Lockport NY

Buffalo News reported that Lockport Main Street is in process of organizing Halloween and Christmas promotional plans for downtown businesses. All the promotion events so far have been a nice addition to DT. Hopefully the business community is seeing some type of return on it.

I feel the biggest promotional plan (and toughest to develop) for DT businesses would be some basic set evening business hours. Even today the stereotype of "nothing is open downtown" is still reinforced. I know personally that if I want to do something after dinner my gut choice is head to the town (or farther) where almost any store/eatery located in a plaza, etc will be open until at least 9pm. Going for a walk down Main St from time to time confirms the opposite for DT.

I realize that there is a cost difficulty in the extra staffing but there should also be some difficulty in not being open in the evening when people who work all day are looking to spend their money. I've heard accounts places that have stayed open later on certain nights only to find no additional benefits. One could see it as proof that it doesn't work. I see it as proof that it doesn't work without a group effort and established times making it worth taking the chance (drive).

There needs to be a feeling of "Lockport is open" if we want people to be comfortable venturing DT and finding businesses open when they get there. Be it by car or walking from the nearby neighborhoods that we look to turn around.

LUSJ reported on city funding some repairs at the Outwater skatepark. I'd like to comment on the location of the park. At first thought locating it in an existing park is a good idea. The problem is it comes up short in regards to spin off growth and local store spending (if the park is located far from them).



If the park was located in a lot DT, we'd have a number of people patronizing the skate park who would have the opportunity to walk/skate over to a store/restaurant to spend some money. We'd also have another piece of a livelier, more interesting DT. Many of my summer days as a youth were spent skateboarding in the pocket park at the corner of Cazenovia and Seneca streets in the City of Buffalo. We'd be there from 10am until dinner time. Each day we'd pry spend $10-15 each day for drinks, snacks, lunch etc. at the stores along Seneca St.


Conversely, I had a second stint in my early 20s going to Bikes Blades and Boards skate park in Wheatfield when I went through my roller blade phase (nothing quite like a kid half your age taunting you to drop in the 16' half pipe for the first time). My point to highlight here was that there was nothing much was around it. We'd park, skate and leave with no money spent nearby.


Children should be an integral part of the activity DT. They have money to spend and we should be creating within them a vested interest in the city to ensure they continue to care about it and someday hopefully choose to invest in it

LUSJ reporting the annual bike auction will be this Saturday at 9:30am. Over 100 bikes are available.

Of note:

Both Niethe and Schaffert said all money collected from the auction goes to the city’s general fund.

I'm always suspicious of any revenues such as these which disappear into the general fund. I'd love to see this money going toward making Lockport more enjoyable for bicyclists. Addtional bike lane striping, bike lock-up locations DT (similar to the Buffalo ones shown above), etc are all needed. Without dedicated funding they are often hard to come by and often need begging for grants. Why not create a dedicated (and relevant) funding source?

The LUSJ reported on Mayor Tucker requesting a meeting with the NYPA.

I agree the city should see some of the power money. And although I support the Flight of Five and maybe in some form an "upper marina", I do not see them as the most worth while cause for this type of funding. The tourist dollars are nice but as we can tell from looking at Niagara Falls: having a world class tourist draw does little for the city in and of itself. This is even more true for colder climates where the part time tourist dollars cannot sustain the offshoot development that we are selling the projects on. A functioning city with 24/7/365 non-retail business and residential dollars are needed to provide the type of environment we are hoping for to keep the tourist (and residents?) around and coming back. How do we get this?

The Buffalo News on Monday reported on more projects in the Larkin District in Buffalo. The same place that took the former Lockport Savings Bank even farther away from its birth place. A place that most thought would remain empty after Tyco/Graphic Controls left it empty in an already empty part of the city. How did it find success? Class-A space in a unique setting from an urban minded ownership group which subsequently bought up other properties all around it and created a master plan.

This building was not much different from Harrison Place. What it has is a visionary owner with money willing to take a step most others aren't willing to. Granted those are in short supply but most municipalities fail to make into law Master City plans that could give smaller capital owners the security to invest in a guaranteed larger vision.

Most people will complain about the glut of office/light industrial space but most of it is outdated Class-B and C owned by groups more ready to complain than reinvest in their properties. They are left losing tenants and leasing to lower paying ones. Class-A vacancies are much lower and usually fill quickly in Buffalo when they hit the market. I wonder if Lockport actually has any Class-A space DT.

If our goal is jobs and people downtown I submit that a transformation of Harrison Place similar to that of the Larkin building would give us more bang for the NYPA buck. It would show we are serious about moving forward and beyond the slow slide of disinvestment and job/resident loss. Put residential lofts in the west building and Class A space in the eastern buildings. Find a parter (perhaps one of the firms in Buffalo finding success at these rehabilitations). Get funding to continue running the high speed Verizon lines going to Yahoo through DT over to Harrison Place. When the next inLighten comes, First Niagara looks to expand in the area, Yahoo offshoot businesses start, etc: what will we have to offer?

