Pegulaville
Yesterday, the city selected Terry Pegula and the Buffalo Sabres to develop the Webster Block. The proposed structure will include skating rinks, restaurants, shops, parking, and a hotel.
Brad Riter and I discussed Pegulaville in this Trending Buffalo podcast. What happens when Paladino is snubbed? Will Terry Pegula and Byron Brown be next up on Carl’s insult billboardatorium?
Having spent too much time following/writing about Canalside previously, it occurs to me that “we” (Buffalo) spent 10 years talking about, suing, arguing, planning to build a $250M attraction that only last year gots shovels in the ground. Meanwhile, this $125M-ish project (a block away) was conceived of and has gotten running in about four months, with nary a whisper or really a lot of coverage for its size and scope. This massive building will transform the area – put it between the hockey arena, the HSBS Atrium, the new Donovan makeover, and the waterfront, and we will have a real city in a 6 block area. A lot of the community felt like our city turned a corner when Canalside got a hotdog shack and brightly painted chairs, and I never really felt it. But I’m almost proud of us for getting this project moving – less fanfare = progress. Maybe I just finally had my “Buffalo is getting better” moment, late to the party.
Interesting juxtaposition for you folks: Celebrate a bidding loss for the capitalist you hate, or a victory for the capitalist who earned his money hydrofracking? Surely you can still dream up some way to be bitter. partisan and divisive, right?
Based on that, I don’t think you listened at all. Perhaps you should listen to the podcast.