{"id":21217,"date":"2018-06-25T10:44:47","date_gmt":"2018-06-25T14:44:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/?p=21217"},"modified":"2018-06-25T10:44:47","modified_gmt":"2018-06-25T14:44:47","slug":"part-one-a-conversation-with-paul-lang-vice-president-of-the-central-terminal-restoration-corporation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/2018\/06\/part-one-a-conversation-with-paul-lang-vice-president-of-the-central-terminal-restoration-corporation\/","title":{"rendered":"Part One: A Conversation with Paul Lang, Vice President of the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation"},"content":{"rendered":"

After decades of stoically tending to its namesake Central Terminal, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC) recently has seen fortunes turn.\u00a0 A passionate site search for a new passenger rail station gave the community a cause around which they championed the Terminal vocally.\u00a0 After a disappointing loss for the Central Terminal, an even more passionate Congressional Representative Higgins prodded the state and city to fund an Urban Land Institute (ULI) study.\u00a0 Several smaller but still substantial grants have now been followed by a five million dollar grant from Empire State Development.\u00a0 For the first time in over half a century there is structural investment in the Central Terminal.\u00a0 It appears the tide has turned.<\/p>\n

Recently I sat down for a two-part conversation with Paul Lang, vice president of the CTRC, to talk about the ULI study, recent grants, and plans for the future.\u00a0 The ULI study formed the framework for the two-part interview.\u00a0 Here is the first conversation.\u00a0 Part two will appear in the coming weeks in Broadway Fillmore Alive, along with other Central Terminal stakeholder conversations.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: From a first read of the ULI study, the vision presented for the Central Terminal and surrounding neighborhood has overtones of Canalside<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: Place making for the Central Terminal is different than Canalside, which had a blank slate and big checkbook.\u00a0 The terminal has buildings and no money.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: Do you envision the open public input process that went into Canalside\u2019s early stage?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: The more state and public sector funds are involved in the terminal, the more public input there will be in the process.\u00a0 If the direction is a private developer that would mean restrictions requiring public input won\u2019t be there.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe it will be a mutant form of both. The terminal can\u2019t be fully private, but I doubt that it will be the series of public meetings we saw at Richardson or Canalside.\u00a0 The board is still figuring out how to do recommendations from the ULI study, we are trying to grow and do more outreach, and have more community events for the immediate population.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 What kinds of involvement or outreach have taken place?\u00a0 Has the Bengali community been tapped yet?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: We\u2019ve had no conversations with the Burmese or Bengali communities yet. \u00a0\u00a0Due to this grant being state funds, the goals are to complete projects on the books.\u00a0 These current project is an electrical system upgrade, including two new high voltage service lines, begun with a grant from Crystal Peoples-Stokes.\u00a0 A new staff position will help us with community outreach and engagement. We are scheduling a walking tour for the CTRC board for the neighborhood for this spring.\u00a0 We have a loose association with Fillmore Forward, and Matt Urban for garden spaces.\u00a0 We certainly need to do a better job with it.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: What kind of staff has CTRC had in the past and what is planned for the future?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: We had a paid executive director in the past, didn\u2019t work out, and we ended up having to do an organizational reset.\u00a0 This newest state grant of five million initially had a portion for seed money for staff, now Empire State Development has preferred to have the grant dollars go to tangible building needs.\u00a0 We are working instead to identify foundations for seed money for staff.\u00a0 Also we\u2019ve extended the Terminal\u2019s event season by two months.\u00a0 Event revenue should be able to pay for a staff person on a break even basis as far as managing the building is concerned. Empire State Development and political stake holders will decide if staff positions will be more toward grant writer or more toward community outreach.\u00a0 It would also be nice to have a project management staffer to handle operations and grant writing\/community outreach.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: Who has done grant writing for CTRC, or who does it now?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: The real estate development committee writes grants.\u00a0Also we use a mix of individual grant writers, with mixed success.\u00a0 Always a concern is their cost.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: The ULI report mentions the traffic circle as unregulated, and that the terminal is on an Olmstead boulevard.\u00a0 Any thought of partnering with Buffalo Olmstead Parks and trying to formally extend the Olmstead footprint to in some way include the Terminal property?\u00a0 Or any thought of the Terminal property becoming some form of National Parks Service property, or possibly like the Darwin Martin site?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: The Terminal is landmarked and therefore protected.\u00a0 Only the tower and concourse are landmarked locally.\u00a0 Nationally the whole property is listed.\u00a0 The projections afforded by the two types of landmarking are different.\u00a0 Not sure of extending to Olmstead Parks, I would assume their plate is full already without another site.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 What period of historical significance has been chosen for the Terminal?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: Opening day 1929 to 1940 has been identified as the period of significance.\u00a0 This is before all the additions were made.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 What bidding rules apply to the Terminal and the grants it has received?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: Empire State Development funding means rules and regulations for multiple bids must be followed. Also MWV rules apply. \u00a0Three comparable sealed bids.\u00a0 We\u2019re still writing the contract with ESD, so details aren\u2019t known yet.\u00a0 Everything will go through the State Historical Preservation Office, known as SHPO.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 What provisions are included for hiring local workers?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>:\u00a0 A lot will come down to trades and apprenticeship programs.\u00a0 ESD has workforce training as a bulleted item.\u00a0 Currently we work with the World Monument Fund\u2019s designated masonry apprenticeship program.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: Can you describe the electrical work?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: Recently we have been working with Ferguson Electrical.\u00a0 A brownfield grant from National Grid paid for Ferguson electrical work, along with a grant from Crystal Peoples-Stokes.\u00a0 And possibly some money from the five million will go toward electrical.\u00a0 We will receive $180,000 more from National Grid as part of the five million.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 Brownfield Opportunity Areas can provide significant dollars toward large projects.\u00a0 Are there brownfields on the Terminal property?\u00a0 Any thoughts of expanding involvement in that program?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>:\u00a0 Until the full project is understood we can\u2019t enroll the Terminal in the brownfield program. The same consideration applies with regard to historic tax credits.\u00a0 The way they work, we want to maximize the project cost that will apply to them, since they work as a project cost multiplier.\u00a0So historic tax credits apply later when the full project scope and cost is known.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 Can you talk a little about the situation with the Canadian developer Stinson who was interested in the Terminal?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: Yes, I can comment on the Stinson project.\u00a0 The CTRC board had concerns about the ability to finance it.\u00a0 The financing methods typical to Stinson\u2019s projects work in Canada, which has a different financing method. There they divert part of what we would call 401K investments, with many individuals participating.\u00a0 He planned to use a Canadian investing pool to do the project, however there were concerns about Stinson\u2019s ability to do the \u00a0financing.\u00a0 It appeared that we would need to transfer ownership of the Terminal entity to Stinson and then get it back from him.\u00a0 The CTRC board was not comfortable, so we did not renew his agreement when it expired.\u00a0 Our relationship with him had expired before the ULI study started.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 Can you describe your vision for the Terminal\u2019s future?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>:\u00a0 The overall picture will be deferred to a private investment piece that has to be identified.\u00a0 Right now we plan on activation of the restaurant as a year-round destination in the concourse. \u00a0Some seed money will go to place making with an emphasis on private development.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: What is the current composition of the CTRC board and volunteers?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>:\u00a0 The board is 12 members.\u00a0 The volunteer core is 30, which includes the 12 on the board. \u00a0Volunteers can balloon to 50 to 60 in the warmer months when we\u2019re doing seasonal activities.\u00a0 \u00a0So broadly 20-50 throughout \u00a0the year.\u00a0 We can always use more.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just about hands, but skilled trades for sure.\u00a0 Volunteers we need include business, marketing, website, social media.\u00a0 All these tasks are falling on board right now.\u00a0 There has been some board and core volunteer burnout, some people step away, some come back, some don\u2019t. \u00a0The current board is newer, since there were a lot of board changes around the time of the executive director changing, and responsibilities have been diversified so people are fresh and there is less burnout for now.\u00a0 In terms of youth volunteers, we have boy scout eagle projects.\u00a0 Generally our needs work better with colleges because schedules line up better.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 What is the timeline for this newest grant?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: The five million will be spent within two years on the concourse.\u00a0 The design phase begins in January and construction is February 2019 through fall of 2020.<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>: How did Representative Higgins\u2019 strong advocacy for the Terminal during the rail station site search help or hurt the Terminal?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>:\u00a0 The Higgins relationship has moved the needle as far as public attention and demand for something to be done with the building and at the site.\u00a0 Nothing has gotten to the point where federal funding can kick in.\u00a0 State funding from the team of Stokes, Zemsky and Kennedy has been the greatest help so far.\u00a0 The City of Buffalo has been very supportive behind the scenes with permits and code compliance, so that we are able to be able to open and function. The Mayor orchestrated the ULI study . Councilman Franczyk has been a regular supporter.\u00a0 Even if we had gotten the rail designation it would not have moved the needle on the entire project, since the rail use would have been less than ten percent of the Terminal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BFA<\/strong>:\u00a0 There is a lot of square footage locked up in the Terminal.\u00a0 Has the CTRC board considered the impact of releasing all this space along with the former HSBC tower and the Statler building?<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong>: There is 2 million square feet between the Terminal, Statler and HSBC. The challenge is job creation and growth to fill some of these spaces. \u00a0There needs to be some incentive for imaginative entrepreneurs to fill spaces.\u00a0There are still enough bad office buildings to cannibalize but that isn\u2019t real growth.\u00a0 This is a City question.<\/p>\n