Use the job/economic development dollars to start to build a genuine downtown and city. There is not a more powerful draw. Save the historical/private grants for the Flight of Five, which would be icing on the cake.

...and places like it: why do they always have a fabulous view of a parking lot or, like the one in the town of Lockport, a bonus view of a retaining wall?

The safety found in the status quo of an auto dominated society is the easiest anwer. When looked at with an open mind, why wouldn't a "Panera's" work at a location like Canal St? Why can't I have my treats on a patio over looking the Canal or while people watching on Main St?

LUSJ and The Buffalo News reported.

It was pry to be expected. Possibly 100 well paying jobs wandered into our area (DT!), sniffed around and then kept on looking.

The real shame here is the rarity of the opportunity. These types of potential jobs do not wander into the city on a regular basis looking to make a home. If this is indeed the end, the most important thing to find out is the details of why. Was there a bigger welcome wagon elsewhere? Were they really leaning to a suburban type site even though they mentioned otherwise?

Moving forward do we sit and wait for some other place to wander in? What do the "Waterbourne Real Estate Advisors of Getzville" actually do? Are they supplied a package by the city listing every single available benefit offered by the city, county and state? Some older articles from the Buffalo News (article 1, article 2) point out some reasons companies leave and others stay in the area.

“It was like night and day,” Nathaniel said.

The offers of help rolled in. County legislators came forth. Economic developers pointed them to local architects and engineers and help with the permitting process. Officials persuaded a local paper company to sell Science First some unused land for 25 percent of the market rate. They were offered up to $8,300 for every job created under a State of Florida program. A low-interest loan of $300,000 was put on the table. And the absence of a state income tax saves the family about $100,000 a year, the Bells estimated.

How welcoming and easy to work with are we? Not from our perspective but from the perspective of the potential (and existing) businesses that we interact with. How do we market ourselves? Are we marketing single pieces of property or the city (and area) as a whole?

Canal street has facing the locks going for it. That's about it. It is isolated from all the activity on the other side of the canal. At one end is an empty lot (possible new ticket booth for Lockport Cave Tours) and at the other end is pedestrian activity killing city hall. The only visible store fronts are at opposite ends of the block and the largest building has no storefronts. An Excalibur-like gazebo (never to be pulled from it's site!) will make sure the street never has a continuous streetscape to pull pedestrians down it. I feel inLighten was the brightest hope at this time.

For now we will have vendors and musicians there this summer. They will be a welcome addition to DT. But why try to pull people over to empty buildings instead of over to actual businesses on Main St where they can actually spend money and density can be created? One can see effort all around. Is it pointing in the right direction and working together to some type of goal?

We live in a world where electricity, the internet and the automobile pretty much let any person or business settle anywhere. The rules have changed. Are we ready to be successful in this competitive environment?

LUSJ reported:

Environmental testing will be done at Harrison Place this year, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has announced.
The Harrison Place complex, formerly home of the Harrison Radiator main plant, is considered a brownfield. It is being investigated to determine if contamination exists that could impede re-use....

Its nice to see the comment about marketing it as lofts, though I doubt there is a well laid out plan to "make it happen".

...Harrison Place is owned by Greater Lockport Development Corp. and managed by Mancuso Business Development Group of Batavia. The complex is mostly vacant, but some small business and individual tenants are renting space in parts of it. Mancuso is marketing the complex as suitable for office, commercial, industrial or loft occupation. Meanwhile, the city secured a $1.5 million grant from the state to undertake roofing, elevator and sprinkler systems repairs. Exterior paint on the complex was refreshed late last year

The western building is perfectly situated for them. Re-establish Elm St through to South St. to bring back some lost connectivity. Long blocks are activity killers. Bring some up do dat eliving options to the city and get some more people DT.

Some exciting news for DT/Canal St is being reported in the LUSJ and The Buffalo News. InLighten is considering Canal St for relocation. It is always very interesting to find out about WNY businesses that would otherwise be under the collective radar. It's more exciting when they want to capitalize on current trends of operating out of historic buildings and adding to/parking in the vitality an urban area offers. All the better when it's considering DT Lockport. It's been happening in Buffalo for the last several year's.

Currently operating out of newer leased space on Walden Ave in Depew they are currently looking for their own space:

"Any relocation of inLighten would have to consider how it impacts our growing team of employees and their families," said Dan Snyder, president and founder. "We are searching for a community that recognizes the great opportunity inLighten offers and is willing to work with the company through a relocation and the future growth of our company." ....

