Midtown Neighborhood Plan - Stalled or Stopped?

FixBuffalo readers may remember a five part series of posts - Neighborhood Plan - from this past Spring where I first started asking a number of questions about a $12m scatter-shot-rent-to-own neighborhood development plan that was scheduled for this Midtown neighborhood. Artvoice picked up on it - here.

The Buffalo News carried a front page article about this development today - right here. At the center of the storm is Rev. Richard Stenhouse in what the Buffalo News has called a 'pay-to-play' mentality about this $12m development.

Rev. Stenhouse is no stranger to controversy surrounding housing issues here in Cold Springs. Two years ago, as the City's Control Board secretary/treasurer and Executive Director of Bethel CDC he was involved in a number of Housing Court cases involving Bethel's ownership of four violation ridden houses on Michigan Avenue, directly across the street from one of the City's recently renovated schools, Performing Arts HS. Here's that story.

Earlier this evening I visited Ada Place and talked to a number of residents, folks who've owned homes on one of Cold Springs most challenged streets, with one of the most amazing compact streetscapes in the City. They quickly pointed to 38 Ada Place - covered here, last March and first, three years ago here - a single family home still owned by Rev. Stenhouse's Bethel CDC.

38 Ada Place - owned by Bethel CDC since 2000

Residential development here should be concentrated and strategic, not scattered. It should respect good planning and urban design principles. This plan didn't and shouldn't have gotten as far as it did. There's a strong case to be made for re-hab financing and/or a revolving low-interest loan fund, for area residents to access for all sorts of deferred maintenance on homes here in Midtown's struggling, architecturally and historically rich neighborhoods. The $12m that had been earmarked for 50 new-builds and a club house on Michigan Avenue (that's right - here), needs to be urgently redirected.

A number of very astute people, long involved in housing policy in this 'shrinking city' that I spoke with late Monday afternoon, weren't so much shocked by the revelations that appeared in today's B/N article as they were relieved. As one told me today - "today more people will finally see that the 'strong-arm' practices, so reminiscent of third-world political hacks and thugs have finally come to the surface in Buffalo - a city that now really resembles a 'failed-state'.

Strong language. This should be interesting, watching this one un-wind.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Artspace Gardens

Behind Artspace on Ellicott is the City's newest raised bed community garden project. When I stopped by this afternoon, Amanda and Colleen we're busy with a number of other Artspace residents filling the raised beds with compost.

They've been working on the project all year and with the cooperation of Artspace who bought the land and Buffalo Re-Use - raised beds and compost, they're planning on a bountiful crop of herbs and vegetables.

Amanda showed me the garden path she's created linking Artspace with the neighborhood, the sort of linkages that I always imagined that would be established between Artspace and the community.

click image to enlarge

Colleen is putting together a 'work-day' schedule for this project and she can be reached at colleenthinks@gmail.com for more information. Topping a list of needs for the project is a garden shed. So, if any fixBuffalo readers have or know of garden shed that's available, please contact Colleen.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

St. Martin Village

This afternoon the City's Preservation Board unanimously approved the demolition plan for a number of buildings on the site of the former German Roman Catholic Orphan Home at the end of Dodge Street. The three iconic structures - two dormitory towers and the chapel - will be incorporated into the new St. Martin Village, a 60 unit housing development.

Here's the plan -

click here for larger image

Gary Bichler - R&P Oak Hill Development - and Philip Silvestri - Silvestri Architects - were both on hand to describe the exciting news for the neighborhood and answer a number of questions from Preservation Board members. While final details of the site's parking arrangements drove most of the conversation, everyone present embraced the $15m project. According to Gary, the construction documents are scheduled for a November closing. I asked him about site security - see photo archive - and he promised that once the project closes, the site will be secured.

The project will create 36 new townhouses and 24 apartments in the former dormitory towers. Belmont Management will be the site manager and after a period of 15 years, tenants can purchase their residences.

Yesterday, I spent about an hour walking the site. Doors to all the buildings were still wide open, like they've been for the past four years. Here some pics. Three years ago, Sean Galbraith one of continent's leading urban photographers, created the following site map. It was used in the DK Photo Group's Toronto based show, Orphaned in 2006. This 1915 map shows what's been lost/gained over the years. Here's a link to a number of posts from years past.

Very cool development here in the neighborhood and all things considered, a thoughtful reuse of one of the City's most neglected heritage properties. I'll be tracking progress in the coming months.

