ULI Visit and Recommendations

The best reuse of the site is of critical importance to the community and the Richardson Center Corporation. In order to assist in the process the RCC invited the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to Buffalo in May, 2007 to study the site, the neighborhood and our City. ULI provides leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. The ULI recommendations provide a “framework” for guiding the community in developing a reuse plan.

After a week of touring the City and surrounding neighborhoods, intensive evaluation of the site itself, and interviews with nearly 100 community stakeholders and regional experts, ULI made recommendations that the Richardson Center Corporation and the community is considering.

The ULI panel of nine national experts and three ULI staff members met with preservation and restoration advocates, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, block clubs, business association members, economic development professionals, and experts on tourism, history, and architecture. Regional experts in retail trade, housing and bi-national relations, and representatives of academia and the mental health community, cultural organizations, and political representatives all participated in the panel meetings. The ULI conclusions and final report were positive and hopeful about the reuse of the buildings and the proposal included an Architecture and Visitor Center, a hotel conference center, condominiums and rehabilitation of the landscape.