BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A recent survey gathered answers about how people are feeling about Allentown in the City of Buffalo. About 450 people responded to the questionnaire including residents, visitors, medical campus workers, business owners and building owners.
Results
Results from a recent survey conducted by the University at Buffalo students and an Allentown resident found that the majority of respondents feel positive about Allen Street and that it has a strong sense of history and is LGBTQ+ friendly, but many feel it lacks cleanliness and safety, especially at night.
"Medical Workers had the most positive sentiment while Business Owners have the least. Respondents like Allen Street’s strong sense of history and identity, including the street’s LGBTQ friendliness and the street’s artistic vibe. They also like the area’s walkability, and they feel a strong personal connection to Allen Street. However, respondents indicate the need to address Allen Street’s perceived lack of cleanliness and lack of safety, especially at night. Respondents (especially business owners) also feel that the street is not easy to reach and park with a car. Furthermore, respondents want to address vacant storefronts and the business mixture in general, including opening hours," according to the survey.
According to Buffalo Police crime on Allen is the lowest it has been since 2017.
While 77 percent of the respondents felt a strong personal connection to Allen Street, another survey analysis found 33 percent of the more than 450 respondents feel Allentown is on the right path moving forward, an indication there's skepticism about the future.
"If left unchecked, this outlook can affect the personal connections our community may have to Allen Street. If there is no clear path and continued negativity in the form of persistent crime (either experienced personally or in media portrayals), trash and vacant storefronts, personal connection could be affected longer term," the report said.
Business Owners on Allen
If you've ever been on Allen, you might see Saibo sitting out front of his shop, Saibo African Imports.
"Allentown, we accept each other we're really like family," he said.
Since his store first opened in the 90s, Saibo has seen this neighborhood evolve.
"Last week I was doing a video and I sent it to my friend in NYC and he said, 'Are you sure it's Allentown?' I said, 'Yes, this is Allentown look at the street and everything,'" he explained, "Look out at the street, it's beautiful."
Mickey Harmon is co-owner of Pine Apple Company, a gallery and gift shop that has been on Allen Street for almost six years.
"Allentown deserves some advocacy," Harmon said.
He said over the last few years he has noticed changes in Allentown.
"We are kind of the hub of creativity and queerness in all of Buffalo, so I tell visitors that come into my shop that this is one of our most diverse neighborhoods," he explained.
According to a city spokesperson, the last phase of Allen's streetscape project is set to wrap up this year, with major work completed before school starts in the fall, but after years of this construction and pandemic setbacks, Harmon feels creative conversations about this neighborhood have been skirted.
"And I think now more than ever there's an energy here and I think kind of Allentown can be the representative of the epicenter of that energy," Harmon said, "Moving forward Allentown can be the good bastion of creativity for the city and its residents."
Moving Forward
Fillmore District Council Member, Mitch Nowakowski, said now that they have the data from this survey, leaders know how to move Allentown forward.
Perception is reality, so in order to change reality we have to change the perceptions of Allentown and we can really only do that by listening to people and we can also provide data to tell the accurate story of Allentown," Nowakowski said.
With a new snapshot of how people are feeling about this area, there's hope Allentown can move in the right direction.
"The best is yet to come for Allen Street," Nowakowski said.
The survey suggested a number of recommendations including:
- Reinforcing the community's positive perceptions of Allen Street
- Catering the right businesses to the right audiences
- Address environmental issues i.e. trash and snow clearance, perception of crime
- Business owners should unite and align on a visor for Allentown
"This is why the narrative needs to change for Allentown because yes it's had its problem, but it's also a place worth saving, a place worth visiting, a place worth spending the day," Harmon added.
