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Consultants: Negative attitudes hurting city more than actual problems

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia is a city with a lot going for it, where the pluses more than cancel out the negatives, but to talk with local residents and business owners, you would never know it, according to a trio of consultants who spent time recently studying every aspect of life in Batavia.

The consultants, Charles Buki, with czb LLC, Kennedy Lawson Smith (pictured above), with Clue Group, and David Boehlke, made several visits to Batavia, spending time interviewing people, hanging out in coffee shops and restaurants (sometimes just listening to the chatter a table or booth over), walking residential neighborhoods and visiting local businesses, as well as gathering and studying all available data on the city.

Their conclusion, presented at a meeting Wednesday evening at city hall: There's too much negative talk about Batavia, and the negative attitudes hold down home values and discourage business development.

"The overarching message is this is a wonderful community, " Buki said. "Rarely do we get a chance to be in such a welcoming place, such a beautiful place. This is the kind of community we grew up in, almost everywhere we looked, there are strengths and opportunities."

But, Buki, Smith and Boehlke all said they were taken aback by the amount of negative talk about Batavia.

"Destructive language and sentiment dominates discussions," said Buki (bottom inset). "Public as well as private institutions present Batavia poorly."

Even signs at the city entrance and public parks present a negative image, the consultants said, telling visitors "this is not a fun place," suggesting there are problems in the city that they should worry about.

"Batavia has a habit of seeing the glass as half-empty and half-empty and half-empty until it is dry," said Boehlke (top inset).

Among the positives for the city are more than 200 homes of historic value, several successful locally owned businesses, nice parks, recreational opportunities, a history of volunteerism, affordable housing and a central location between Buffalo and Rochester.

While local residents complain about declining neighborhoods, the city is actually dominated by a core group of good, caring homeowners, Boehlke said. 

While there is an overabundance of single-family homes that have been converted to two-, three- and four-unit complexes -- 25 percent of the housing stock -- there are fewer than 40 troubled properties in the city. Yet most of the chatter the consultants heard about neighborhoods is that there is widespread decline.

The negative attitudes about neighborhoods and housing are hurting real estate values. Homes are undervalued by as much as 20 percent (compared to similar homes in the Town of Batavia) said Boehlke, with a majority of owners and renters paying less for rent and mortgages than they can actually afford.

The perceived lack of real estate value discourages some property owners from making needed investments in their property, which can cause actual declines in value.

"This is not a city with a true housing problem," said Boehlke. "It’s a city with a tremendous opportunity."

Residents and city leaders have a habit of thinking "if only we had more enforcement" all of our problems will be solved, the consultants said. But arresting people on more misdemeanor crimes or (having) stronger code enforcement isn't going to fix much, they said.

The city needs to develop a strategic plan for community improvement and economic development, and downtown is at the core of it.

And one of the biggest problems downtown is what urban renewal wrought -- the mall, which both sucks the life out of downtown and is probably is what feeds a lot of the negative attitudes about Batavia.

Smith spoke about the history of downtown declines across the country, which is a product of interstate highways, the G.I. bill and suburbanization, changes in tax law (rewarding mall developers) and the rise of mega chains such as Walmart.

In some ways, Batavia is not unique, and urban renewal was a reaction to these changes in society, but the destruction of the north side of Main Street didn't just reduce the economic strength of downtown by 50 percent. It reduced it by 80 percent.

Vibrant downtowns need street-facing retail businesses on both sides of the street to thrive, Smith said.

Her suggestion: Deconstruct the mall so that there are more street-facing businesses and a mixture of retail, office and residential space.

There are ways to get it done, she said, if the community makes it a priority.

"We have heard everybody's pain and everybody's feelings," Smith said. "It's something you're going to have to grapple with over the next five to 10 years if you're ever going to fix downtown Batavia."

George Richardson

The problem in Batavia is there are too many nattering nabobs of negativism and hopeless, hysterical hypocondriacs of history. Y'all need to stop being pusillanimous pussyfooters and get to work on making Batavia a world class tourist destination. Maybe then you could get a Hooter's and a Twin Peaks. That's what Batavia needs, more places to eat. A wise man once said that twice on this very website.

Oct 6, 2011, 10:40am Permalink
jason reese

There are reason for this attitude. High unemployment to Racism. Batavia, ny has it covered. That's why this city of miserable. Do the consultants live in Batavia, Ny? Tell them to stay for a year!

Oct 6, 2011, 10:44am Permalink
Mark Potwora

That costed 55,000 dollars to tell us that the Mall is a problem and the we all have a bad attitude............

