BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Mayor Byron Brown said once and for all that Buffalo is in need of a multifunctional train station. However, the question now is where it will be located.
Brown and his fellow members of the governor's “Train Station Selection Committee” have been tasked with finding a location for a new Amtrak site in the city and they were given six months to do so.
With five months left on that deadline, they held Thursday's meeting to give citizens and developers a chance to pitch their ideas for potential locations.
Top contenders include placing a new station at Larkinville, Canalside, or Washington Street. Alternative options are revamping old station locations like the one on Exchange Street or at Buffalo's Central Terminal.
While there have been many calls in favor of revitalizing the Central Terminal, some of Thursday's speakers, like Gary Profit, say there are better locations.
"Obviously, Canalside location does have it's challenges. It’s in a tunnel, it had a slight curve, but it's where the action is,” said Profit.
Some of those who are in favor of using Central Terminal not only attended the meeting, but held a rally right before it. One protester, Garhardt Yaskow, said he would be open to the city placing some sub-stations at the other proposed locations, but say using the Central Terminal as the main station is a no-brainer.
"Of the three choices that are out there, we already have a building that’s built. The building it sitting idle and this is an opportunity to create a catalyst for the east side of Buffalo," said Yaskow.
Leaders with the selection committee say they will be reviewing the testimony presented and will hold future public meetings as more progress is made.