most of you I presume. So, I disapprove of these developers coming in and planning to change the texture of our neighborhood. This is serious, because it will be changed forever. My hopes and dreams? A walkable, neighborly community. A neighborhood that has diversity. A neighborhood that is safe (like the cars already going thru the stop sign at Parkdale and Lafayette, scary). I would hope the City would provide services to the taxpayers already here, i.e. improve intersections on Lafayette so cars respect the stop signs, clean out the sewers so street water can drain, street sweepers seasonally to clean up debris, update the infrastructure so we all have adequate flow of water, have a more timely response time from the police (unlike the long wait last week from the wreck across the street from Robin. As for 303, if it improves the quality of life for our neighborhood I am satisfied. My hope is there will not be a development shoved down our throats in disrespect.

I would love if this can become a resource for local kids and family, a playground and garden that maybe has a small indoor space for potential play for all seasons and access to a public restroom. Would not be against this concept and there is a little coffee shop in there or something. Maybe the proceeds help to fund free events/ crafts for the kids.

Space for the community

I would hope for 303 Lafayette to be developed into something that fits with the character of the neighborhood, and that whatever is built there is built with the benefit and safety of the surrounding community in mind

This neighborhood desperately needs an athletic field for all the nearby schools and neighbors. 2nd best: affordable housing that includes upgrades to city water and sewer lines to handle increased load.

While I am grateful for the developers part in the removal of the dilapidated and dangerous church/theater building on the site and have enjoyed the open space for the last 2+ years, i expected something to be built there. The proposed apartment building does not fit the scale, character, density, or needs of the neighborhood. What the neighborhood needs is 4 single family homes with a front porch and a garage and space for a garden (or just open space) like the rest of the block.

Community space with a safe place for children to play and neighbors to gather.

Field/playground for School 45 students and community space.

I gigantic, well maintained playground would be awesome. A community garden would be awesome. Anything but housing.

I hope and dream that the needs of my neighbors and the children who go to school directly across the street from the site are given the consideration that we all deserve. I hope and dream that the developers can see the kids at school #45 as clearly as they can see their own children. I dream but am losing hope for the developers to make any real effort to engage in good faith with the community and not just with individuals in powerful positions. For instance: Emails to the developers seeking engagement and information have gone unanswered and ignored more often than not. I dream that the developers will start treating us as they would like to be treated.

A community garden or artspace would be great!

I place were it benifits ALL in the community including the students of the school.

Community garden space /playground for half the space, with a much smaller apartment building for the other half. Ex - 2 stories, 4 units

green space - no builds or a nice play ground for the school

Something to benefit the students of 45 and the children of the neighborhood.

What else would you like to share?

17 responses

That this location benefits the neighborhood!

I do not see affordable housing as a threat to the neighborhood in and of itself as long as it is developed thoughtfully with an eye to community impact and not as a profit opportunity for suburban developers. I do not want to see this as an attempt to discriminate against "those kind of people" who "ruin the neighborhood" but as an opportunity for community.

I became aware of the 303 plan from Buffalo Rising, I think it was in February. I was shocked. I contacted Rivera and they were not even aware themselves at the time. I am displeased with the lack of transparency by the developers and possibly others who almost shoved this down our throats without input.

The developers were so surprised neighbors cared because, one of them said, they thought the area was filled with heroin addicts. Some people from suburban areas make negative judgments regarding City dwellers and I think this is possibly true in this situation.

I dont understand who they think are going to live in all of these apartments when there are many vacant new build apartments in this city…

N/A

This project looks like it would be right at home… in the Elmwood Strip or on Main Street downtown. Why are we shoehorning a characterless 4 story structure full of 1 bdrm apartments and a big parking lot into the middle of a residential area? No doubt there is need for housing in our neighborhood, but this looks like it is just designed to cram as many individual (definitely not family friendly) units into the space, in order to extract as much profit out of it as possible. I thought the point of implementing an updated, comprehensive building code was to enhance livability and sustainability and preserve the character and quality of life in our communities? What is the point of this if developers can just push through a bunch of variances and build whatever they please? The fact that all these variances are required would suggest to me that, from an urban planning standpoint, this sort of building is not intended to be built in this location. but maybe I'm missing something?

I live right next door and have never been contacted by the developers.

I find it hard to believe that the architect went to school dreaming of building the biggest, cheapest people container that could be crammed into a space.

If apartments were to be built, they need to actually be affordable. A two bedroom apartment in the city is not affordable if it is over $1000. This prices out families and community members who are in need of safe affordable housing.

There are multiple appropriate spaces nearby for the current project planned by suburban developers.

We have tons of vacant housing and brand new, vacant, expensive apartment complexes.

"Be excellent to each other." - Bill S. Preston Esq. May the developers act as though they care about us and what we need from them. "Cocktail party small talk may not be much worth hearing, but it's tough when you can't hear it at all." - Betty White The developers may think we have nothing to say worth hearing but they're going to hear it anyway and that's what they were asked to do. Hopefully they will hear us.

A community garden or artspace would be great!

Thank you for setting this up. It is needed in the community.

I'm tired of developers working against community instead of with us! New development should improve neighborhoods not make individuals richer

one big concern is what happens if they do build this then can not rent out the apts and building remains mostly vacant

Already have an apartment building a block away.

Currently, Buffalo has a housing shortage. Similar properties in the area have waiting lists for rentals. Vacancy is not a concern.