Even signs at the city entrance and public parks present a negative image, the consultants said, telling visitors "this is not a fun place," suggesting there are problems in the city that they should worry about...I liked that one,No smoking or alcohol allowed in the park..Didn't council waste all summer getting those things done...ITS NOT A FUN PLACE...

Oct 6, 2011, 1:07pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

The economy doesn't suck, you're all just a bunch of whiners. We're good enough, we're smart enough and doggone it, people like us....

Oct 6, 2011, 10:54am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

As for the downtown non-mall.....nothing will be done while the people who tore up main st to build the failed mall are dead or out of the area. I have read studies done on this and people who get things done like this usually hold enough influence to keep it from being reversed in their lifetime or while they live in the area. No matter how much of a failure. Just sayin.

Oct 6, 2011, 11:34am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Well I'm workin to improve the economic future of Batavia tonight @ 10 Cent Millionaire..... George if you say you'll come down I swear I'll bring in perogies myself for ya. I'll make ya good food and you can drown your sorrows in semi-local beer LOL (Is Genesee Beer brewed locally anymore?) Lets have a Batavian M&G here sometime to discuss local issues like we have proposed in the past.

Oct 6, 2011, 11:38am Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

"Batavia has a habit of seeing the glass as half-empty and half-empty and half-empty until it is dry," said Boehlke.

We are not that bad in Math. We see the glass as half-empty, two thirds-empty, and finally empty. We need some real help filling it full when it is dry.

55,000 dollars for that ? They need to Occupy Main Street till their feet hurt and they stink !

s)

Oct 6, 2011, 2:41pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

Let's turn our frowns upside down folks. We'll all be able to sell our houses for a million bucks tomorrow and move our misery to Key West. Booyaa!!

Oct 6, 2011, 4:35pm Permalink
James T. Hansen

"The negative attitudes about neighborhoods and housing are hurting real estate values. Homes are undervalued by as much as 20 percent (compared to similar homes in the Town of Batavia)"

No....oppressive city taxes are what are holding down home values.

Oct 6, 2011, 5:52pm Permalink
Ken Rumble

So let's review, 40 yrs ago, tear down those old decripit buildings and build a Mall that everyone will go to. 40 yrs go by and now let's tear down the Non-Mall that was built and get back to old fashioned main street type stores that was Batavia when I was a kid!

Here's a thought why not tear out the center portion and make the store fronts as a walk through open area? Tearing down the whole thing seems to be such a waste of taxpayer money. (again) How about work with and change was is there to be more appealing? HMMM that's a thought! Oh I forgot it might make sense.

Oct 6, 2011, 5:57pm Permalink
Shannon Laurer

There are a bunch of great stores inside the "mall" but you tend to forget about that because of the amount of negative space to them, so I have to say I agree with Ken also! As for people putting down Batavia, I don't hear it and I work in one of these in a type of business they claim to have visited. We have several customers, regulars, that sit and chat and I very rarely here anything negative. I moved here from Rochester 17yrs ago because my Hubby was working out Buffalo way and recently he started working in Rochester (stupid company sending crap overseas) and everyone asked us if we would be moving back, We both vehemently stated H E doublehockeysticks NO! We love where we live and really can't imagine ever moving unless life forced us too!

Oct 6, 2011, 7:12pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

"... the destruction of the north side of Main Street didn't just reduce the economic strength of downtown by 50 percent. It reduced it by 80 percent."

I've been saying since I came to Batavia that in order for downtown to fully recover, there simply must be street-facing retail on the north side of Main Street.

And I didn't even have the studies these guys do to back up that statement.

It's an unalterable fact, if Downtown is ever going to achieve its full economic potential, the north side must be street-facing.

That doesn't mean tear down the mall or even spend a lot of money. For example, the former girl school location could have a street-facing addition, with retail in front and Hillside keeping space in the back. There are other areas that could be pulled out to the street. Bank of Castile and Bank of America could be encouraged to have Main Street entrances, including an actual branch for Bank of Castile. The spaces between the banks could be filled in with storefront properties. What I've just proposed is is an increase of at least five street-facing businesses, all without tearing down the mall and it would make a HUGE difference to the vitality and viability of downtown.

Oct 6, 2011, 7:55pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I also think my proposal would benefit the spaces that would be left inside the mall. Getting more people on foot on the north side of the street would make it easier to draw people into the mall, and more street-facing businesses would do that.

Oct 6, 2011, 7:57pm Permalink
George Richardson

This is the best quote I have ever read in print. "A majority of owners and renters paying less for rent and mortgages than they can actually afford."
I know how to solve that problem, max out your credit cards and declare bankruptcy. In other words spend until you can't afford it anymore and then spend some more until you go totally under. La la la la la la, life is but a bowl of cherries. Vote Obama even if it hurts.

