Official Write-up for Why Upcycle the Train Terminal? Adding current conditions by Waseer Mohammed.

Jonathan Joa/Waseer Mohammed

2/21/17

Buffalo Research Center/Transportation Upcycle Project

Why Buffalo Central Terminal?

                                                                Why Buffalo in General?

Buffalo is our selected area of interest because of its decline over the past few decades. 

In the year 1990, the population of Buffalo was approximately 328,117. 

In 2013, the city experienced a population decrease to 258,959, a 21% decrease. 

The downfall is expected to continue unless there is an up-cycle to its facilities. 

             One of the most important structures that currently exist is the Buffalo Transportation terminal that runs Amtrak trains in and out of the city. This structure has been deteriorating in the past couple of decades. More recently, in 2016, the roof of a nearby train station in the downtown financial district collapsed. The reason for the collapse is due to heavy wind and rain. This will be an important factor for construction of the new terminal. Keeping the structure very strong and safe is the most important aspect of this project.

            Building the new train terminal would save money maintaining the old structure. As a result of the station collapse/partial closure, this leaves Buffalo with less transportation options and could further decrease the population throughout the city. Reviving the train terminal could prevent the further downfall of the population and has the potential to increase the look of the city economically as well. On a daily basis, AMTRAK trains would run in and out of this terminal.

Buffalo’s Exchange Street Station with deteriorating roof and ceilings after a storm involving high winds. 

Current Conditions:

Waseer Mohamed:

1. What does the Buffalo Central Terminal look like, in other words, what does the space that the terminal occupies look like?

-Essentially, the Buffalo Central Terminal is comprised of two distinct regions, the main building which houses the interior of the terminal, and an extensive network of railways that trains operate on.

2. What does the interior of the terminal look like, said another way, what are the current conditions of the structure thus far?

-Based off of relatively recent photos, both the interior and exterior of the structure appear to be dilapidated, decrepit and derelict.

* The tower of the Buffalo Central Terminal is 17 stories high.

Plans for Reconstruction:

There are currently a series of plans proposed for the tower portion of Buffalo Central Terminal, not that we plan to exclude the mezzanine as well as the ground level, leaving us with 15 stories of the tower to work with.

1. Medical Research Center

• Labs for students
• Clinical Research

2. Urban Planning  

• Broadway Market
• Fresh produce for shop
• Research
• Incubation
• Urban farm

3. Tourist

• Condos/Hotel
• Observatory (Central Terminal Building is one of the tallest building in Buffalo)
• Shop
• Food (Different types of food for everyone in the building)

4. Energy Preservation

• Sun
• Water Purification
• Air Purification for the building
• Various types of material for the windows. (So in winter more sunlight can enter the building).

5. General Office Space

• Conference Rooms
• Cubicles
• Offices
• Lunchroom

6. Civil and Environmental Engineering place

• A lab for Civil engineers where they can construct and deconstruct structures and learn.
• Environmental engineers

Observatory Place

• Two floors tall
• A restaurant is on the top floor.
• Tables are going to be
• Rotating floor so guests can enjoy a 360 view while eating
• Large screen display will inform visitors about the history

     Main Lobby

• Museum of locomotive
• Museum of Automotives
• LED uplighting system
• Security Cameras
• New elevators
• LED lighting for the whole building
• Fire suppression system

Project Scheduling

If anyone needs to Work on the project schedule (or scheduling sequential items at home/work) Gantt Project is free

1. Install it
2. Use the "insert" button to add tasks (Name them, of course)
3. Then to create dependencies (meaning 1 task depends on the above task being completed), simply drag from one bar down to the next)

Note: In the end, this can read & be opened by Microsoft project.

This week

Please see the schedule on the upper right panel of the blog, as we plan to be available each day this week. Hope to see those who can make it!

BUFFALO CENTRAL TERMINAL Drawings

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cfsJJYDFFzTlhaTFkzeWtnTE0/view?usp=drivesdk

Key Deliverables:

1. identify the structure(s), Buffalo Central Termnal
2. provide the reasons for your selection,
3. give clear explanation of former or current uses/purpose and what you intend to change it to,

• Former - Train station
• Proposed

1. support for your intended purpose(s), and
2. you must use design and construction materials, building techniques, and approaches (e.g., speak to the structural engineering and construction) that are the essence of your new approach/purpose. [Dimensions, size, costs, site, etc. must be determined by the team, but all decisions should be explained and warranted based on the resources likely to be attracted to such a proposal. A square foot cost estimate must be provided]. 

Buffalo Central Terminal Existing Conditions

Waseer Mohamed:

1. What does the Buffalo Central Terminal look like, in other words, what does the space that the terminal occupies look like?

-Essentially, the Buffalo Central Terminal is comprised of two distinct regions, the main building which houses the interior of the terminal, and an extensive network of railways that trains operate on.

2. What does the interior of the terminal look like, said another way, what are the current conditions of the structure thus far?

-Based off of relatively recent photos, both the interior and exterior of the structure appear to be dilapidated, decrepit and derelict.

* The tower of the Buffalo Central Terminal is 17 stories high.

Deliverables

• Research:

• Sectors/Technologies the facility will support Aritra

• Buffalo - current condition & future

• Existing conditions of site BLS/EC/Waseer/Nelson http://central.terminal.railfan.net/

http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/businesses/buffalo-central-terminal/
Reach out to Buffalo Central Terminal Restoration Corporation

• Local businesses/resources for construction  Alex

• Program for a research center:

• Library 

• Labs (Computer/Science/Technology) 

• Meeting rooms 

• Auditoriums for presentations 

• Storage room 

• Mechanical room

• Cafeteria (Optional)

• Design Concept Images

• Produce:

• Write-up on : 

•  reasons for Buffalo Matt Indar

• reasons for the building selection Jonathan Joa

• Research Facility

• Restoring Rail Service  - In September 2016, the roof of the downtown Exchange Street Amtrak station collapsed. This has led to calls for a new train station in Buffalo and a discussion of moving the stop back to the Central Terminal. Congressman Brian Higgins is calling for a study for a new train station to be done at both Central Terminal and a site at Canalside saying about the terminal “It may not have been possible 15 years ago, but restoration of the Central Terminal is possible in the new Buffalo.” “In the enormous scale of that redevelopment project, it may be possible to carve out a small ‘station-within-a-station’ that would squarely and singularly focus on providing a highly functional train station to meet current and projected needs. This (the Central Terminal) location would allow the restoration of service to Chicago within the city limits, and it certainly merits a meaningful engineering review.”^[15] Higgins call was later reinforced by Senator Charles Schumer.
  On October 5th, 2016, Congressman Higgins along with Buffalo Common Council Member David Franczyk toured the terminal with Mark A. Lewandowski, president of the CTRC where Higgins came out in support of the station at the terminal as part of a larger redevelopment plan.^[16] A public campaign to bring Amtrak back to the Central Terminal has since been launched complete with a website and social media.^[17]
  A plan to return Amtrak to the Central Terminal could possibly later add a long discussed NFTA Metro Rail extension from Downtown to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport which would include stops at the Central Terminal as well as the Walden Galleria.^[18] This would connect the Central Terminal to the airport as well as to the heart of downtown.  (wikipedia)

• Before + after uses

• reasons for new proposed uses 

• Design Concept Images Elvis + Everyone

• Construction Detailing vignettes Jose

• Cost Estimate (areas, cost per s.f.) Lucas

• Basic Construction Schedule David Huang

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=923112&page=4

Other plans: