After work and a long day of running around, I came home to find a bunch of emails and voice messages asking about Donn Esmonde’s column in the Buffalo News today regarding the Broadway Market.
This is what I have to say…DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ.
Honestly, it made what was a great Friday turn sour.
Esmonde’s column is a one sided opinion piece…it fails to accurately portray what is/has been going on with the Broadway Market, its manager situation and what is going on at the core of the decisions being made. Like I said, it is a one sided opinion piece.
What the Market needs is fair, honest and transparent talk about its current state and its future…it doesn’t need to be a political football…it needs people working together.
And this comes from one of the Market’s truest believers who is in a Broadway-Fillmore frame of mind 99.2% of the time. I am also in need of finding the genie Donn Esmonde wrote about.
Amen…
It’s a shame he doesn’t talk to someone like YOU!
Someone who cares and isn’t looking to gain/benefit from it.
What does Airborne Eddy know about running a market or urban development?
Thanks for an honest assessment. The vendors have suffered enough. Let’s get it done right and fund it …. Not line the pocket of a few who “know” how to get it done…. Maybe someone should take a poll of the vendors and see how much money Marty Eddie Erwin and Dave have spent buying foods in “supporting” of the vendors….. You would find none of them have spent more than a few dollars…..GREAT SUPPORT GUYS…..
Right on. There was a study done about 1999 by the Public Markets Collaborative of the Project for Public Spaces that had the answers. Dave Franczyk, former Assembly member Paul Tokasz and I (former 5th District Erie County Legislator) found the funding for it.
It was a ground breaking effort done by real experts. None of our newest saviors have even bothered to dig it out…
By the way, how come none of these folks even live in the neighborhood like I do?
The Project for Public Spaces is a magnificent organization. I didn’t know they did a study on the Broadway Market. I would love to see it. Why wasn’t their study ever put into action?
Following along here with the current Broadway Market woes, there appears to be a lot of misinformation and a lack of getting what the real story is. Thank you Mr. Byrd for at least shedding a little light on what is going on.
I do have the PPS Study and I will post it soon…stay tuned.
Dear Mr. Byrd,
I’m very sorry that your otherwise great Friday turned sour. It is indeed unfortunate that you have chosen to use a public forum to refute our efforts for revitalization of the Broadway Market and entire district rather than have a “man to man” conversation to communicate your concerns. Particularly since you are such a strong advocate of “fair, honest and transparent talk”. Exactly what seems to be your concern? What is the other side of the story as you see it?
Please do “shed some light” on the subject.
In response to your equally negative forum participants and their comments, not only are we familiar with the 1999 PPS study but have had numerous conversations with the author. Maybe a more important question to the legislators that “found the funding for it” would be, why they never did anything with it?
The constant negative nattering about my or my associates commitment or investment in the area is laughable. We have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in hard currency through our projects for the market and surrounding businesses and organizations over the last 5 years. We have purchased properties to keep them from being destroyed or being used for something detrimental to the “vision”. We have spent thousands of dollars to advertise, promote and market the area and have brought tens of thousands of human beings into an area that most still consider a blight ridden, poverty stricken, crime laden war zone.
The truth of the matter is that naysayers have been “talking” about saving this area for more than 30 years. Talk is cheap, and the pettiness and resentment toward those that actually do something rather than just talk about it is quite apparent and absurd.
I would be very happy to discuss any of these topics with you or your fellow bloggers face to face if you are truly interested in making a difference. We invite you and your comrades to join us as we work to re-invent the Broadway Market and our beloved neighborhood…Stay tuned
Shame on you Chris for questioning Eddy and company. Now you’ll have to man up!
Who has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in hard currency in B-F? Where has this money been invested – in properties that remain boarded? Or has it gone in your pocket?
If by generating money, you are referring to the success of Dyngus Day, then sure, yea that event is good for B-F press. But let’s face it, to most Dyngus nothing more than a day where you convince a bunch of outsiders to come to B-F to get drunk. They all leave as soon as the night is over and stay away for an entire year.
I’m assuming that all the money you’ve spent on promoting has essentially advertised two seasons: Christmas and Easter. These are both events where temporary vendors cater to a temporary customer base. 363 other days a year, there are struggling families, an empty Market, and blighted streets in B-F. What is your contribution to these issues?
