Principle: Urban Design and Management Downtown

Urban Design and Management Downtown: Context

Problem Statement

The public realm of Downtown needs basic capital improvements, higher maintenance and landscape design standards throughout Downtown, and higher expectations in the architectural design of new infill construction. In addition, Downtown has become separated from the neighborhoods and the waterfront through buildings, high speed roads, and poor streetscape design. Portions of historic districts are in disrepair and lack consistent enforcement of their design standards or even basic code compliance. Buffalo is also a city that has some extreme snow conditions, while Downtown in particular often experiences strong winds. However, there seems to be little attention to making Buffalo an excellent winter city. There is no comprehensive plan or system to identify and address urban design issues.

Outside of the Buffalo Place district of Main, Washington and Pearl Streets there is no one organization that focuses on maintenance and Buffalo Place does not have the structure or authority to focus on needed capital improvements or design guide compliance.

Current Status

• Pearl and Washington are the main vehicular entrances to Downtown and have been ignored. Their appearance needs to be dramatically improved.
• Existing ramps and surface parking lots are some of the main detractors from the appearance of Downtown.
• It is often unclear to visitors and residents how to access the waterfront.
• Some sidewalks are broken and cracked and in need of replacement.
• There are no signs or gateways that celebrate the arrival into Downtown.
• There are a number of vacant buildings that are improperly mothballed. The negative look of these buildings affects the image of Downtown.

Strategies

Create an Urban Design Action Plan that defines the standards for a quality public realm, identifies priority areas, makes Downtown greener, and identifies joint funding opportunities. The plan should address:

• Changing what have been the "backs of buildings" on Washington and Pearl Streets into fronts.
• Using key streets like Genesee, Church, Erie and Main to emphasize relationships to water.
• Working on the street infrastructure to insure that needed sidewalk, crosswalk, and basic infrastructure standards are fully met.
• Connecting Downtown to the neighborhoods through a system of "great streets" based on the key elements of Joseph Ellicott’s radial and grid street pattern and Olmsted’s incorporation of the pattern in his park and parkway system design.
• Developing detailed design guides for neighborhood areas, historic districts, and strategic investment areas so there is variety Downtown even while a consistent standard of quality is maintained. We need one Downtown with many attractions.

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Urban Design and Management Downtown: Action Items

Short Term Policy (6 months to 1 year)

• Increase focus on the importance of Washington and Pearl Streets. The Main Street pedestrian mall is a quality pedestrian environment that many enjoy. However, due to Main Street’s lack of vehicular traffic, Washington and Pearl Streets have become the primary entrances into Downtown. The pedestrian mall has been well maintained and developed. More of this type of attention needs to be given to Washington and Pearl because although they are the "back door" to Main Street, they are the doors that are used most.
• Establish a moratorium on permits for new surface parking lots. In order to create a new surface parking lot, an existing building has to be taken down. Much of the urban fabric has been sacrificed to surface parking and additional lots would only further erode the character and uniqueness of the area.
• Enhance public access to the water. The history of Buffalo is based on its connection to the water. The public has repeatedly expressed a desire to enhance and maintain waterfront access whenever possible.

Short Term Implementation (6 months to 1 year)

• Develop an Urban Design Action Plan.
  • Conduct urban design inventory - public and private spaces.
  • Develop urban design guidelines with special standards for strategic investment areas, historic districts, and priority residential areas.
• Dedicate a code officer to Downtown. Currently, code enforcement for Downtown is not as aggressive as it needs to be. A code enforcement officer has Downtown as part of his responsibilities. However, due to the unique needs of the area, one officer needs to be assigned solely to the CBD. Included in the responsibilities for this officer would be sidewalks, parking lots, signage, and buildings.

Medium Term Policy (1 to 3 years)

• Develop a mixed-use land use plan for Downtown. Current land use patterns within the CBD are based on a single zoning standard (DO – Downtown Opportunity). This standard may not reflect the variety of uses and development needs that Downtown is now facing. Focusing future development where it will be complementary will build on the current success of the areas and will strengthen them further. A land use plan and revised DO zoning standards will recommend locations for retail, office, residential, open space and other physical developments including transportation along with design standards consistent with the range of uses.

• Focus on the greening of Downtown. Adding green space to the urban environment has both visual and ecological benefits. Public and private entities should collaborate on landscape planning to soften the edges, mark special passages, and beautify the Downtown area.
• Develop and enforce surface parking lot and parking ramp design standards. City code currently mandates screening standards for new parking lots. However, there are no design standards for new or existing parking ramps. New standards are required to enhance screening and ensure designs and mixed-use spaces to retain pedestrian friendly and animated streetscapes. Remove grandfathering of existing lots to require they install adequate screening consistent with modern standards.

