The "Other Story" of Buffalo
Several months ago, a tragic shooting took place in Buffalo, New York, that drew the nation’s attention. In the wake of that tragedy, C.J. Hughes has written an article in The New York Times about the city’s identity and its history and where it’s moving, going forward.
Buffalo has experienced de-industrialization and suburbanization—both causing the city decades of decline. And now, for the first time in 70 years, Buffalo is seeing a population increase and signs of economic recovery after WWII. Hughes attributes much of this recovery to a years-long effort to improve the city through strategic public and private partnerships.
Here today on Upzoned to talk about this story of progress and revitalization is Bernice Radle, a small-scale developer who has written and spoken for Strong Towns before about Buffalo. Radle joins Upzoned host Abby Kinney as they discuss the city’s recent evolution and growth.
Additional Show Notes
“Buffalo’s ‘Other Story’ Is Told in Redevelopment and Growth,” by C.J. Hughes, The New York Times (July 2022).
Bernice Radle is a small-scale developer focused on an incremental approach to development in Buffalo, New York. Before joining the Incremental Development Alliance, she was featured in the New York Times for her work as a micro developer—albeit with a different husband, but same place and vision of work! Check out her personal website and her work site, Buffalove Development Co.
Abby Newsham is the cohost of the Upzoned podcast. Abby is an urban design and planning consultant at Multistudio in Kansas City, Missouri. In her own community, she works to advance bottom-up strategies that enhance both private development and the public realm, and facilitates the ad-hoc Kansas City chapter of the Incremental Development Alliance. When she’s not geeking out over cities, Abby is an avid urban mountain biker (because: potholes), audiobook and podcast junkie, amateur rock climber, and guitarist. You can connect with Abby on Twitter at @abbykatkc.