I’m so sick of hearing about how the Market should bring in exotic cheeses, wine and more events. The vision for the Market and its surrounding community should be to attract tens of thousands of people to LIVE in B-F, to raise a family, to BUY GROCERIES, not to go to a carnival twice a year to buy expensive cheese.
The success of the holiday seasons will continue because the area is rich in heritage and nostalgia. It’s time to work on the everyday…..
Danielle,
The fact that you discount the success of Dyngus Day only magnifies your misconceptions. Dyngus Day has brought more people into the streets of the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood than anything else in decades. Except for $1 from admission all the money generated by Dyngus Day attendees goes directly to the venues. The Churches, the Terminal, the bars etc. These funds are used to benefit those places as they see fit.
I would disagree with you that to most Dyngus Day is just a day to get drunk. In addition to instilling ethnic and civic pride it is a tool to bring people back to the neighborhood and show them first of all that it is safe and there are things that are still in operation to encourage them coming back at other times of the year. The Forgotten Buffalo tours are a prime example. Last week alone we brought over 150 people to the Polonia district. They spent money at bars and Church social clubs and they were exposed once again to the opportunities that exist for investment, residence and business. This week we will do the exact same thing.
If you are sick of hearing that the market needs a wider selection of goods and proper promotion you should see a doctor, because whether you like it or not that is very much needed. But that is not all, and no one is saying that. The Christmas and Easter shopping seasons are not just 2 days out of the year. That is simply a foolish statement. However we certainly are not naive enough to believe that those are the only things to be promoted and nurtured. We are very clear that the Market needs activity year round.
The market and the neighborhood are joined at the hip. The re-invention of the institution and the surrounding community need to happen simultaneously.
Rather than spreading negative rhetoric I would invite you to join us on our quest to re-invent our beleaguered neighborhood. If you are truly interested let me know. I’ll buy the first Krupnik.
There is a lot of competition out there with local markets now. It is like every town and each part of the city has one. How can the market compete with that?
Eddy,
First off…
Is there no bigger pubic forum locally than the Buffalo News? This is where Donn Esmonde’s column appears. This is where you call out the city and ask them to help the Market. You chose to use a variety of public forums to criticize people in relation to the Market. I think this makes things fair game for others to comment or react publicly on the column. You can’t have it both ways.
Second…
Hasn’t the city helped the Market over the last couple of years since the the old Broadway Market Management Corporation (BMMC) pulled out in 2008?
Were you not part of the “city” process after the BMMC left in 2008 as part of the “city” appointed Broadway Market Task Force? Weren’t you part of the process in selecting Tom Kerr as manager? Why call out the city when you were actively invloved in helping shape the Market for the last couple of years?
I read the word “we” a lot in your comments…didn’t “we” have a vision for the Market while on the task force? Why wait for over two years to bring this vision to the fore?
Third…
As someone who has also been involved with raising “hard” currency for the neigborhood, attracting thousands of people to area, promoting and advertising B-F, and donating a lot of my own cash and time in helping, I take offence to your assertion, as I am sure others do, that the “naysayers” who critcize you, have done nothing for 30 years and challenge you publicly purely out of resentment…there are a lot of people beside “we” that have done and continue to do a lot for the neighborhood…people who are responsible for helping keep the area alive. You need to listen to the voices of the people who have been in the trenches and people from the neighborhood and not disreagrd them. This is the “we” you should focus on.
I believe “we” are resentful when people either question or constructively.
Fourth…
The future of the Market is very important for the neighborhood, B-F residents, its hard working vendors, neighborhood stakeholders, etc…there needs to be open, fair and transparent public discourse about the direction it is taking. Everyone involved deserves that…the Market deserves that…it is important.
Chris,
So does this mean that you are afraid to talk face to face?
First off, no one is doing anything in the dark or excluding any individual or organization that has demonstrated a willingness to make a difference.
I’m still not sure what it is that you take offense to?
I did not personally criticize anyone in the column that you are referring to. In fact I believe the thrust of the “opinion piece” was to support the momentum that has started for the Market and the neighborhood, of which you are a part of. It was a call to action.
You are absolutely correct in your statement that I along with others have been involved in the selection process for Market Management. However the process was flawed from the start and that unfortunately was beyond my control. But you are totally inaccurate in your question of why “I” waited two years to “call out” the city. I have been quite vocal for years and you know that as fact because I have stated it to you personally.