Oct 6, 2011, 10:32pm Permalink
George Richardson

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl1C9vV2goU&feature=channel_video_title]
Pembroke high School graduate Jeff Taylor, on the accordion, to the left of the screen makes me very Batavia proud.
Howard, check him out, call him up and write a enthralling human interest story about a fine musican and even finer man who claims Batavia as his own. Don't wait, do it now while you're still not busy. Who is busy at 11:55 pm EST?
I mean, if you work at Walmart I didn't mean you. Do a Googley.

Oct 6, 2011, 11:58pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Funny thing about this whole Mall thing it that everyone that lives here has a negative view of it...So for some outside company come and tell council the same thing to me is funny,because we know that City council will do nothing with this information....Across the Street you have the old CL Carr building that needs some kind of store in it..Howard you say more stores facing main st....Well there is one thats not being used to its full potential..That block of Main seems dead also..Maybe some brighter light on Main St would help..We will just have to see what council does with this information that they already knew ..Only is this time they had to pay 55,000 dollars to hear it....The study said ....this is not a fun place.!!!!!!!!!!!.....

Oct 7, 2011, 1:58am Permalink
Brenda Ranney

K, so this they say isn't a fun place I disagree.
I think our well staffed, clean, user friendly library is a fun place.
I think that our youth/teen center which is staffed with great people is a fun place. I know my children all think so. Not to mention all the extra activities that they sponsor.
I think the baseball complex run by a great guy and a super dedicated group of Batavians is a fun place. For the cost of a soda one can enjoy a wonderful game of American's past time in the true sense of the word even if your child, grandchild, niece or nephew, neighbor's son or daughter isn't playing for free.

I wonder if the consultants attended any of the free Jackson Square concerts or Band in the Park on Thursdays ?Go fishing behind the court house (how Mayberry can you get) ?
The reason why I have only written about free fun activities in Batavia is because of our economy and American's changing attitudes on always having to open their wallets to enjoy life.

I wasn't able to attend so I hope that the report when it's made available will discuss in more detail what the consultants definition of fun is.
Personally I think having employment would be more of a draw than "fun".

Oct 7, 2011, 10:58am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Nobody said Batavia isn't a fun place. The proliferation of the "no" signs at the city entrance and parks sends the message that this isn't a fun place. Again, nobody said Batavia isn't a fun place. In fact the message of the consultants was quite the opposite -- they said Batavia is a wonderful place, but residents tend not to appreciate it.

And as a transplant who decided to run a business here and live here, I can say -- I love Batavia, but the negative talk from some people in the community is pervasive and feels oppressive at times.

Look back a couple of years ago when I would write about what a great place Batavia is and all the people who would come in on comments and try to shout me down, call me a fool and naive (not necessarily in those words). Sometimes it feels like a sin around here to say Batavia is a wonderful place to live and work.

Oct 7, 2011, 12:46pm Permalink
Joe McGowan

I would have concentrated more on a positive aspect of Batavia- Genesee Community College. The college trains local community members in the skill set needed and vocational training necessary to acquire jobs. Vocational training and Research and Development are the future. GCC recently opened a Nano Technology facility in which students can earn the training necessary in high demand industries. There are an abundant amount of people with higher education degrees in the country, but no vocational or technical skills that can be utilized. Placement for graduates is higher when they have the necessary technical skills employers demand.

Oct 8, 2011, 10:55pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

So let me get this straight, someone used $55 grand in taxpayer dollars to get lip service from a "consulting firm"???.
The firm points the finger at residents, claiming we have bad attitudes. If I bitch about high taxes and government waste, I have a bad attitude???, who the hell would have a good attitude with the idiots running the City, County, and State now?
I recall a former manager telling me " a bitching soldier is a happy soldier" so maybe we're all perfectly happy with the status quo.(heavy sarcasm).

Oct 8, 2011, 12:59pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

I would like to see a study of how many people actually work in Batavia and how much they make versus how many people live in Batavia and how much they earn else where.

Oct 8, 2011, 1:30pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Joe i would have used the college to do this study...They could of done it for free as some kind of class project ....Batavia doesn't use the college to its benefit...Why no internships...Like Frank says 55 grand to get lip service....This will just be another study that sits on the shelve at city hall...They have another study coming up on consolidation that will go no where...We had a study on shovel ready projects...Thats on a shelve some where.. Government wastes to much on studies and get nothing done...One great example is the Bowles -Simpson panel that Obama asked for on deficit reduction...It went no where ...Big waste of time for all envoled....The same with all these study's done on a local level...We all know the Malls a waste..the study said so...City Hall knows so...but it is still there...How many time do we have to study it...

Oct 8, 2011, 11:24pm Permalink

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