"It's a different Niagara Street, in a good way," said Jim Fink of Business First during his monthly appearance on WBFO's Press Pass. He cites a number of projects that are changing the prospects for a part of the city that has shown the signs of neglect for too many years.
Architect/developer Jake Schneider today is unveiling a new housing complex inside the former Turner Brothers warehouses along Niagara Street. It's not the only exciting development along what Fink calls the "Niagara Street spine."
"Ciminelli (development) is working on taking the Mentholatum Building, bringing it into 54 apartments. Further up the street, Ang Natale took the old Bison Warehouse and is making it into apartments."
Fink acknowledges that there was a time when it seemed little could be done to improve the main street through a rundown section of Buffalo.
"The success of Elmwood Avenue worked its way west. What I call development osmosis," Fink said.
"People don't think about it much, but it's important gateway into Buffalo. For people who cross the Peace Bridge or come off the Thruway, this is the first neighborhood, this is the first area they see. "