8/15/2007

Behind Main Street...

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The exterior sheet metal skin is now being installed on the six back buildings over at Artspace.
IMG_9807
While corrugated building products are not allowed in the City, according to the building code, HHL Architects have successfully renamed this product. It's now called - undulated panelling. All six buildings in this phase of Artspace can be seen in the this gallery, third pic.

And in other Artspace news seems like the run up to rental is being hit with a few glitches. Heard from some artists that some straight section 8 tenants are moving in which seems to be confirmed by some of Belmont's own sales literature. Here's the sales flyer [.pdf] right from Belmont Shelter, property manager for Artspace.
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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

How the hell did this supposed creativity incubator turn into luxury housing for a bunch of Section-8 leeches?

As if there isn't already enough "affordable" housing in this city already...

Anonymous said...

I'm not really going to justify the above comment, which refers to other human beings as 'leeches'. but the situation is disappointing, as i know of several artists who have found out the project only recently, who would be perfect to live there. it seems that there could have been a bigger outreach to artists, or an email sent to those who already applied encouraging them to spread the word. that said, it is a beautiful bunch of buildings.
p.s. that picture link won't work for me in safari or firefox

Anonymous said...

It does say that you need to be involved with the arts. Can we assume that you can be on section 8 and be an artist?


So why is corrugated metal illegal in Buffalo? That seems silly to me. I like their technique for getting around a stupid code. Maybe the city should outlaw rotting roofs instead.

Anonymous said...

that's nice. with attitudes like that i can see why people are fleeing buffalo in droves.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately the ones that flee are the ones that work and own homes leaving low life voucheholders to suck off the system.

Anonymous said...

we'll im one of the ones who works, and organizes, and volunteers, and owns homes, and i'm ready to move on because of people like you rather than anyone who is disadvantaged. the people that i know that have section 8 are kids right out of college who are working full-time in americorp. although that may not be the majority, i wouldn't make judgements about anyone without knowing their situation or walking in their shoes. that said, it would be nice if you would flee to texas or some other place where you can spew your red-state bullshit with other assholes.

Anonymous said...

amen, anon 12:37.

Anonymous said...

Texas has TOO many problems of it's own right now as so many of the Katrina episode leeches went there so crime drugs rape etc are up thanks to their new transplants. Yes of couse I am sorry for Katrina people that WORKED all thier lives and lost however the section 8's will move anywhere they can get free food, housing, etc... I work and own and I do not feel sorry for those that want it all given to them while they give nothing. I assume YOU voted for Mayor Bozo and support Rev Stinkhole too. Keep up the good work !

Anonymous said...

Wow, this "undulated panelling" is pointing the way toward a new take on the Cheektowaga Duplex Style of architecture. Amazing what these innovative materials can do to completely revision a retro-1975 building form. It's almost better than vinyl! Can't wait to see how this material weathers.

The Section 8 tenants should really take these units, not the ones in the Buffalo Electric Vehicle Company building. They'll barely see the difference between this housing and beautiful Cedar Grove off the Kensington Expressway.

Anonymous said...

the corrugation is very southern california condo architecture. i was actually just bitching about the overuse of it today. but its growing on me with these buildings. the big difference is that its hung horizontally, and its aluminum color, not red or green.

Anonymous said...

With the Section 8--well it just depends on how strictly they are enforcing "involved with or committed to the arts". Seems like they really should have someone show a body of work to be eligible--irregardless of whether it is Section 8 or whatever. The catch phrase on the flyer is just weird. How was Belmont selected as the Manager? They have run thngs the same ol' same ol' for umpteen years in this City.

Anonymous said...

is anyone able to see the pictures on that link? i either get an error message or it says the photo album is empty.

fixBuffalo said...

getting a work around on that photo album. sorry...

Anonymous said...

It's not working for me.

Anonymous said...

well..i'm one of the artistes that will be moving into the new builds. i don't have section 8 (yet) but did apply for it. when i underwent my 2 interviews (and, yes, i did have to produce a body of work to support my "creative sanctuary" application), one of the things that comforted me was knowing that my roommate and i would be part of this exciting initiative. i must admit, i also was pleased that there were mechanisms in place designed to preserve the integrity of the project's 'arts-friendly' focus. with the escalating crime one can't help but acknowledge, i felt a measure of relief that we would be in a (relatively) safe environ, or at least with other creative individuals. i will NOT be happy if very many non-arts-oriented folks are my neighbors. not because i don't believe decent people don't receive Section 8...i will be one of them, in fact. it's just that i was hoping to avoid a certain kind of mentality (i.e. ghetto) in what is designed to be an Arts Enclave. in short: i sincerely hope Belmont is not planning to permit Shaquan [sic] or Lamenticia [sic]-types into Buffalo Artist Lofts. my roommate is a painter, i a musician. we have loads of expensive equipment that will be stored where we live. besides which, isn't the whole idea to use the artspace initiative to lure suburbanites BACk into midtown??? i foresee Belmont shooting itself in the foot, by diluting the genuine creative population with (forgive me) ''regular' poor people...and their children...and their (underemployed) significant others. there..i said it.

Anonymous said...

I have no stake in this one way or another but...
especially because Artspace is taxpayer-subsidized, I doubt Belmont can legally exclude Sec 8 people who are not artistic types.

Just like a govt housing program probably couldn't legally allow only plumbers or only waitresses to live there. I imagine it could be argued that would be the government subsidizing a form of housing discrimination.

The word "preference" has enough gray area to imply whatever people want it to imply, and no doubt they do focus marketing efforts on artistic types.

But when push comes to shove, if any non-artists who would otherwise qualify are denied the right to rent and take Belmont to court over it they might have a good chance of winning.