I was born and grew up in Buffalo. I’d have to disagree with your wholesale assessment of Buffalo as a shithole. It has its seedier side, but it also has some beautiful middle-class neighborhoods, and the people have weathered all sorts of economic hard times, and have a reputation of looking out for their neighbors. Unfortunately, I would no longer recognize Hertel Avenue, so I’m told. All the stores and the movie theater have been replaced by condos. I hope Delaware Avenue, with its palatial mansions converted to other uses is still around, and they’ve drained the swamp that developed in the old rail beds after they removed the tracks. But I ain’t going back.
If it makes you feel better, I live outside of Philly.
Hertel is doing very well, North Park theater is still in operation stores and resteraunts in abundance,one old catholic grade school converted to condos, and a new build or two more of condos. There is a lot of conversion/ new builds of condos/market rate apts, but not on Hertel per say. Delaware mansions have all had a lot of $’s put into them, and look better than they ever did.