Money for Richardson Towers: A Complex Issue

Dear Artvoice,

I am writing in response to the recent announcement regarding the monetary funds allocated for the HH Richardson Complex.

Like many others, I am delighted by this news but am astounded to learn that the $76.5 million is slated solely for the restoration of the twin towers. I suspect that we are all about to embark upon another scenario paralleling the Buffalo Schools project where the Board of Education staff has no one construction-savvy enough to question where funds are being spent and why.

I guarantee some contractor is rubbing his hands together, chuckling to himself quoting PT Barnum; “there is a sucker born every minute.”

It has been estimated that $22 million would restore the Central Terminal so I beg to differ that $76.5 million would not only restore the towers but would, at the very least, help to stabilize the adjoining pavilions.

The twin towers and two remaining east pavilions had been renovated for office space in the early 1980s but the, fully intact, west pavilions have been neglected and are in dire straights.

Would it be too simplistic to suggest that $1 million be set aside for each pavilion’s stabilization?

This would still leave a staggering sum of $69.5 million for the towers. Considering this amount, I would expect the towers to be gleaming Medina sandstone fully equipped for the 21st Century once the project is complete.

Admittedly, the ideal approach would be to reconstruct the three east pavilions that were demolished. Unfortunately, the current Buffalo psychiatric care center would have to be removed.

A more realistic and practical approach, amid screams of heresy and torch-lighting, would be that the three west pavilions be demolished in order to return the complex to some form of symmetry. This approach would be saving the Medina Sandstone buildings and removing the ones that are constructed of common brick.

The complex, as it stands now, has the appearance of an individual with a missing limb.

Regards,

Mark Williams

Olcott Beach

snaps to niman

Dear Artvoice:

One day I found myself bored by the banality of the environment that I’m surrounded by at the conservative school which, for some Godforsaken reason, I decided to attend for my first college experience. Inevitably, the only place to go to fight boredom on such a small campus was the library. It was there that I got my first Niman experience.

Intrigued by the writer, I decided to do some research on him. I couldn’t help admiring what I found out. I always like to hear that people have some interest or have experienced in some way my mother country (Costa Rica). Coincidence or not, at the same time that I decided to transfer to Buffalo State College to study journalism, my eyes landed on one of Niman’s articles in your paper.

The reason I am writing is to illustrate how grateful I am for the powerful inspiration this columnist has had, not only from an educational but also from a socio-political standpoint. I am looking forward to reading many more of his articles, in one of the only papers that is worthy of accompanying my coffee in the morning.

Sincerely,

Leila Armesto

rethinking tookie

I am not a proponent of the death penalty, yet I can’t understand why people would want clemency for Tookie Williams because he wrote a few children’s books. Al Capone would give Boy Scouts free tickets to baseball games, yet all you hear about is his criminal empire and ruthless sociopathic behavior -- let’s cut the man some slack, okay? Do you see where I’m going here? What if Charlie Manson hosted a children’s show? “‘Mr. Manson’s Family Funhouse?’ Oh, the kids love it! And when he sings those Beatles’ songs, you just have to join in!” Would people have clamored for the release of Jeffrey Dahmer if he had been a successful magician like David Copperfield? “Lookit that ... man, he cut a guy completely in half with a giant saw! Bravo! Bra-vo!”

David Group

Buffalo

CORRECTIONS

M. Faust, not George Sax, reviewed the film Hostel in last week’s issue [January 12, 2006].

Taunee Grant’s name is misspelled in last week’s “See You There” on Squeaky Wheel’s open house [January 12, 2006].