Medium Term Analysis (1 to 3 years)

• Develop winter city design standards. A realistic assessment of what other cities have done to celebrate winter through architecture and urban design must be undertaken. Buffalo winters can be harsh and can create extreme wind conditions on Main Street. An investigation and recommendations of ways to mitigate these problems will enhance the year-round life of Downtown.

Medium Term Implementation (1 to 3 years)

• Enhance connections to the neighborhoods and waterfront. Public access to the waterfront is a priority for the community. Make existing connections more inviting through simple improvements. Visual improvements such as banners, lighting, improved sidewalks and landscaping will greatly enhance existing connections to the waterfront.
• Revamp Downtown signage. On any street corner there are likely to be at least three or four signs including way-finding, street names, traffic regulations and other information. However, the signs were developed at different times and without respect for each other. This gives the impression of a disorganized and cluttered area. A new system for signage that has a unified design theme will make the streets look better, improve wayfinding, and give the area a more cohesive feel.
• Require and enforce capital replacement of sidewalks. Many Downtown sidewalks are uneven and crumbling, and in some cases have holes. Property owners are responsible for sidewalk maintenance. The City must work with owners to encourage sidewalk upgrades and, when necessary, fine uncooperative properties.
• Improve all gateways into Downtown. Gateways are used to celebrate the arrival to a special place. Signage and landscaping at the primary entrances into Downtown will improve the look and image of the area.
• Create live/work art space in vacant storefronts to provide street-level activity. A program like this will benefit both the artists and the property owner – the artist has a quality place to work and gets greater exposure for his or her work. Additionally, the artist establishes life and interest in vacant places that currently detract from the urban feel of the streetscape. Finally, buildings that are underutilized will be occupied and deterioration may be prevented. Various grant programs can be used to implement this type of program such as those from the New York State Council on the Arts.
• Enforce and strengthen code requirements for boarding up vacant buildings. Section §341-13 of the City code requires that vacant buildings be closed so that they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. It also requires that the boarding up of the building be done so that it is not harmful to the surrounding area. Greater definition of what is visually harmful and strict enforcement would help to alleviate the visual harm done by vacant buildings.

Long Term Implementation (3 to 5 years)

• Reconnect Downtown to the neighborhoods by enhancing the radial pattern. The radial street plan from which Buffalo grew is one of the things that make the city unique. In places, buildings or high capacity streets have disrupted this street plan. Through visual improvements such as trees, banners and landscaping, greater connection between the neighborhoods and Downtown can be established.
• Offer an advocacy category of membership in Buffalo Place. Issues that affect the Central Business District do not respect artificially drawn lines. Currently there is no unified voice for Downtown to advocate for issues locally or at a state level. Expanding Buffalo Place through different categories of membership would provide a single voice for Downtown property owners, tenants, and residents.

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Urban Design and Management Downtown: Snapshot

Things that Affect Urban Design

• Scale
• Density: building height, full corners, infill of vacant lots
• Landscaping
• Streets and streetscape
• Lighting (street, sidewalk, on buildings, from buildings)
• Building design
• Cleanliness

Urban Design and Management In Brief

Measures of Success

• Change in Number of Code Violations Issued in Downtown
• Increase in the Number of Urban Friendly Trees Downtown
• Increase in the Number of Parking Lots that are Adequately Screened and Landscaped
• Number of Restored Storefronts/Buildings
• Decrease in the Percentage of Downtown Covered by Surface Parking
• Increase in the Percentage of Downtown Covered by Greenscape
• Increase in the Percentage of Streets Adequately and Properly Signed According to Standards

Top Rules for Accessing Downtown Action Plan

• "It’s Simple Stuff"
• Ensure ongoing and systematic code enforcement (maintain assets by protecting them).
• Adopt a sense of stewardship and advocacy for Downtown.
• Create a Downtown block club for soft advocacy.
• Stop demolitions for surface parking.
• Plant trees; greenscape Downtown.
• Improve gateways.
• Conduct urban design inventory.
• Make the economic argument for aesthetic improvement.

Work to Date

• Capital Projects Completed
  • Improved lighting on Main Street
  • Washington street trees
• Capital Projects Under Development
  • Buffalo Place gateway project
  • Chippewa Street Improvements

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