fixBuffalo

9/02/2011

Gillian Brown: Getting into Housing Court

I had the opportunity to meet up with Gillian Brown this week. We inspected the vacant lot where 94 Northampton once stood and admired the architectural detail and structural stability of 11 Holland Place, yet another City-owned residential property, ripe for homesteading. Gillian is a City Court candidate running on the Working Families line in next week's primary race. Two incumbent judges - Eagen and Fiorella - share the same minority party endorsement (as well as the Democratic Party endorsement).

Gillian Brown in front of City-owned 11 Holland Place

Yesterday, I sat down with Gillian and asked him about his candidacy, qualifications and the importance of Housing Court. Here's the podcast (running time 20min).

In a poor City where most of the housing stock has a 50-year backlog of deferred maintenance, sky rocketing abandonment and vacancy issues and an ever increasingly longer list of City-owned real estate force so many questions. Few answers. What is clear is that a creative, intelligent and progressive person in elected office can make a difference. Remember Judge Nowak's Housing Court policies and reforms? Gillian's deep experience representing poor and working class people in City Court as an Attorney and his understanding of housing issues places him in the cross-hairs of what is needed in Buffalo right now.

If you are a member of the Working Families Party please vote for Gillian on Primary Day, September 13th. Once the ballot line is secured for the November general election - everyone can vote for the only candidate who actually wants to be in Housing Court.

Geoff Kelly over at Artvoice has been covering the pre-primary and the back room drama that resulted in Gillian being removed from the Democratic Party ballot line - see Blackballed, Gillian Brown v. Board of Elections and most recently Blood Sport: How City Court Races turn Ugly.

Gillian's next fundraiser: Thursday September 8th at Charlie O'Brian's 865 Elk Street, from 6:00 - 9:00pm. $30 includes beer, well drinks and chicken wings.

Here's the website - Gillian Brown for City Court.

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8/19/2011

94 Northampton - Bound for the Landfill

An arsonist torched 94 Northampton early Monday morning, one of Midtown Buffalo's most significant city-owned heritage residences. Two days later a $26.8K emergency demolition contract razed the building, sending yet another East Side treasure to the landfill.

94 Northampton - Wednesday late afternoon

fixBuffalo readers may remember that Commissioner Jim Comerford from the City of Buffalo Department of Permits & Inspections removed 94 Northampton from the demolition list in April 2010 - story here - granting this city-owned gem a renewed lease on life. John Hannon, Director of the city's Division of Real Estate then placed this amazing 3 family residence on the homestead eligible list - $1 house. City Hall cooperated.

94 Northampton - Wednesday early afternoon

The first ten minutes of Wednesday afternoon's demolition.

During an early 2007 neighborhood walking tour, I was handed a photograph of 94 Northampton, dated 1906. The person joining the tour that morning indicated that her grandmother is the woman sitting on the porch. With the recent success of the nearby Packard and ArtSpace developments on Main Street, private investment in the immediate neighborhood has been revived and a number of large single and two family houses have been restored along the two block stretch of Northampton between Main and Michigan.

Here's what 94 looked like, back in the day.

94 Northampton - c. 1906

There are dozens of well-maintained houses in the neighborhood, including 82 Northampton, next door. All of these houses can be found within a block of 94 Northampton. By any measure the collection of 19th century architecture in this neighborhood would qualify as an historic district. Near by, 38 Northampton was the first house on the street to sell after Artspace announced plans in early 2006 to locate in the neighborhood.

After numerous showings, no one was prepared to step-up and take on this project. With the reinvestment in St. Vincent's, a short block away on Ellicott Street, my optimism grew and I was convinced that time was on 94 Northampton's side.

94 Northampton photo archive

8/18/2011

Buffalo ReUse: James Green Executive Director - Q&A

Buffalo ReUse is located in the heart of Buffalo’s East Side. On any given day customers may include a downtown attorney searching the piles of green limestone that once graced Minoru Yamaski’s plaza at the base of the M & T tower or neighbors buying hardware and replacement screens. Landlords and local contractors were streaming through the door during a recent visit and were searching an inventory of donated doors, moldings and windows and architectural salvage. Landfilling these items no longer makes sense, especially now.

James Green - Executive Director

I had the opportunity recently to sit down with James Green, the new Executive Director and talk with him about the organization’s past, present and future. Here's the podcast (running time 10 min).

