fixBuffalo

From...The Old First Ward

I strapped the Mad River canoe to my car late this morning and set off for the Old First Ward. Before entering the Buffalo River near the Ohio Street Lift Bridge, I checked out a few places and stumbled upon this K-9 training lot adjacent to an abandoned police precinct house. Some of the exterior lights were still on though most of them were missing or broken. There was a grimy, worn and tattered American flag barely blowing in the breeze on the city's flag pole. It seemed like it was holding on by just a thread. Way too bleak and unbelievable. The property, 294 Louisiana Street was home to old police precinct 7. This property doesn't appear on the most recent list of property the city is selling. Should we wonder why?

Here in the "Old First Ward" residents seem to have their fair share of abandoned, boarded, derelict and vacant houses in this part of the city, too. This place is located at 73 Louisiana Street.

This is where I put the canoe in the water. Make sure to check out this really cool google satellite image of the area. The boat lauch here is full of drift wood and debris yet just right for my canoe or kayak. The Buffalo Rod & Gun Club's building is near here. The sign said it was established in 1938. Great history about Buffalo sportsman's clubs from Western New York Heritage Press.

Here are a few other shots from the afternoon's exploration. Paddling along the Buffalo River brings some interesting things into view. While paddling along, I started to think about other abandoned commercial and industrial property here in Buffalo. I imagined that the corporations that were once paying property taxes might no longer worry about city taking back their property for non-payment. Interesting study. I did manage to fill a 128 mb card, so a few more silo pics and views from the water to follow soon...

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More First Ward & Buffalo River Pics

I crossed the river near the Ohio Street Lift Bridge and stumbled upon this aging hulk. Does anyone know what sort of ship this might have been attached to? Interesting rehab project.

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• Just heard from über urban observer Hank Bromley and frequent reader of Fix Buffalo, that the "hulk" is most probably the wheel house from the good ship "The Canadiana." Karl Josker, a phenomenal photographer, has additional pics, over here. Click around his photo-albums for all sort of surprises. Chris Byrd, from InDaBuff - great local blog - suggests that this would make a fine "visitors kiosk" for the new inner-harbor project.

I just joined the yahoo group for the Crystal Beach Amusement Park and was told there was a thread about the S.S. Canadiana. Here's the link for a Canadiana Preservation Group that I found there. Lots of jucicy details describing what happened and didn't.

• The Canadiana's Maiden Voyage May 30, 1910
• The Canadiana 1984 by Karl Josker
  
• The Canadiana's Dismanteling Buffalo News April 18, 2004
  

A little further away I saw this fantastic shot of the city's skyline and what looks to be like another shovel ready site. Come to Buffalo and be (t)axed to death. By late afternoon I was back on the Titanic's main deck and joined friends at Cafe Aroma. Read the Times and fought over "IQ" as viable word while playing Scrabble.

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Artspace Archive • Annals of Neglect • BAVPA • Where is Perrysburg? • Broken Promises...
Writing the City • Woodlawn Row Houses • Tour dé Neglect - 2006 • faq