Rebounding to great Heights

When P.J. Bottoms and Molly's Pub were shut down in December, many students merely saw two fewer places to drink during the weekend. But to community members, business owners and real estate officials, the closure of the two popular bars signified part of a larger trend that might be pointing towards a University Heights revival.

For decades, those on Main Street, both from the classrooms on South Campus and from the barstools at the Steer, have cried foul over a de-emphasis from the Heights area. Today there is rekindled talk of building more students housing on North Campus, and private projects like the Sweethome apartments have further moved the population away from the Heights towards Amherst.

So with two bars sitting empty and stalwarts The Steer and the Lake Effect Diner being sold as a package deal, how is business in the Heights really doing? Short-term business is in flux, but residents and real estate transactions might indicate a renaissance. And in the end, despite all the talk about North Campus, UB might have a big hand in a return to Main Street glory.

Stable, but static

Tucker Curtin has owned and operated The Steer and Lake Effect Diner for 13 years, but the current business environment, he said, has stagnated in the area. Now Curtin is looking into new ventures.

"I don't know if there's more I can do," he said. "We haven't seen any real growth."

That doesn't mean Curtin's business is doing poorly. Curtin said he has a strong customer base, one that has upheld his business through obstacles like endless roadwork and will continue to do so. Curtin said his property would be able to afford him a nice living in Buffalo for him and his wife and three children, but it is time to move on to new things.

The atmosphere surrounding the recent blow to Main Street's bar scene might help explain Curtin's readiness to move. Regardless of how his business was affected, Curtin said the closing of Molly's Pub and P.J. Bottoms, both of which were shut down after raids in December, was not a good thing at all.

Molly's is currently up for sale. P.J.'s was hit with the state's harshest penalty, and no new bar can occupy the building there for the next two years.

"It's bad for our industry as a whole to have these things happen," Curtin said.

Sam Mamasaberoa, owner of Broadway Joe's, said he sees a much brighter picture of University Heights business, although he has not seen any increase in his patronage with the loss of Molly's and P.J.'s.

Every night he has different events and says that is what draws in his crowd. Broadway Joe's was a mess when he bought it, but now things are much better, he said.

"I've seen it get better. It's like a big melting pot here," Mamasaberoa said.

Mamasaberoa feels his business has been doing better, even within just the past five years he's been in the bar scene. He said he did not risk the fate of Molly's Pub and P.J. Bottoms because he is in it for the long term, which is why he does not serve underage people.

"Business is strong, but when you mess with the police, you get in trouble," Mamasaberoa said.

"We're a show-based venue," he added. "We're a completely different animal. I have no interest in having (underage drinkers) here."

Though it remains unanswered where the next hotspot will be for underage drinkers, the effect of that loss does impact restaurant owners as well.

Chris Vavrina, owner of University Hots, said that although his business has not dramatically decreased, some key nights, like Tuesdays, are left emptier without the bars there to draw in the crowd.

Combined with fear of a crackdown, Vavrina said, "it just deters people from coming down here."

"Overall, we're definitely not increasing, that's for sure," he said.

Jim Incorvaia, owner of Jim's Steak Out, said he feels exactly the same way about the situation. He estimated his business is down 10 to 15 percent.

Real estate growth

While bar closings might have hurt short-term business for restaurant owners, Mike Miranda, owner of Miranda Real Estate, who owns several properties in the University Heights area, said property value and transactions are on an upswing.

"The occupancy has never been better," Miranda said.

Miranda, who has been in the real estate game for 30 years, said that with two businesses closed, it means fewer customers, which in turn will hurt business. Ongoing Main Street construction has hindered his business tremendously, but even with two bars closed, "I don't think it has any direct impact on how well or bad anyone else does."

"The long and the short of it is that if you're illegally serving minors," Miranda added, "it needs to be dealt with."

Though the restaurant owners may gripe, Miranda says he has not had any property owner complain to him about bad business. Right now, his agency has only one property vacancy on Main Street. His residential property, especially for this time of year, has never been better and he fails to see any loss of students in the Heights.

Miranda also said he sees potential for substantial growth with places like the Stimulance Coffee House, next door to Talking Leaves and across the street from the Lake Effect Diner, which is being turned into a bar and lounge.

Miranda also has recently sold a commercial property located next to Molly's Pub. According to the Feb. 13 Buffalo News real estate transactions listings, Miranda sold the house at 3189 Main St. for $175,000. The property was valued by the City of Buffalo Assessor's Office at only $65,000.

While one transaction does not necessarily indicate a trend, the sale could bode well for further Heights property sales.

Crime trends

The general condition of the University Heights area has been a concern for many business owners. Many see the presence of crime as a large deterrent.

For Mamasaberoa, he sees an improvement as city crime in general increases and crime on Main Street itself decreases. Mamasaberoa recalled two particular weeks during which 11 cars were broken into. He feels that those days are gone and projects like the street construction and having better lighting on Main is helping that along.

Incorvaia, however, feels crime is going up, to the point where hired security has to guard Jim's Steak Out every night to prevent fighting, robberies and other dangers.

According to the Buffalo Police, the rate of crime has not increased, but the type of crime in the University Heights area is changing, a factor that could ultimately affect businesses.

"It would be hard to say if there is more or less crime in the area, but there are certainly different crimes. Maybe more vandalisms, more assaults," said Anthony Barba, the new E District chief of the police for the Heights. "The area now is so much of students, and we do have a lot of yuppies moving back into the University Heights area, so you might have more property crime than you did before because there are more people to steal from. As far as violence in area, that has not increased."

Curtin would like to see UB do more to bring students back towards South Campus, such as dental, pharmaceutical and medical student housing.

"I wish there was something here for these folks," he said.

Dan Domino, the owner of Just Pizza, also blames the university for letting the area fall into ruin. He looks at projects like Sweethome - fostered by an Amherst-oriented culture and the fact that there is simply more room to build there - and feels that they draw too many students away from the Heights.

"The problem that I see is that the students are going to North Campus," Domino said. "Definitely hurting the business. There's definitely less kids around."

With businesses laying blame at UB's feet, it could be assumed that UB has all but abandoned the area, but that is not the case.

Corrie Wachob, an organizer of the University Heights Collaboration and an employee in the English department, said UB has become more involved in the area. Wachob's group consists of approximately 80 Heights residents who are working to improve the neighborhood. She said they've had personal involvement from members of the community, but that UB itself has begun to work with the group.

"We have had people from the city at UB come to our meetings," she said. "UB is in the process of reorganizing and we're going to get a specially assigned person to community outreach and how students can have a role in the community."

That specially assigned person is Ryan McPherson, formerly of the office of Government Affairs and now a part of External Affairs. Vice President of Student Affairs Dennis Black said both McPherson and Student Affairs are part of a new UB initiative to improve UB's relationship with its surrounding community.

"We want to become more involved in our community and clearly the first community we want to work with is University Heights," Black said.

Incorvaia said he believes an improved UB presence in the area is crucial to the health of the neighborhood.

"You take the students out of the area and the area is going to die," he said.