My first trip to Buffalo was for a family wedding a few years ago. Of course it was summer, so no snow, but I thought it was beautiful. There is so much wonderful old housing stock there. If a young couple can find jobs, and isn't bothered the winters, why not?

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has a great quarterly magazine, and the article linked below appeared in it several years ago. I've been wanting to go to Buffalo ever since. We'd planned a bike trip last summer that was to start there, but we cancelled to go to a family wedding. The wedding was nice, but I was a little disappointed not to see Buffalo.

It would be wonderful if masses of young people moved into and revitalized more formerly great old cities like Buffalo. Bring it on, baby.

Here is a link that might be useful: reinventing Buffalo

Interesting but they still have to live in Buffalo! Makes me shiver thinking about it.

When I read articles like the one about Buffalo and the endless articles about the come back of Detroit, IâÂÂm always a little cynical. As someone who has lived her whole life in urban areas, itâÂÂs hard to raise a family in an area where the public schools are awful. I live in Jersey City which has areas that have been totally gentrified and areas that have stayed poor. Starting about 17 years ago a lot of charter schools started and have made it easier for middle-class parents to stay but the charter schools are a mixed-bag - some are good, some are just okay, and some are no improvement over the public schools. What Jersey City does have is one really good high school that the kids have to test into; the rest of the high schools are pretty scary.

I also wonder what the taxes are for the houses. NY is a high tax state as well as New Jersey.

My son is a musician who has now been priced out of Brooklyn and is back home. He and his friends talk about Baltimore and Philly as places they think they could live in cheaply as starving artists.

I love the people and the food in upstate NY but the weather! White outs, black ice, trick or treating in a snow storm, going to Easter service in freezing rain, days and says without sun. I don't miss it a bit.

I am from Buffalo. I left in 1994, but my whole extended family is still there except for a niece and nephew in the military. They have had a serious brain drain for several decades, but in talking to one of my brothers a couple of weeks ago, he told me he never thought he would see the type of turnaround Buffalo is experiencing in his lifetime, and he is very encouraged. He was really excited about the Elon Musk solar plant.

There is a new medical school complex which is driving a lot of revitalization, too.

There are some great houses, but many of them are old and need a lot of work. Taxes can be high, but they are less in the city vs. the suburbs.

One of my nieces teaches science in a Buffalo high school, and yes, it's pretty bad. My parents sacrificed so we could attend Catholic schools, which were relatively cheap back then. Now Catholic schools are almost like paying college tuition. Which speaking of college tuition, SUNY Buffalo is extremely affordable, even for out of state.

I do not miss the snow! As soon as I graduated graduate school, I bought a Mustang convertible and never looked back.

And where I live now, half of Buffalo is here, I swear.

Would I move back? That's a very hard question. DH is from Chicago, and we would rather have the mild winters here or move out west.

If they have the fortitude to deal with the horrendous weather, the rest is a piece of cake!

You know, there are people who think hot, humid, 100 degree days (for weeks on end) and tornadoes exemplify "horrendous weather". I've been in Houston, Miami and Phoenix in the summer, no thank you, I'll take winter in the Northeast over summer in the south.

Interesting article, robotropolis, thank you for sharing.

sandyponder

This is me these days. I think Buffalo is one plant hardiness zone warmer than us although we don't often get big snow dumps. Sadly, for someone who lives in a cool, rainy climate, I love the sun and the heat.

Dream day...
{{gwi:2134227}}

This post was edited by robotropolis on Thu, Jan 29, 15 at 16:22

I'm in a very close suburb of Buffalo. There is no horrendous weather! I don't understand what the issue is with the weather. It is nothing compared to other states like the Dakotas, or most Northern states. It is 12.4 degrees in my yard right now at 6:20 pm. Today I ran errands, grocery shopping, went through the car wash, got gas, all without gloves on or winter boots. Many times this year they had to cancel the outdoor ice skating at the new rink downtown. Almost every year they cancel the winter festival because there is no snow! Remember we have spring, summer and fall too and they are fantastic.

I would not mind taking off during the winter and going somewhere warmer for a little while but it really isn't that bad. I could never live along a coast or where flooding was an issue, or earthquakes, tornados etc. I would be so afraid. Little known fact that Buffalo is actually on a major earthquake fault and could one day have the big one. In my lifetime I have only felt 2 very very minor ones. Most people didn't feel them at all.

There is so much happening here I can't believe it. If any of you ever want to come visit this area I would love to show you around! My dream is to work for the Tourism board as I'm so pro Buffalo : )

You know, there are people who think hot, humid, 100 degree days (for weeks on end) and tornadoes exemplify "horrendous weather". I've been in Houston, Miami and Phoenix in the summer, no thank you, I'll take winter in the Northeast over summer in the south

Me! (but insert Deep South at the end of sentence)

I'm middlin' South and love my spot.

Robo, you have such pretty eyes. I have no idea how the rest of you looks! I could not live five minutes in that climate. On the other hand, I can not bear the heat and humidity of farther south.

Tjmb, I am afraid your son would have to move to a rather sketchy neighborhood in Philadelphia to live as a starving artist. The young people keep moving farther and farther from center city to find affordable housing.

Dedtired, he's just been priced out of Bushwick which is as sketchy as can be. $800 for a tiny room in a really, really crappy apartment. Now I'm afraid he's finally realizing what a good deal it is to live at home where he's a PATH train away from NY -- he may never leave!!

I didn't read the entire article, but ...what TJMB said.

That is, gentrification is for the young and childless. As soon as you have children, the fact that you can make a beautiful home as an oasis in poverty and deterioration is no longer appealing ... your child needs a community and a school and friends. That is why gentrification is often started by the very young (without kids) or by same sex couples (who are less likely to have children). I hope there is nothing offensive about that statement.

I love old cities and old homes. I am no expert on what makes them come back, but I sure do cheer when they do. I think some people have learned that living in a walkable neighborhood with businesses run by people and not "inc.'s" can be a lot more satisfying than be part of the great suburban diaspora.