Buffalo: Architecture in the American Forgotten Land

[steel]

America moves on - Americans like new and shinny things. Problem is they throw away things that are still quite valuable. One of those things is the city of Buffalo New York. This new book called Buffalo: Architecture in the American Forgotten land The book is 160 pages long filled with very haunting and beautiful pictures of the city's great collection of architecture.

Buy the book here at Blurb.com Just search under Buffalo Architecture. It is available in both hard and soft cover.

Oh did I mention I am the author? I made this book because too few people are aware of Buffalo's architectural treasure








See some samples in this video



See some sample page spreads here on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffal...d/118364118992

More on the book here http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/06...-it-twice.html

[mike gurnee]

You need more work on your photographic skills.

[Dan]

You need more work on your photographic skills.

Photos in print appear entirely different than on a monitor. When I'm back in Buffalo in a couple of weeks, I'll have to head over to Taking Leaves or another local bookstore and check it out.

[steel]

You need more work on your photographic skills.

You are quite right - I am not a professional photographer and always look to improve - Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. In the mean time please help spread the word on Buffalo's architectural heritage. That is the core purpose of the book.

[steel]

You need more work on your photographic skills.

Photos in print appear entirely different than on a monitor. When I'm back in Buffalo in a couple of weeks, I'll have to head over to Taking Leaves or another local bookstore and check it out.

TL has agreed to carry the book but it will probably be at least a month before they get it. Please do ask for it when you stop in though.

[Linda_D]

Buffalo is an achingly beautiful city in terms of architecture, especially the Delaware District and some of its surrounding areas like Allentown and parts of the West Side.

If you want to take in Buffalo's architecture as well as see lots of small, urban gardens, the Buffalo Garden Walk 2009 takes place the last week-end in July. It's free, and it's a great event.

[Mud Princess]

I don't understand the criticism here. How about, congratulations on your new book?!? I think it's a terrific achievement.

[mike gurnee]

Steel, I apologize. I should not post before 6 in the morning. Architectural photography is difficult these days, especially with digital equipment. The black/white format you chose is the best to bring out details.

[andreplanner]

Shame that Buffalo let its city go to ruins. I have never taken the time out to visit Buffalo beyond going to the watch the Leafs lose to the Sabres, the Anchor Bar and Walden Galleria. But it's like that in all of the rustbelt cities with the exception of Pittsburgh. Shame the city is going to lose the Bills and possibly the Sabres in the next 5-10 years.

[Rygor]

Shame that Buffalo let its city go to ruins. I have never taken the time out to visit Buffalo beyond going to the watch the Leafs lose to the Sabres, the Anchor Bar and Walden Galleria. But it's like that in all of the rustbelt cities with the exception of Pittsburgh. Shame the city is going to lose the Bills and possibly the Sabres in the next 5-10 years.

I don't think that Buffalo or any of the other Rust Belt cities "let" their cities go to ruins. I think their decline had more to do with changes in the the global economy (and subsequent declines in manufacturing) that caused major flights away from the cities as they lost jobs. Loss of jobs = loss of population which also increased vacancies and decline in property values. Decline in property values begets less ability to rebuild and maintain infrastructure which further causes shifts in demographics and economic decline. This is further compounded by changing perceptions as this is occuring.

As much as many of these cities do their best to promote their cities and encourage visionary projects and investment through incentives, etc. it's still hard to attract investment to places that aren't growing and aren't as "sexy" as newer places (like high growth Las Vegas or Phoenix). It's a long, slow process to recovery. Pittsburgh was successful partly because they were able to build on their relative prominence as a center of learning (Carnegie Mellon, Pitt, etc.), sports (Steelers, Pirates, Penguins), scenic topography, and status as the only major city in Western Pennsylvania (regional importance). Many other Rust Belt cities don't have those advantages.

[DetroitPlanner]

I'd like to expound on Rygor's comments. Toronto has been a recipient of many of the well paying manufacturing jobs that used to be found in 'rustbelt cities' due to corporation's desires to serve the well populated mid-west and eastern coasts of the United States with workers that have medical benefits that they don't have to pay for. Increases in auto production in the Horseshoe is sucking places like Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo dry.

This week it was announced that since 2000 the Detroit metropolitan area has lost 450,000 jobs. I could imagine places like Buffalo have seen numbers of a similar magnitude. Ask yourself what the impact on Toronto would be if that had happened to it in less than a decade before you start pointing fingers and accusing places like Buffalo for letting itself go to pot.

[stroskey]

I don't think that Buffalo or any of the other Rust Belt cities "let" their cities go to ruins. I think their decline had more to do with changes in the the global economy (and subsequent declines in manufacturing) that caused major flights away from the cities as they lost jobs. Loss of jobs = loss of population which also increased vacancies and decline in property values. Decline in property values begets less ability to rebuild and maintain infrastructure which further causes shifts in demographics and economic decline. This is further compounded by changing perceptions as this is occuring.

It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think an area will decline then it will decline because no one wants to invest in a "declining" economy.

[stroskey]

I'd like to expound on Rygor's comments. Toronto has been a recipient of many of the well paying manufacturing jobs that used to be found in 'rustbelt cities' due to corporation's desires to serve the well populated mid-west and eastern coasts of the United States with workers that have medical benefits that they don't have to pay for.

All politics aside, could government-sponsored medical care could be used as an economic incentive on a micro level, for states or even counties in the US?

[Luca]

You are quite right - I am not a professional photographer and always look to improve - Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. In the mean time please help spread the word on Buffalo's architectural heritage. That is the core purpose of the book.

What camera / lenses are you using?

[steel]

It is a whole slew of cameras and lenses. 2 are digital cameras one of which is SONY SLR with a zoom lens the length is slipping my mind. The other digital is a cannon point and shoot - once in a while it will take a grate picture. Many of the film images were with an Olympus OM1 with various lenses 35, 50 and I think 120

The images were taken over a few decades - all the buildings are still in existence and will be for a long long time some are in better condition now than when the image was taken. I could have gone back for a new picture but I liked the image I had. There are 2 or 3 buildings (namely some of the churches) which could become endangered because the Catholic church has decided to close them. For the most part I wanted to show buildings that would remain part of Buffalo and not glorify things that were gone or would be gone but I have a feeling these would stay and thought them worthy of the exposure.

As for Pittsburgh - very beautiful city but I am perplexed by this myth that it is a healthy city that has reinvented itself - Pittsburgh has abandonment and other problems of the aging rustbelt cities on the same scale as Buffalo if not worse.

[Linda_D]

As for Pittsburgh - very beautiful city but I am perplexed by this myth that it is a healthy city that has reinvented itself - Pittsburgh has abandonment and other problems of the aging rustbelt cities on the same scale as Buffalo if not worse.

I was going to say the same thing. Pittsburgh -- the actual city itself, not its metro -- went bankrupt within the last 10 or 12 years, and it is also losing population as are most cities that don't or can't annex suburbs. Before the last MLB All Star game a few years ago, Pittsburgh went on a "demo blitz" to get rid of lots of its abandoned buildings.

A glitzy downtown and prosperous suburban areas doesn't make a city "healthy".