...for new 8 million dollar facility next to original facility off Main St. in DT after 2 years of design and fundraising. Unfortunately it is the one in Hornell, NY not Lockport. I wonder why the process for our wonderful facility "expansion" isolated 2 miles away behind a soon to be vacated Wal-Mart is moving so slow? ;) Maybe a grander vision building off the recent growth in DT would inspire people and move it a little faster? I'm a little closer to getting the hypothetical DT Lockport site plans. Stay tuned.
Hornell YMCA Expansion Site Plans
Interactive Map of Hornell Location:
View Larger Map
Buffalo News Article
Visitors
From the Buffalo News article:
LOCKPORT—Oral arguments in the appeal of a lawsuit aimed at blocking construction of a Wal-Mart supercenter here are scheduled for April 3 in the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court, Rochester.
“Everything’s ready,” Town Attorney Daniel E. Seaman said. “That should be a hard-and-fast date.”
A decision would be expected within 30 days after the arguments, Seaman said.
Lockport Smart Growth, a citizen group, is challenging the legality of the town’s approvals for the Wal-Mart, to be built at the Lockport Mall site on South Transit Road. Smart Growth lost last year before State Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr., and filed an appeal.
Older Walmart post with site plans etc: Smart Growth v Walmart (2008-11-23)
(Image from report on Town of Lockport project info site.)
LUSJ reporting on the possible appeal from Smart Growth against the Walmart reuse of the old Lockport Mall site:
LUSJ Article
Here are the Town's pages on the project:
Town Wal-mart Information Page
Once upon a time there were a few good threads on this subject on the LUSJ forums. Unfortunately, those get removed after a certain amount of time. I'll relay out my thoughts on the project here and ask you to do the same, be it for or against the project. Please keep your comments respectful.
1) The Walmart building will still be smaller than the section of the mall that is being demolished.
Here is the link to the proposed site plan for the mall site:
Proposed Site Plan
2) I feel that the reuse of a property that brings new development back inward restrengthening the current town business district "smart growth". Walmart's usual plan of building on cheap land on the outskirts ends up pulling new development out to it, causing vacancies in older plazas. I was surprised when they took this development route.
3) "Made in China" arguments apply to all major retailers. Go into Target, Kohls, Kmart, etc and try to find "Made in the USA" items. Even in Tops, walk down the utensil isle and look to see where they are all made. Quite a few items in Walmart give options to pricier "Made in the USA" items and cheaper "Imported goods". I'm pretty certain that items like Bounty paper towels all come from the same place.
4) Traffic concerns seem to stem more from traffic management over actual traffic numbers. The signals 100ft apart at Shimmer and the HD plaza appear to back up traffic more than relieving it. As for accidents, it is a very basic intersection. The intersection of Rt 78 and 93 has its fair share of accidents too. Not much you can do with people who choose to ignore signals.
5)The existing Walmart site can be easily broken up to house some smaller businesses. HD plaza still has opening for businesses. The existing site can not house the Super Center though.
6)There will be basically no change in views for those living around the property:
Proposed View or Rear from Surrounding Properties
Being such a large building, it is best suited to be at the rear of the lot, with out parcels up to the street at the front of the lot. Only so much can be done with a 200,000 sqft building.
What is the true fight here? What are your thoughts?
UPDATE: 11/25/08 - fixed links
UPDATE 11/26/08 - New Renderings 09/2008 from Town Website
Wal-mart Transit Road Elevation
UPDATE: 12/04/08 - LUSJ +BuffNews articles stating decision on appeal expected by April.
(image 4th level of ramp looking down to Main St access)
From the LUSJ:
www.lockportjournal.com/thecity/local_story_318020055.html
What are people looking/hoping for in the new ramp?
I'll admit I am prone to desire (cost no issue) the two lower levels with buildings on top and park along the side and to the rear over looking the canal. Obviously cost will be an issue. While there may be no need for this space now, this is supposedly for our "next 50 years". I think there is enough room there for both a park-like features and other uses in the future. If one were to build new 10, 20 years from now, what better place than here with "the view" and the parking? Designing the structure to be able to hold something on top of it in the future could be a wise insurance policy instead of a 50yr blockade.
My one fear is a surface lot on top. Please no more surface lots at the street, especially on Main! If we were to end up with surface at the top level too I'd at least hope for the "park" feature on top with it to line Main St. and hide any surface parking.
The top of the old electric building already gives a great view, but the area itself is not kept up. And to be honest, there is something about the current ramp design that I find endearing. And that's rare for a parking ramp. Maybe it's the lucky horseshoe shape?
Big change is coming. I'm trying to see if I can get the "sketches" that were shown so that we can discuss them. I will update this thread if I can.
UPDATE (11/21/08):
I stopped in City Hall and spoke with Mayor Tucker last night for a while and took some pictures of the renderings supplied by a couple of the architectural firms. These are the preliminary ideas laid out in the firms' submissions to be chosen to assist help the City of Lockport craft specifications for the design of a new downtown parking garage. Foit-Albert Associates of Buffalo won the honor.
www.lockportjournal.com/thecity/local_story_318020055.html
What are people looking/hoping for in the new ramp?
I'll admit I am prone to desire (cost no issue) the two lower levels with buildings on top and park along the side and to the rear over looking the canal. Obviously cost will be an issue. While there may be no need for this space now, this is supposedly for our "next 50 years". I think there is enough room there for both a park-like features and other uses in the future. If one were to build new 10, 20 years from now, what better place than here with "the view" and the parking? Designing the structure to be able to hold something on top of it in the future could be a wise insurance policy instead of a 50yr blockade.
My one fear is a surface lot on top. Please no more surface lots at the street, especially on Main! If we were to end up with surface at the top level too I'd at least hope for the "park" feature on top with it to line Main St. and hide any surface parking.
The top of the old electric building already gives a great view, but the area itself is not kept up. And to be honest, there is something about the current ramp design that I find endearing. And that's rare for a parking ramp. Maybe it's the lucky horseshoe shape?
Big change is coming. I'm trying to see if I can get the "sketches" that were shown so that we can discuss them. I will update this thread if I can.
UPDATE (11/21/08):
I stopped in City Hall and spoke with Mayor Tucker last night for a while and took some pictures of the renderings supplied by a couple of the architectural firms. These are the preliminary ideas laid out in the firms' submissions to be chosen to assist help the City of Lockport craft specifications for the design of a new downtown parking garage. Foit-Albert Associates of Buffalo won the honor.
Although these are highly conceptual and only a starting point, the project looks promising. Of these two I'm liking the "town square" look of the second one over the "concrete plaza" of the first. Each has a feautre in it mimicing the "Flight of Five". Mayor Tucker also commented on making sure the ramp integrates with the old power building in case a use is found for the building in the future.
UPDATE: 11-24-2008
Buffalo News reporting on project time line and initial design goals.
The city’s new parking garage will be paired with a park containing terraced steps to an Erie Canal overlook and perhaps an elevator down to the canal, city officials decided last week. However, the shaky state of the economy and the Wall Street credit markets may prevent work from starting in 2009, Mayor Michael W. Tucker said...
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