More importantly this has nothing to do with me. I am simply shining the light on something that I feel is not being properly addressed.
While you are out there promoting “fair, honest, transparent talk” the neighborhood is being demolished right before our very eyes. Communication without action is meaningless. That’s like watching someone experience a heart attack and “talking” about the best method of treatment rather than performing CPR or calling an ambulance.
In actuality, you are one of the the “we” that I so often refer to. I realize and have stated publicly time and time again that there are numerous individuals that are working to the common cause of a profitable Market and vibrant surrounding neighborhood. Whether they live in, work in, shop in, or promote the area or businesses or institutions, there are dozens of passionate people involved.
I once again extend the invitation to you for a face to face discussion.
All I see in Airborne Eddy’s responses is skirting around the questions. Almost sounds like a politician. Again I ask, what does Airborne Eddy know about running a market or urban development?
Stop all the stupid talk and get someone in that market who will fix it. Also, get the Fillmore District Councilman, David Franczyk to get off his ass and start doing something for the market and the neighborhood. A neighborhood I had to leave because of the stupid violence and muggings and fear. I know what it was like living there. It was a beautiful neighborhood with thriving businesses and a vibrant market. I love the markets, as I said many times, my family shops and eats there all the time. We still worship at St. Stanislaus and are very involved with the church. We support other little businesses in the area. We moved but are always there supporting it. Stop all the shit and get someone in there who will do something. And bringing in little stands for the holidays like wine and fancy cheeses will not help. It needs businesses that will help the people who live there. That is the problem with Buffalo, a city I love and care about, the bickering, the politicians, the people who only care about the market and area once or twice a year and the rest of the year do not care. THose who come to see the churches on tours and do not come to worship there all the time is another problem. Having tours is fine, but come and support the churches, or more will close down and then all will cry. The neighborhood needs strong leaders who care. That is why basically Fillmore district looks the way it does.
Ron you bring up some nice points, people point the finger at the mayor but Franczyk rarely gets the finger pointed in his directin. Mayors have come and gone but Franczyk has been around for a long time. From what I read here and in the Buffalo News he goes along with what Dobsiewicz wants for teh broadway market and sounds like a load of political bs. People need to call out these people because they have done nothing.
Amen. We need new blood in the city hall Fillmore district council seat. We need someone who will do the best for the Broadway Market and not just collect a city pay check for nothing like most do.
I know that the last thing we need is more “talk”, but wouldn’t it be interesting to have a meeting with the last few managers of the Broadway Market ? Allow them to voice the biggest issues they had and then submit ideas. Each one had their good points and each had their hands tied in some way. Instead of blaming each one, combine their experiences and work out a possible solution.
It has nothing to do with being “afraid” to talk face to face and everything to do with the Market’s future…I’ve made my thoughts known I what I think the Market needs and how it should get there.
I could spend the next trzydzieści years of my life going back and forth on BFA…I just calls it as I sees it.
The Market deserves better and the neighborhood deserves better.
As Ron S. says above, “Stop all the stupid talk and get someone in that market who will fix it.”
Eddie….the flaw in the selection process was that you couldn’t get everyone on the panel to select your friend… Two other points,
FIRST there is no one who can question Chris’ integrity, dedication or contributions of time and talent to the BF area….Eddy where do you buy your weekly groceries? go to Church (if you do)? How have you promoted the market and it’s vendors without a commission check?
SECOND Prove us wrong, show us something proving that you did something to help BF that didn’t line your pocket….. You gave interviews and said you spent thousands of dollars to the new Not For Profit….show us proof…
Lastly, couldn’t you work with an already existing BF non-profit or several like the BF Housing or the Matt Urban Center etc to create that vision…..no you couldn’t be in charge and you couldn’t line your pockets…..
Again, your ignorance is only magnified by your anonymous cowardice.
Eddy
Give it up already!
Agreed David. I apologize for getting sucked into this public debate. It was a reaction to unwarranted personal attacks and misinformation. I thought it might enlighten ignorance and enroll positive partnership. I see that it is futile and will refrain from this type of behavior.
Merry Christmas and Peace to all.
Eddy you are embarrassing yourself. Your comments only back up the statements made by people you wish to demonize.