Buffalo | Derek | Preservation | Skyway
It’s Skyway reuse day!
Apparently, there is no shortage of Skyway reuse ideas out there today. BuffaloGeek sets us up for an interview on this next week:
While it’s a much better concept than Tielman Park, again, what problems does it solve? It’s an incredibly inefficient way to get to the outer harbor by foot, and it doesn’t solve the biggest problem caused by the removal of traffic from the Skyway – how do you get all the vehicular traffic to and from the 190 and downtown?
What each of these concepts are is nothing more than a solution to a totally different problem. We don’t have an abandoned Skyway that’s too expensive to tear down, we have a functional road that some people want to shut down without providing an alternative.
Although still in the conceptual design stage, the question “What problems does it solve” is answered in depth when one takes the time to actually visit and read the proposal (Skyway to the Future) at:
http://www.ranwebber.com/Skyway_Project
Instead of an elevated roadway, imagine Buffalo’s Skyway creatively re-engineered and readapted to function as a signature “green” multi-use mega-structure, complete with a multi-use glass enclosed “green roof” including a pedestrian pathway between downtown and the lakefront. Keep in mind that this is one citizen/designer’s answer to the question: How can Buffalo creatively connect the Inner and Outer harbor without spending $100 million to demolish the Skyway? This idea would add up to 1/2 million square feet of multi-use space to the city tax base without taking up to 1 square foot of existing ground area! This plan would not disturb any other existing plans for developing the waterfront as a 19th Century Canal Era Showplace but would showcase Buffalo as a city with a vision for the 21st century. This could be Buffalo’s Signature landmark structure!
You can view this visionary proposal complete with aerial map, illustrations, facts and opinions regarding this Skyway concept and the arguments for demolishing it. There is also a sideshow highlighting the main ideas and advantages for keeping and re-inventing the Skyway. Don’t overlook the 31 related videos(from music videos to serious political and social commentaries on the environment and the global imperative of utilizing green and sustainable design.
Consider keeping an open mind, thinking outside the box and being well informed when voicing serious opinions and comments about Buffalo’s past and future. You can’t expect to judge a book by looking at a small corner of the cover!