As a closing note to this first conversation with Paul Lang, here is additional information from the Urban Land Institute\u2019s website on ULI studies. \u201cULI Case Studies showcase innovative approaches and best practices in real estate and urban development by providing a wide range of information on a variety of development project types in a searchable format.\u201d Since 1947 the Urban Land Institute has offered an Advisory Services Program, which across the US assembles 15 to 20 panels each year on various land use topics.\u00a0 These panels follow a set process for each study.\u00a0 Study steps include: \u201cReview background materials.\u00a0 Receive a sponsor presentation and [site] tour.\u00a0 Conduct stakeholder interviews.\u00a0 Consider data, frame issues and write recommendations.\u00a0 Make presentation.\u00a0 Produce a final report.\u201d\u00a0 Panelists are volunteers, from outside the local area of the study, and are not stakeholders or interested parties.\u00a0 Locally, in Buffalo, ULI studies have been used to provide a starting point, or clear direction, in challenging, large reuse projects.\u00a0 ULI studies include these features: \u201cdetailed description of the project and the development process\u2026story behind the development and the lessons learned\u2026photos, site plans, floor plans, and a development timeline.\u00a0 Site and building data, development cost data, sales and rent figures, vacancy rates, and financial data.\u201d \u00a0Other ULI studies in Buffalo include 2008 Artspace Buffalo Lofts, 2011 Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital, and 2013 One HSBC Center.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After decades of stoically tending to its namesake Central Terminal, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC) recently has seen fortunes turn.\u00a0 A passionate site search<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":21218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Part One: A Conversation with Paul Lang, Vice President of the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1,8,623],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-b-f-places","category-b-f-preservation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180613_192844.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1Wcy1-5wd","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21217"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21231,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21217\/revisions\/21231"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/broadwayfillmorealive.org\/2.0\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}