Buffalo Central Terminal » LET’S ALL PITCH IN TO RAISE OUR BELOVED ‘TITANIC’ 3/21/1998

LET’S ALL PITCH IN TO RAISE OUR BELOVED ‘TITANIC’ 3/21/1998

Last modified: May 30, 2007 @ 7:32 pm by Sara Etten

LET’S ALL PITCH IN TO RAISE OUR BELOVED ‘TITANIC’
March 21, 1998

With the success of the movie “Titanic,” it is easy to see that the public has a great interest in the tragic events of our past. In Buffalo, the Central Terminal is our Titanic. It was built with the intention that it would serve the area forever. While it did not “sink” on its maiden voyage, its trip through time has been very rough, leading to its demise as an old wreck in a sea of vacant lots on the city’s East Side.

For most citizens, the Terminal was the gateway to Buffalo from the world around us. For those who lived here, it was the last familiar glimpse of home they would see before going off to war. And for those who gave their lives for our county, it was the last place their loved ones would ever see them. For every individual story that was part of the voyage of the Titanic, there are thousands for our Central Terminal.

Even with a non-profit group in control, “raising” the Terminal in full restoration will be very costly. This leads many skeptics to believe that “razing” the Terminal may be the more likely end result. With the debate brewing over plans to demolish Memorial Auditorium, one has to wonder if the Terminal will face a similar fate.

The one thing the Terminal has in its favor is the fact that it stands out like a sore thumb, making it a constant reminder that this wound needs to be healed — and fast.

The community history that surrounds the Central Terminal is too valuable to leave in the hands of a tiny group. An all-out effort from the entire community is needed to secure its future.

Stephan M. Koenig Cheektowaga