Changes Are Coming To Buffalo Nightlife On Chippewa Street

For many years, Buffalo was a big destination for those looking to party and have a good time in the region. With a large variety of bars, clubs, and party spots, plus a 4 am last call, the Chippewa Entertainment District in downtown is a key hub.

You can ask people far and wide about how they'd party in Rochester or Ontario, and then still have time to make it to downtown Buffalo to get a little more fun in. However, the last few years have been pretty rough for nightlife in Buffalo and Western New York.

Downtown has seen several nightspots close their doors over the last couple of years, and now we've seen an uptick in violence along the main entertainment strip. While crime is down across the board year-over-year, the latest few incidents have people around Chippewa wanting a change.

Changes Are Coming To Buffalo Nightlife On Chippewa Street

During the Halloween weekend activities in Buffalo, there was a shooting on Chippewa Street that left one teenager dead and another seriously injured. Since that shooting, people who live around Chippewa, plus business owners who are part of the Chippewa Alliance, want to see a change in downtown.

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According to WKBW-TV, business leaders from around the entertainment district are looking to see a multi-part plan enacted by the city.

In addition to there being a curfew for people under the age of 21, they want to see the streets around Chippewa closed to car traffic, and they want to be able to use private security to patrol city streets on the weekends when people are out. If the streets are closed to traffic, a secondary proposal would see specific ride share pick up and drop off zones established downtown.

One of the primary problems that is being blamed is when people just congregate in the district, not actively going to any events or parties, just hanging out in the streets, loitering.

Whatever is done, it will take the community working together to find a solution that is fair and equitable to everyone.