...The company was looking at a privately owned site in Lockport, but Tucker said that deal fell through and he stepped in to try to keep inLighten from going elsewhere.
"They were looking for a community like ours. They wanted to be downtown so their employees could walk around," Tucker said.

With its non continuous street frontage and its biggest building having no real street presence. I had doubts with Canal St attaining any high retail use or street level activity. This presents a great opportunity to add workers downtown who will be able to walk to places like Chet's, Tom's, Daily Grind, India Grill etc. No more having to hop into your car to race to a BK (though it would still be an option ;). Add to that Lunch time walks along the canal etc and you start to offer your employees more than a cubicle and a parking lot with tress for their work life.

Watch out on the parking. The land on the other side of Gooding is a waste and prime for canal visitor/worker parking. All Saints lot is a block north and only really used for church services a couple times a week. Perhaps the church would like a few bucks for overflow parking? Non-planned single use parking will kill the whole reason for locating in a DT area. Perhaps this will add some credence to the ramp proposal.

Another bonus is the possible leasing of space at Harrison Place:

Tucker said a rental of some space in Harrison Place, the city-owned former Harrison Radiator Division plant, is part of the deal. He said inLighten would need that space for warehousing and perhaps for manufacturing.

With places like Yahoo coming just outside the city limits, InLighten a possibility, MTC already on Main St what is the plan to get workers to want to invest in the city?

And speaking of MTC, perhaps they could make a phone call or two InLighten? Nothing like word of mouth from your contemporaries who have already done what is being considered.

I noticed all the trees in Jayne and Company a couple weeks ago. We swung by over the weekend to see that Wilhelm&Ashe Floristry has moved from the original location on Stevens St. over to the corner of East Ave and Charles St. And lucky for us everything was 50% off for the weekend.  It's great to have another good looking store front on the East-Main-West strip. Though it is sad to see one being replaced in the process. Anyone know what became of Jayne and Company?

This also may explain the  post-sale name change from Wilhelm&Ashe Home to Seasons for the business in the Ulrich City Center. Could have been a bit confusing having both on Main St. Appears the Ashe's still owned the property on Steven's and are in process of selling it.

Wilhelm and Ashe has been sold and will be renamed Season's per LUSJ article.

Seasons is Wilhelm & Ashe Home under new ownership. Well-regarded floral designer Noel Daubney is buying the business from her former bosses, Margaret and Gary Ashe.

In addition to home decor and accessories, Daubney will begin selling fresh and silk floral arrangements. That’s a new retail offering on Main Street.

We have purchased several nice items from W&H and are sad to see them move on. Great news in that the store will continue and now offer additional items such as fresh arrangements. We look forward to our next visit. My only gripe is the loss of the Wilhelm and Ashe name as it had a nice upscale feel to it.

W&A has been a bright spot in the Ulrich City Center since it's opening. It has been the only retail in the development. More importantly is has embraced its front entrance and windows (facing Main St.) while still providing an entrance from the parking in the rear proving that it is not an impossible feat.

LUSJ has an article on the 80th anniversary of Mills Jewelers. I figure it would be a good lead in to Find It in Lockport.com. The fledgling site put together by Lockport Main St. Inc aims to be a comprehensive listing of services in the city along with a place to rate them and leave reviews. Listings are free as part of the program (though a low $5-10) donation is appreciated.

I was thinking of something similar to this a while back and its nice to see it started. Spread the word/visit/etc so it can reach its potential.

Here is the sample Mill's Page from the site:

The DT Halloween event is tonight (LUSJ) (Buffalo News). Weather is looking better as the day progresses 56° and partly cloudy for later tonight (WIVB)

From Lockport Main St Inc:

Halloween Party & Trick-or Treat Downtown
- Join us for the annual Halloween Party on Thursday, -October 29th from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the City all parking lot - One Locks Plaza in Lockport (sponsored by the City of Lockport Youth and Recreation Department).
-Begin at City Hall for pizza, games, and trick-or-treat bags!Then make your way Downtown for “Trick-or-Treating” from 5:00 -7:00 pm.
-Return to City Hall and check out the FAMOUS Kiss Concert! (from Livingston Place).

Pumpkin Decorating Contest
-3rd grade students from Lockport City School District and Market Street Art Center will be decorating about 400 pumpkins this Halloween.
- The decorated pumpkins will be on display at participating downtown businesses from October 26th – October 31st. Community members are invited to visit downtown businesses and vote on their favorite pumpkins!

 from The Buffalo News:

Also from 5 to 8 tonight and Friday, the YMCA, 19 East Ave., will host Happy House for children ages 6 months to 6 years. Described as an alternative to scary Halloween activities, it offers a life-size Candy Land game and happy stories. Admission is $1.

Official City (and town) of Lockport trick-or-treat hours are this Saturday 4pm-7pm.

(Images - Residences on Genessee St. Lockport NY.)