Buffalo, NY

Buffalo(300 miles or 483 km from New York)

Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, behind New York City. Located in Western New York State, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie County. Buffalo is located on the eastern end of Lake Erie, opposite Fort Erie, Ontario in Canada, and at the beginning of the Niagara River, which flows northward over Niagara Falls and into Lake Ontario.


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Buffalo is New York state's second-largest city, with a metropolitan area population of nearly 1,200,000. Buffalo is the cultural and economic center of the Western New York region. Once a bustling industrial center, Buffalo now serves as home to renowned art galleries, diverse entertainment, world-famous architecture and internationally recognized universities.

The city is increasingly becoming known as one of America's most hospitable cities after being awarded the titles of third cleanest city, USA Today's "City with a Heart", and winning the "All-America City Award" twice. Recently Buffalo was named one of the Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2009 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, along with being honored as one of the 44 Places to Visit in 2009 by the New York Times.

Situated at the confluence of Lake Erie and the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, Buffalo is a waterfront city. The river bank is to be developed into a tourist destination.

By car, Buffalo is about two hours from Toronto, one and a half hours from Rochester, two and a half hours from Syracuse, and 7 hours from New York City.

Bus go to Niagara Fall, stop at different bus stops, which give us the opportunity to look at Buffalo city. I know of Buffalo is because of the University of Buffalo, where there are many Malaysian students from a local college in Kuala Lumpur(either Help or Inti) having link program with the university. Buffalo to me, is like Chicago, a beautiful city located near the Great Lake region. But the city is smaller than Chicago.

### Warning: Avoid walking in the street

Buffalo's East Side has a reputation as being a fairly rough place. This is the city's poorest residential district, and the blighted houses and emerging urban prairie does little to dispel the notion that this is a bad part of town. For the most part, this is a working-class part of town, full of lower- to lower-middle-class working families. It's good advice not to walk the streets alone at night around Bailey Ave. or Fillmore Ave. east of Main St.


23/5/2010(Sun) – Niagara Fall -Buffalo- New York

Mexican dinner at W Chippewa St, Downtown
Immediately arrived at the bus station at Ellicott St, we took a bus to Delaware Avenue, and stopped near Hampton Inn bus stop. We walk to the junction of W Chippewa St. West Chippewa St is the most visible nightlife district of Buffalo city, located between Main Street and South Elmwood Avenue. The area is home to high-energy dance clubs, crowded bars, trendy coffeehouses, and restaurants. We have our dinner at Mexican food outlet,located at the corner between Delaware Ave and W Chippewa St. Opposite across the street is Spot Coffee Delaware Cafe. Starbucks is across the W Chippewa St. After the Mexican meal, we walk along the Delaware Ave to the Niagara Square.

Walking in downtown, Buffalo city

Around Niagara Square, Buffalo


Niagara Square is a public square located at the intersections of Delaware Avenue, Court Street, Genesee Street, and Niagara Street in Buffalo, New York. It is the central hub of Joseph Ellicott's original radial street pattern that he designed in 1804 for the then village of New Amsterdam. It continues to be the nexus of downtown Buffalo. Within the center of the modern square is a large monument commemorating the assassination of President McKinley, who was assassinated in Buffalo during the Pan-American Exposition of 1901. This square is also home the Statler Towers building, Buffalo City Court Building, and several other office and buildings

Statler Towers is Statler Hotel

Buffalo City Hall is the seat for municipal government in the City of Buffalo, New York State. It is located at 65 Niagara Square, just opposite Niagara Square. The 32 story Art Deco building was completed in 1931 by Dietel, Wade & Jones. At 378 ft (115.2 m)height or 398 feet (121.3 m)from the street to the tip of the tower, it is one of the largest and tallest municipal buildings in the United States of America and is also one of the tallest buildings in Western New York. The design was by George Dietel, architect, with the assistance of John J. Wade. The friezes were sculpted by Albert Stewart and the sculpture executed by Rene Paul Chambellan.

Niagara Square is the place where I met a homeless old man. We talk and walk along the street until near Lafayette Square. The old man who is friendly and telling me about the difficulty time he went through. He is now survive by collecting cans and bottles.

The loss of traditional jobs in manufacturing, rapid suburbanization and high costs of labor have led to economic decline, making Buffalo one of the poorest amongst U.S. cities with populations of more than 250,000 people. An estimated 28.7% of Buffalo residents live below the poverty line; only Detroit and Cleveland have higher rates. Buffalo faces issues with vacant and abandoned houses, as the city ranks second only to St. Louis on the list of American cities with the most vacant properties per capita. Buffalo is now trying to transform into tourist destination. Buffalo is beautiful, can be the Chicago of NY state. The river, the lake, the historical buildings, sport, food, and she is close to Niagara Fall and Canada border.

