interesting comment from mr magnano in the OTH

[MIKE MACALUSO]

But I chose to stay. I’m not sorry for it. I have a lot of pride in this city, and when I see things that aren’t right I get upset.”


Mr. Magnano lamented Olean’s loss of many Italian traditions and commerce in general.


“This city could take off like a rocket” if it had the right leadership, he said.


Although not Brown Indian hoops...an interesting comment on Olean..and a needed diversion from APD, etc. How does Ellicotville thrive and Olean languish ?

[bulldogbrower]

Olean and Ellicottville? Apples and Oranges!

[MIKE MACALUSO]

no kidding dr. B...real question is how does olean get back on the map ?

[facultybrat]

In 1971 my brother wrote a paper for a course entitled Urban Finance and Stuidies.It essentially said you build a mall on the outskirts of a town,you will kill the town.Well they built a mall and killed the shopping district.The shopping district is coming back but at a snails pace.Manano is right.Good leadership can work miracles.There is state and federal money available.There are great old storefronts on South Union and West State but you have to make it a place that people want to be at,a happening place to be trite.The area has always been nowhere when it comes to P & Z. The Rigas family and Adelphia (say what you will ) made Coudersport a great village.Skiing and golf made Ellicotteville.Planning and Zoning needs to hire a consulting firm,spend some money and get it done.

[pete]

First thing they have to do is to fire the economic development professionals in the greater Olean area. These people are paid to foster quality jobs in the area....they have not and,IMO, they will not.

Second thing, the new people have to look at St Bonas as a platform for economic development. It seems to me that many local people love Bonas basketball but do not like the university or the students. The best way to stifle economic growth is to have a " not in my backyard mentality". It looks like that's the way when it comes to the university and the students.

Finally, there needs to be a strategy in place to execute. What do you what? More blue collar factories, bio-tech facility, creative economy etc etc? Come up with a plan that the community will support and pay someone who can get the job done.

[MIKE MACALUSO]

getting back to Dr brower's comment on olean and allegany being apples and oranges..that is exactly the point...with some forsight and marketing might, ellicotville has crafted itself into an attractive 4 season resort with something to offer visitors almost year around. wing hollow was a much more challenging ski hill. the only problem is that nobody in the immediate area capitalized on the tourism portion of the equation. the olean/allegany area offers great biking and running opportunities...canoeing on the river..what does ellicotville have...6-8 blocks of nice shops, pubs and restaurants ? hell, olean is right off the southern tier express way..fix up the airport and make the town a destination again..not just a resting spot for the crack dealers that have been run out of buffalo and rochester..now salamanca [which was dormant for 20 years] has a casino to attract people--further burying olean--back in the days of the castle and the alcove and such, people would drive to a brown indian game and spend more $$ in the local restaurants....i think the souther tier has some of the nicest scenery in that part of the country...the state park in red house, zoar valley...you never see squat promotiing those areas and tying them into olean

[bulldogbrower]

How does Ellicotville thrive and Olean languish ?

You are comparing a resort with a municipality...The resort does great, but ask the people who actually live there, about affordability, and getting priced out of the town they grew up in. The actual population of Ellicottville is not growing and continues to decline! Industry or jobs are not coming there! The scools enrollment continues to dwindle. Have they carved out a nice little niche? Yes. Is the snow belt which Ellicottville resides more crucial to their success and Wings failure, yes! Have you been to Ellicottville in the summer? Maybe 3-4 blocks!!!

Ellicottville is a wonderful thing to have in our back yard, but you can hardly hold one up to the other!

It is possible to have discussion and disagreement without being a wise *ss isn't it?

[MIKE MACALUSO]

Dr B, who is being a wise-ass ? just stating the facts. why cant olean be a municipality and an attractive destination also ? do they have to be mutually exclusive. if you look around ny state or at other states east of the Miss. River, many of the resort areas tend to be the largest municipality in the region and the hub of most commercial activity. there is plenty of land and housing withing 10 minutes of holiday valley to satisfy all types of folks. in the 70s-80s eville had york merit prodcuts, fitzgerald lumber among other small to mid size manufacturing firms..york merit closed [mainly due to an out of control union situation], but eville marched on. not really looking to argue, just pointing out that olean has many, many natural resources to work with and they are truly underdeveloped.

[sneakers]

Unfortunately Olean has a lot of blight that destination areas do not normally have. Quaint shops and restaurants are important to have, but equally important is a lack of run-down areas. I'm not sure what Olean could ever do to become attractive to tourists other than bull dozing and starting all over. There is also the problem of having no large populations within an easy drive. If you live in Buffalo or Rochester it is easier to go to Ellicottville or one of the towns on the Finger Lakes. I don't see them driving further to get to Olean. It think if Olean wants to improve it needs to concentrate on attracting industry and commercial activities. I think they ought to utilize St. Bonaventure as more of a local asset than they do now. Some towns and Universities have set up incubators of sorts for start-up businesses. Maybe that would work here.