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Correction (7/27/09 - 5pm): I wrote last week that Belmont Shelter would be involved in the management of St. Martin's, I was wrong. A different agency, Belmont Management will be doing this. I apologize for the confusion that this may have caused.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Urban Disintegration

This showed up in my email this morning as the story of the week from Preservation Nation.

It's a fascinating six minute short about the intersection of abandonment, architecture and video in telling stories about places that are being demolished and disappearing from memory in the Queen City. The opening shot includes a view of 98 Laurel Street, a small defiant place that still stands as of this morning in Buffalo's Cold Springs neighborhood.

Perhaps only a movie can capture the plight of the 1920s bungalows in Buffalo, N.Y., that are being torn down to make way for McMansions. In a six-minute film, a camera moves inside several of the doomed houses as workers tear them apart. Filmmaker Billy Erhard tracks across walls, peers through holes in ceilings and floors, and travels upstairs and onto roofs. Jittery home movies flash against one house's half-razed walls, accompanied by the sound of hammering.

This was film maker Billy Erhard's entry - 'Urban Disintegration' - in a short film contest sponsored by the Los Angeles based Society for Moving Images about the Built Environment, SMIBE.

SMIBE tries to collect films that touch on this notion of recording or "preserving," space visually. Indeed, several competition entries focused on abandoned, blighted, or environmentally damaged structures or areas - read the rest.

Preservation Nation is the on-line magazine and official site for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the same organization that has chosen Buffalo, NY for its annual conference in 2011 - details here.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Blogging Update

Blogging will be light and probably sporadic for the rest of the summer. I'll be posting on a more regular routine in the Fall.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Woodlawn Row Houses - July 2009

The Woodlawn Row Houses are a familiar sight to fixBuffalo readers. In part and because of the historic local landmark designation, I was inspired to start blogging about my neighborhood. While the roof is still good and the row is boarded and secure there a number of porch roof supports that have recently failed. The City of Buffalo still owns the row.

If you're interested in taking a closer look at the Woodlawn Row Houses and exploring the opportunity for an amazing renovation project, please contact me.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Buffalo's Packard

The Packard's emergence as a neighborhood anchor and a new Midtown residence has been amazing to watch. I first heard about the Packard's sale between Cash Cunningham and Regan Development two years ago from Pyramid broker and neighborhood advocate Bob Bininiszkiewicz. What I didn't know about the deal was that Cash had purchased the site in 1997 at the City's tax sale for $20K!

photo courtesy of Cash Cunningham

1325 Main Street was designed by Albert Kahn in 1926. Kahn designed many of Packard Motor Car Company's buildings including Buffalo's first Ford factory - the Tri-Main. The Packard's black metal conical water tank - with 'Packard Motor Cars" in historic script done in white over a red hexagon, a symbol that appeared on original Packard wheel discs - has long been a fixture here in Midtown. Here's a link to the National Register Application for additional details about the building's architectural, historic and industrial significance.

There are 40 new residences with exposed concrete piers and tall ceilings. These are very cool spaces. New York State's Division of Housing & Community Renewal released the following today about the Packard - good news! One block away Artspace occupies the recently renovated industrial building that once housed the Buffalo Electric Vehicle Company where electric cars were manufactured in the early 20th century.

The neighborhood is also home to Lourdes Church and St. Vincent's where the future of both iconic structures remains uncertain.

Here's a short flickr series - The Packard.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

City Honors - June 2009 Update

I spoke with the crane operator on Monday afternoon and learned that the structural steel for the new 'all high' gymnasium will be delivered to the site on Tuesday, on schedule. The natatorium recently received a roof and the sides are now wrapped in plywood.

Hamilton Houston and Lownie, the Buffalo based architectural firm heading up this project, recently placed a sign on the fence. HHL took the lead two years ago at Artpace, a few blocks away.

I spotted this west elevation on HHL's site this evening. It's the view across the new playing field and Michigan Avenue which is also the school building's historic front entrance.

Check out the City Honors archive for additional information and pics.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the neighborhood

Woodlawn Row Houses - June 2009 Update

The Woodlawn Row Houses are still available. They're owned by the City of Buffalo and seemed to have weathered the winter rather well. No roof leaks - yet.

If you're interested in taking them on as a rehab project, let me know. There's an interesting maze to negotiate at City Hall. I may be able to help.

Please visit the Woodlawn Row House archive for additional information.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Buffalo Crime Map

Slightly off topic, I know. I've been interested in googlemap mash-ups for the longest and just learned that the Buffalo Police Dept. is now reporting crimes in the Queen City using this interface.

Buffalo Crimes.

