The words "tailgate" and "Buffalo" are often synonymous with the coming football season, but city officials are calling the growing trend of tailgating on Chippewa Street late in the night a major concern.
Buffalo officials gathered at City Hall on Tuesday to discuss their latest plan on how to create a safer entertainment district in downtown Buffalo.
Mayor Sean Ryan said he’s learned that the problem is not inside the bars on Chippewa. Most of the violence and public safety concerns are happening outside of the venues.
"It's crowds of people loitering, it's cars loitering, it's Uber and ride shares waiting for pickups," he said. "It's large groups of people loitering on sidewalks. It's under-21-year-olds in the entertainment district late at night, not going into any bars, but hanging out. This has also spilled into illegal gatherings in privately owned parking lots, and that has been part of the problem."
Ryan said after review, city officials have pinned three major concerns that need to be addressed immediately: Large congregations in parking lots; traffic jams, and underage patrons.
"We're acknowledging that a disorderly, chaotic, violent Chippewa Street can't be accepted as the norm," said Ryan, who said the street will be closed off to vehicle traffic.
According to Buffalo Police Commissioner Erika Shields, a review of spending indicated the city went from spending a little bit over $20,000 on staffing each weekend to $70,000 — an extra cost to keep Chippewa going the way it is.
"That increased staffing paid off," Shields said. "We have had no incidents of violence or shootings. We've made a number of arrests. We've made the footprint safe, but it's at a very, very high financial cost, and that is not sustainable, and so I am very appreciative that the mayor is committed to changing the paradigm that has existed there for some time."
Shields said the vacant parking lots are grounds for quasi pop-up parties that can turn ugly, and the amount of loitering happening because of them needs to change.
City officials have been in contact with the owners of the private parking lots to implement change.
"One thing is for sure: Taxpayers can't be expected to subsidize poorly managed private property," Ryan said. "So the days of the City of Buffalo spending an extra million dollars a year, you know, to keep Chippewa the way it is, those days are over."
Ryan said if there isn't cooperation, he's prepared to revoke permits to operate a parking lot in the city.
As far as traffic jams and age restrictions, city officials are looking to adopt what most entertainment districts and high-profile venues have in place; a designated ride-share drop-off and pick-up spot. The age restriction policy is still under review.
Under-21-year-olds are allowed on Chippewa after 10 p.m., but not in the establishments. Officials are weighing potentially banning underaged persons on Chippewa after 10 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Chippewa business owner and president of the Chippewa Alliance, Chris Rings, said it’s time to evolve and enforce the laws.
"We need this area to be safe, and we need it to be thriving," he said. "If we're not evolving, you're dying.
"I think moving forward and not going backwards is key here."
