Had a long sit down with West-side resident and community activist Harvey Garrett last week at the Sonic Café. We toured the neighborhood around Artspace and explored some of the connections to my immediate neighborhood across from the new Performing Arts HS on Woodlawn Avenue. We both agreed that these developments have tremendous potential, in a catalytic way, to help move and revitalize this near East side neighborhood. I look forward and welcome Harvey's participation in a small project in the Artspace Backyard area involving the homesteading and re-settlement of three City owned properties. (Right now, you'll learn more about this on during Saturday Tours at 11am.) First wrote about meeting Harvey, right here.
Frequent readers of fixBuffalo often get two messages from my blogging. I'm aware of this. While simultaneously promoting my neighborhood (see map) - including highlighting the dozens of opportunities that exist between Artspace and Performing Arts - I would be remiss if I didn't call attention to the various issues involving what I've come to understand as deep structural neglect. Think knowing is better than not knowing when it comes to these things. My perspective, or so I would like to think, is marked by a sort of insider-outsiderhood. I have no special training in law, public-policy or planning. I just walk around with my camera and at the end of the day do my best to share what I have seen. If my blogging appears confused, well consider that it may reflect the reality of living on street with a 30m school renovation project and dozens of abandoned, boarded, derelict and vacant houses on the block. Most of these are owned by the very entity re-building the school or people controlling these entities. It is confusing.
And yes, despite the boards, i see extraordinary opportunity and beauty behind them. Task, of course is to find people who desire and are willing to do the same. Sure, I leave Buffalo six times everyday - who doesn't? - I always come back a seventh. Love where I am. Cannot imagine being anywhere else.
Regular Saturday Morning Tours - right here!
Frequent readers of fixBuffalo often get two messages from my blogging. I'm aware of this. While simultaneously promoting my neighborhood (see map) - including highlighting the dozens of opportunities that exist between Artspace and Performing Arts - I would be remiss if I didn't call attention to the various issues involving what I've come to understand as deep structural neglect. Think knowing is better than not knowing when it comes to these things. My perspective, or so I would like to think, is marked by a sort of insider-outsiderhood. I have no special training in law, public-policy or planning. I just walk around with my camera and at the end of the day do my best to share what I have seen. If my blogging appears confused, well consider that it may reflect the reality of living on street with a 30m school renovation project and dozens of abandoned, boarded, derelict and vacant houses on the block. Most of these are owned by the very entity re-building the school or people controlling these entities. It is confusing.
And yes, despite the boards, i see extraordinary opportunity and beauty behind them. Task, of course is to find people who desire and are willing to do the same. Sure, I leave Buffalo six times everyday - who doesn't? - I always come back a seventh. Love where I am. Cannot imagine being anywhere else.
Regular Saturday Morning Tours - right here!
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Artspace Archive • Annals of Neglect • BAVPA • Where is Perrysburg? • Broken Promises...
Writing the City • Woodlawn Row Houses • faq • my flickr
Artspace Archive • Annals of Neglect • BAVPA • Where is Perrysburg? • Broken Promises...
Writing the City • Woodlawn Row Houses • faq • my flickr
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