After clicking through and exploring the site and its seemless functionality, please let me know what you think of this development. Thanks.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Crossing the '33' - Part III

I noticed the demolition action here a couple weeks ago and stopped by the other day. According to Masten District Councilman Demone Smith's office the 46 year old pedestrian bridge connecting a once vibrant neighborhood just south of Northland Street will be rebuilt in the coming months. No news yet as to the project's cost.

The other two pedestrian crossings along the '33' connect neighborhoods that are still split. I posted about the first one, connecting Grape and Cherry Streets - see, Crossing the '33' - Part I - in January '07 and the equally bisected neighborhood near High and Gray Streets - Crossing the '33' - Part II - in May '07.

In the past few months I've become a big fan of Historic Aerials, sort of works like googlemaps. When you drill down you'll notice that the '33' was completed in stages. In the 1958 map - centered on the Science Museum - you'll see that the destruction construction had already begun, closer to downtown. By 1966 most of the '33' was completed between the 198-hourglass and downtown. The section between Best and Ferry Streets was still at-grade. Using one of the site's embedded tools take a moment to compare that 1958 moment with today's existing reality. Staggering.

While shooting what remains of the pedestrian bridge earlier this week, I noticed a number of houses on the east side of Humboldt Parkway that have been marked for demoltion. I'll be following up on those in the next few weeks.

click image to enlarge

RIP 2 Girard.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Demolitions - Cold Springs

A number of houses in Masten's Cold Springs neighborhood have been demolished in recent days. After languishing for more than a year, this burnout at 235 Woodlawn was sent to the landfill earlier this week.

235 Woodlawn - before/after
click to enlarge

I wrote about 235 Woodlawn a few months ago - There is No Plan, Part II. The recent pattern of demolition activity suggests that there may be a strategy. The four houses that were demolished this week were some of the neighborhood's worst - probably no chance for rehab - and were located in close proximity to Performing Arts High School and School #8 on East Utica, the temporary home of City Honors High School.

Another truck with wrecker on board just turned the corner and pulled up down the street, right across from Performing Arts. Strategic and targeted demolitions are a welcome relief.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

(re)Imagine the City - Built to Last

I received a number of emails today from fixBuffalo readers informing me of the following award winning short video. Check out the official word from the Congress for the New Urbanism.

The outstanding 3-minute video asks the question “What’s the greatest threat to our planet?” and shows how reimagining our cities and suburbs to be sustainable and walkable will cut carbon emissions, commutes and calories. "When it comes to saving the planet, what we build is the greatest threat…or the greatest hope," say the filmmakers in Built to Last.

“Built to Last made me laugh out loud,” said John Norquist, president and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism, which offered the submitter of the winning entry a complimentary registration to this year's leading gathering of urbanists,CNU 17, which runs June 10-14th in Denver. “But this video is serious too. First + Main and Paget Films show how New Urbanism is the convenient remedy, providing quality of life and economic value while protecting the environment.”

fixBuffalo readers may remember John Paget's video about the Queen City Farm project, right here. Connect with John Paget at Paget Films.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

Farm Report - Breaking Ground!

This afternoon Buffalo's Common Council voted to approve what's considered a 'pilot project' and an agreement between the City and Mark and Janice Stevens. 27 vacant lots on Wilson Street - between Broadway and Sycamore - will become the largest 'urban farm' on this part of the planet.

Wilson Street - Farm Block

The Stevens bought a house last year on Fillmore Avenue. Their backyard opens on Wilson Street across the street from what is sure to become a transformative project for neighborhood and city residents.

Amy Kedron, the founder and Executive Director of Buffalo First had this to say upon hearing the results of today's Common Council decision.

Now Buffalo can join the ranks of the nation's most desirable cities that are distinguishing themselves by establishing highly sought after urban farms. More importantly this will strengthen our local food system.

Mark told me that he was excited to begin work on 60 raised beds for this years growing season. If you're interested in dropping the Stevens a line or interested in knowing how you can land a hand, you can reach Mark and Janice here - woodmasstev@gmail.com.

I'll be following this story as it develops in the weeks and months ahead.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the Neighborhood

City Honors - May 2009 Update

I walked around the City Honors construction site the other day and noticed that the natatorium is being enclosed. The foundation for the new all high gymnasium is beginning to take shape, too. A number of the BMHA residences surrounding City Honors are scheduled for demolition as part of the comprehensive site plan as seen here.

Work on the $40m reconstruction of City Honors is scheduled to be complete for the beginning of the 2010 school year.

Check out the City Honors archive for additional information and pics.

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Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the neighborhood