fix buffalo today

a view from recently demolished 669 Genesee Street


Hamlin Park Coffee Shop

Met-up with the suburban one finally here in the City today at EM Tea Coffee Cup Cafe over near Canisus at 80 Oakgrove [google map]. First time.
DSCN5632
Wilbur and Kathleen Tyler, owners of the coffee shop, won a Preservation Award from Mayor Masiello and the Preservation Board in 2004.
Recognized for achieving a high level of design through retention of original elements in the conversion of the early 20th century building located at 83 Oakgrove Street in the Hamlin Park Historic District
The spot is a real gem. Great food. Only coffee shop in Buffalo that serves jerked chicken! On Tuesday nights they have a long standing poetry program. This is definately a new meet-up spot for moi. Wireless, too.
DSCN5638 DSCN5631 DSCN5636 DSCN5635 DSCN5637
click image to enlarge
Make sure to check out the photography next door to the cafe in the poetry room. Scenes of the neighborhood prior to the 33 cutting the City in half. These pics depict various years along Humboldt Parkway. Moves chronologically beginning with the dirt covered horse trails in the 1880's and ends with tree cutting and highway construction. Woman who was serving us has lived in the neighborhood for 45 years. Knows all about it including fascinating stories of now forgotten places on Jefferson, between Northland and Harwood Place.

The proximity of the 33, 100 feet away, as you leave the shop is amazing. Lovely testament to good intentions.
__________________________________________________________________________

3 Responses to “Hamlin Park Coffee Shop”

  1. # Anonymous MJ

    As I said over on Flickr, those images make me sick and have since I came across what used to be there while in high school in the early 90's.

    I'm just happy people woke up before the connection between the 33 and the niagara exit of the 190 was pushed ahead.

    This more than the skyway, outer harbor, the downtown radial street pattern, etc would be the one mistake I'd love to see fixed in my life time.  

  2. # Anonymous Jefferson

    Comment regarding the HP photos: what were those people thinking back in the 1950s! Unbelievable. I wonder if there was any kind of public outcry at the time or did people just shrug and say "that's progress"?  

  3. # Blogger fix buffalo

    Jeff...

    while researching other local history issues...i've been fascinated with where you're headed - i think - with your question. Looking into it as best i can with regards to newspaper accounts at the time - before, during and right after the dig.

    I receive e-mails from former local residents, now in diaspora, who are still totally stunned by what "we" call(ed) progress.  

Post a Comment


Web This Blog
fixBuffalo delivered daily. Just enter your e-mail address in the space below.


Site Seeing





© 2008 fix buffalo today | I'm running the K2 template. | This site is best viewed using Firefox.

There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask
of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served.
- Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) from The Death and Life of Great American Cities, 1961.

The views expressed here are mine and shouldn't be confused with the mission and statements made by others.

Get Firefox!  Use OpenOffice.org http://www.zohowriter.com/login.sas
GeoURL