What should Buffalo ask for from a boutique Hotel? With quaint shops and cozy restaurants, Elmwood Avenue has always invited Buffalo to enjoy its urban neighborhood vibe. Now, developer Sam Savarina’s plan to bring a four-story hotel to the corner of Forest and Elmwood may mean sharing the strip with out-of-town visitors and out-of-town businesses. And while some are concerned about how this hotel will fit into the area aesthetically, as well as impacts on traffic and existing businesses, others see it as a sign of good things to come. In any case, the community would be well advised to do it right and get what it can out of the developer. What are your wishes for the proposed new hotel and for the neighborhood?

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Occupation: Tanning salon employee

Residence: Buffalo

What do you think about the proposed construction of a hotel at Elmwood and Forest? I think it would be a good idea, but it would have to blend in to the neighborhood. It couldn’t be like a modern-looking hotel.

The project has been re-designed already due to community concerns about the hotel’s scale and façade. What other things should the community ask for? To me that would be the main thing, for it to blend in to the neighborhood. For it to interact with the neighborhood, get involved with Forever Elmwood, see how they can all work together. As far as amenities, [it should be] something to draw people to the Elmwood strip.

Do you think this hotel might attract more commercial development to the area? You have to start with something, and I think a hotel building would help bring some commercial [development]. It’s a nice place to stay, the Elmwood Village.

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Occupation: Beautician

Residence: Buffalo

What do you think about the proposed construction of a hotel at Elmwood and Forest? I think it would be nice. It’s almost like it’s a sign that the city’s doing some type of economic recovery.

The project has been re-designed already due to community concerns about the hotel’s scale and façade. What other things should the community ask for? I guess it would be nice if the façade went along with the décor along the Elmwood Avenue strip. Other than that I’d just like to see some success, and the city bounce back.

Do you think this hotel might attract more commercial development to the area? I hope so, it would be nice. The city has a lot of potential, it just needs to be tapped in to.

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Occupation: Retail sales

Residence: East Aurora

What do you think about the proposed construction of a hotel at Elmwood and Forest? If the economy can [support] a hotel and it would bring more people into the area, I think that it would be a fantastic idea. I’d like to see Buffalo return back to what it was in my youth.

The project has been re-designed already due to community concerns about the hotel’s scale and façade. What other things should the community ask for? I think probably re-designing it to fit in to the general architectural frame of the community was a really good idea. That it be kind of upscale, and attract a clientele that will promote the area and the businesses that surround it.

Do you think this hotel might attract more commercial development to the area? Since we’ve been gone in the past three years, there’s been a real decrease in the activity in downtown Buffalo and I would love to see revitalization in the community. Stop the impetus from going into the suburbs back into the city. I myself would like to move back into the city, given the opportunity.