Buffalo Central Terminal

LET’S RESTORE GRANDEUR OF THE CENTRAL TERMINAL
November 24,1997

I was thrilled to see the article in The News on Nov. 13 titled, “Council approves plan to protect Central Terminal.”

The Buffalo Common Council has approved a project to secure the 16-story tower and repair the leaking roof. This East Side landmark, which opened in 1929, is my favorite building. I have seen it practically every day of my life because I live in the Lovejoy neighborhood.

When the New York Central Terminal was built, it cut Lovejoy Street in half. Ever since, it has loomed over the East Side like a protective mother.

At a recent meeting of the EXPO 2001 committee, I revealed my name for the building, “Buffalo’s Queen.” Expo 2001, led by myself and Bob Rushok, is working on bringing the celebration of the Pan-American Exposition Centennial to the East Side and to the Central Terminal in particular.

One member of our group wrote a poem dedicated to the building entitled ” Always the Lady,” and another built a model of the terminal with surrounding tracks. The Iron Island Preservation Society, which includes the building as one of its 12 landmarks, is also interested in seeing that the terminal is saved from demolition.

Expo 2001 members have collected more than 500 signatures at various rail shows around the area in an effort to save the historic terminal.

We also held a contest for the best reuse of the Central Terminal. A number of great ideas were promoted: a “silver-screen” theater and platform restaurant with dining cars, an Amtrak station, a casino, an office building, a convention center, a hall for weddings, condominiums. Also suggested was using existing rail tracks for commutes to downtown and Rich Stadium.

The idea that won first place was to convert the Central Terminal into a historic railroad museum, highlighting different eras of railroading throughout Buffalo and Western New York with working replicas, and possibly a railroad library.

I wish the newly formed restoration committee much good luck in its efforts to bring the beauty back to Buffalo’s Queen.

MARGE THIELMAN HASTREITER Buffalo

Copyright (C) 1997, The Buffalo News Record Number: 9711240408