Along Main Street, Buffalo


The Liberty Building is located at 424 Main St., Buffalo,just across the Buffalo Metro Rail from Lafayette Square. Built in 1925, the 23 story building is an office tower owned by the Main Liberty Group. It is 101 meters or 333 feet. An addition designed by Lyman & Associates was completed in 1961. The building is peaked with two replicas of the Statue of Liberty sculpted by Leo Lentelli. It is 5th tallest building in Buffalo.

Around Lafayette Square, Buffalo


Lafayette Square (formerly Court House Park or Courthouse Square) is a park in the center of downtown Buffalo, Erie County, New York, United States that hosts a Civil War monument. The block, which was once square, is lined by many of the city's tallest buildings. The square was named for General Lafayette, who visited Buffalo in 1825. Today, the square offers a clear view of Buffalo City Hall, an Art Deco building three blocks to the west. A granite Civil War monument, titled Soldiers and Sailors, gives a strong vertical and ceremonial definition to the space. Conceived by Mrs. Horatio Seymour, the monument's dedication ceremony was attended by Grover Cleveland and other prominent figures.

Court Street joined Niagara Square with Lafayette Square.

The square was part of the original urban plan for the city as laid out by Joseph Ellicott in 1804. Its eastern edge has long been defined by important civic structures; first, the Erie County Courthouse, followed by the original Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Electric Tower, or General Electric Tower is located at 535 Washington St. Presidential history was made in Lafayette Square when former United States President Martin Van Buren received the Free Soil Party nomination for the 1848 election. President-elect Abraham Lincoln also spoke at the square

Today, Lafayette Square hosts the annual Thursday at the Square summer concert series and is occasionally the site of rallies and demonstrations.

The Rand Building is a skyscraper and the third tallest building in Buffalo, New York. It is located at 14 Lafayette Square. The building is named after George Rand, a prominent Buffalo financier in the 1920s. At the time it was built in 1929, it was the tallest in the city at a height of 391 feet (119 m). Built on the site of the 1903 Olympic Theatre, it has been suggested that the Rand Building was the inspiration for the Empire State Building, NY city.

The Ellicott Square Building is an office complex in Buffalo, New York, USA. It was designed by Charles Atwood of D. H. Burnham & Company, and completed in May, 1896. It is within the square surround by Main St, S Division St, Washington St, and Swan St. In 1984 it was used for hotel scenes in the movie The Natural, starring Robert Redford.

The tallest building in Buffalo, the One HSBC Center, which stands 529 feet (161 m) tall. It is at 200-230 Washington Street, just near Coca-cola Field.


Coca-Cola Field, Buffalo

Not far from the Greyhound bus station is Cocacola Field. Coca-Cola Field (formerly Dunn Tire Park, North AmeriCare Park, Downtown Ballpark and Pilot Field) is a 18,025-seat baseball park in Buffalo, New York. It is located at 275 Washington Street, Buffalo.

I really enjoyed the walk around the downtown in Buffalo city, even this is Sunday night the local crowd is not there. The beautiful historical buildings seems waiting to tell me the story of the city's glory past. It is a joy to walk in historical downtown, and I love it.......

Buffalo to New York

The return trip is also by Megabus, Buffalo to New York (7 hr 45 min)by Megabus @$38 per person. Departs 9:45 PM Buffalo, Downtown Terminal. Arrives 5:30 AM New York, 7th Ave & 28th St. Buses arrive and depart at gate 13 in the Metropolitan Transportation Center, located at the corner of Ellicott St and N Division St in downtown Buffalo.

Buffalo Bus station is at Metropolitan Transportation Center, located at the corner of Ellicott St and N Division St in downtown Buffalo, actually within the block bordered by Ellicott St, N Division St, Oak Street & E Eagle Street. Not far from Lafayette Square(between Clinton St, Broadway St & Washington St). Buffalo depart station for Megabus is similar to Greyhound Buses,at 181 Ellicott St, Buffalo.

NY Bus station - MEGABUS.COM arrivals are located at the MTA bus shelter on the west side of 7th Avenue, just south of 28th Street, NY

Buffalo city is a beautiful place, its historical buildings; make me remember Chicago city. Chicago has more modern skyscrapers, Buffalo has more historical buildings. Chicago is more vibrant, Buffalo is more quite. Both are beautiful cities at the shore line of the Great Lake, Chicago at Michigan Lake, Buffalo at Lake Erie, both are magnificent cities. Pray that the transformation will be a success story and benefit Buffalo city and its people.