Central Terminal: State of the Project Message

As you all are aware by now, Russell Pawlak has stepped down after 8 years as President and more than 10 years of involvement with the project. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Russell for his unyielding dedication, passion and hard work. At the beginning of his term as President, Russell battled against all odds and the conventional wisdom at that time to draw local, national and international attention to the terminal and was instrumental in starting its rebirth as the treasured community asset it is today.

I am confident that the CTRC’s collective experience and vision as a team will continue to work towards the same goals that Russell had strived for during the last decade. We all wish him the very best personally, as well as in his future endeavors on the Preservation Board and as a new board member of the Broadway Market. I am certain that his drive and passion will be of great benefit to these efforts, as well as to the entire city of Buffalo.

Effective immediately, I will assume the duties of President, Mark Lewandowski will remain our Treasurer, as well as assuming the duties of Vice President, and Sara Etten will remain our Secretary. Kate Resetarits, Yuri Hreschyshyn and Ed Werick also will remain on the board of directors. We will be looking to fill 3 vacant board positions before the end of the year.

As we eagerly look forward to another busy season of great events, I would like to take this time to remind everyone that restoration and preservation progress also continues. If you’ve driven by the terminal recently, you may have noticed that several Plexiglas window coverings in the tower have been blown out at different times during our blustery Buffalo winter. Given the tower’s raised prominence, it is frequently subjected to sustained winds that make the replacement of these windows from the inside quite a dangerous time-and-resource consuming task. While the majority of missing coverings have been reinstalled, completion remains a priority and efforts will continue as conditions and volunteer resources permit.

Also continuing is our collaboration with BOCES on the construction of restroom facilities within the former waiting room area, repairs to interior drainpipes that were affected by the winter freeze and the ongoing maintenance and preparation of the concourse, its peripheral rooms and the surrounding acreage for another event season. Continuing our annual tradition, the public is invited to once again participate in our 11th annual Spring Clean Up on Saturday, May 17th, from 9am to 1pm. As always, free lunch and beverages will be provided to all volunteers.

I would also like to announce a few new projects for which we are currently assembling resource requirements:

· The renovation of the restaurant area for use as a small event or conference facility

· The preparation of the 4th floor of the tower for use as a model for redevelopment

· The preparation of an upper tower floor for use as an observation floor

This is a pretty challenging agenda for our relatively small group of unpaid volunteers, but we believe that we are up for the challenge as we have proven in the past. If you would like to help us reach our goals, please contact us at volunteercoord@buffalocentralterminal.org or visit our website at www.buffalocentralterminal.org. We are always looking for extra help with everything from building trades, to event staffing and administrative skills. Everyone is welcome!

Finally, I’d like to thank our many supporters for their donations of time and money. Without you, the city of Buffalo would have lost an important and historic landmark. Your continuing support will be, as always, greatly appreciated.

We firmly believe that it is no longer a matter of if the Central Terminal will be restored, but rather of when it will be restored. Thank you for your belief in this project and in us. We look forward to seeing you all this season!