AUGUST 11, 2009

HOME IS WHERE YOU MAKE IT, RIGHT HERE

The cardinal rule in real estate has always been location, location, location. I read today that the University of Buffalo is considering moving its medical school downtown to the vicinity of the proposed medical corridor. I like this idea. In fact, I think that while the university is at it, they ought to consider moving a large portion of the Amherst campus back to the Main and Bailey area of the city of Buffalo. That campus in the middle of nowhere is more like a gated community than a vibrant part of a city. As is, the school doesn't give our visiting students an opportunity to become a good neighbor to a whole lot of us.

During this time of the year when I was a kid, a whole bunch of us kids used to make our annual trek across the border to Canada for the annual Bailey and Delavan days at Crystal Beach. I must confess though, I haven't been to Canada now in over a year. I still haven't gone through the motions of either getting an enhanced driver's license or a passport. I apologize to my friends across the border, and I am most grateful that the good people of Canada are still crossing the border and helping us with our economy.

Because of our location and the Canadians crossing the border to shop, dine and use our hotels, we've been having a healthy surge in our sales tax dollars. And while I know this is a shaky revenue stream that can be turned on its head in a moment's notice, for now it's working in our favor. Maybe we should set up something close to the water that could attract both us and the Canadians to spend some time together. I'm not saying we should build another Crystal Beach – maybe an aquarium that showcases what's found in the great Lake of Erie.

This is not a novel idea, but it is one that the city of Baltimore has seized upon to great success. I've been there twice already. It's a beautiful place to visit, scenic, serene and come to think of it, somewhat expensive.

But quite honestly, I've always enjoyed staying pretty close to home. I spent three years in the Army and they sent me off to enough places that I was really happy when I was able to get back home. Almost everything I need is right here. We have a lake. We have four seasons. We have diversity. We have charm. We have great architecture. We have great food. We have each other and we have hope. Hope that this place we call home will only get better once we realize that its location truly is the center of the universe and that it is our energy and attitude that will attract people to stop a while to see what we're all about.

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