Javoun & Tyshawn - Buffalo ReUse garden volunteers

Shortly after meeting with James Green, the following Buffalo News story appeared about the organization’s eviction from the Northampton Street location. I sat down with Vince Kuntz, Buffalo ReUse board President on Wednesday morning and asked him about the eviction proceeding. Vince remains confident about the organization’s future as a number of possible options are actively explored. While the details and plans are being hammered out Vince explained that all the recent changes that have taken place on Northampton Street have resulted in a stronger organization, an organization that is rapidly becoming an organization of the East Side.

Len, Rose & Akhalaq - customers

Hear what Len, Rose and Akalhaq have to say - podcast (running time 3 min.) - about their Buffalo ReUse experience. I chatted with them while they were shopping the endless aisles of salvaged inventory from some of Buffalo’s most storied buildings and neighborhoods while working on their own home based projects.

Buffalo ReUse Archive - links to previous posts & photo set

2/07/2011

Code Green - What's next for the East Side?

The time to determine the future of the East Side is now. Well, it’s actually between February 28 and March 5, when the City of Buffalo is hosting a series of neighborhood workshops to get the public’s input on what will be the first detailed land use plan assembled in Buffalo since 1977.

Kehr Street, looking North

Why is this important? Mayor Bryon W. Brown is undertaking one of the most significant planning projects in over a generation, putting into place master plans for the development of every neighborhood and an entirely new, green zoning code (the first since 1951) that will give these plans “teeth.” The Mayor has dubbed the initiative the Buffalo Green Code.

The upcoming neighborhood workshops will be the foundation for shaping the City’s long-term strategy on nearly any issue that touches “land use,” a catch phrase that includes everything from urban design, transportation, public space, renewable energy, to economic development.

What do you want to see for Buffalo’s East Side? Employment sites in job-strapped neighborhoods? Cleaned up brownfields? Restored landmarks? Parks in place of vacant lots? More healthy food options? Land banking? Want to stamp out the dreaded Vinyl Victorian once and for all? Want a boulevard in place of the Kensington?

Whatever your priorities are, they become part of the plan only if you show up and speak your mind. There are nine neighborhood workshops in all. Learn more about them here. The core East Side neighborhoods are covered in three of these workshops listed here:

Ellicott (Old First Ward, The Valley, Hydraulics/Larkin District, Lower East Side)
Wednesday, March 2, 6:30 - 9:00pm
Montessori School, 342 Clinton St.

Masten (Midtown, Fruit Belt, Masten Park, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Schiller Park, Cold Springs/Midtown, MLK Park, Delavan/Grider, Hamlin Park)
Saturday, March 5, 9:00 - 11:30am
East High School, 820 Northampton St.

East (Broadway/Fillmore, Lovejoy, Kaisertown, Seneca/Babcock, Little Hollywood, Clinton/Bailey)
Saturday, March 5, 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Col. Matt Urban Center, 1081 Broadway St.

For additional information check out last April's Green Code press conference - pics and podcast - here.

12/17/2010

GLF Grain Elevator: Demolition Hearing - Part I

The City's Preservation Board voted unanimously on Thursday afternoon to table Ontario Specialty Contracting's request to demolish portions of the GLF/Wheeler grain elevator complex on Ganson Street. The meeting room was packed with people who were on both sides of this emerging preservation issue involving one of the City's most important industrial heritage sites.

Ron Chapin - on the right

After an hour long discussion with Ron Chapin - from Ontario Specialty Contracting - the Preservation Board decided to table OSC's request to demolish parts "B" and "C" because the application was determined to be incomplete. OSC presented a number of photographs - here, here and here - depicting a deteriorating structure. The Preservation Board is asking OSC to provide an engineering study to determine the real condition of these structures. In addition Henry Baxter, internationally recognized expert on concrete elevator design and structural condition has generously made his services available to assist the Preservation Board in making a decision about the future of GLF. Henry Baxter's grandfather - A.E. Baxter - designed and built portions of GLF.

Ontario Specialty Contracting - one of the City's premier demolition contractors - purchased portions of the GLF complex last October. GLF is immediately adjacent to OSC's office and heavy equipment storage site on Ganson Street. The photo below shows the portions of the GLF complex that OSC owns and the location - two single story buildings next door - of their headquarters. Here's a bing map if you're not familiar with the area. The remaining portion of the GLF elevator was last reported two years ago to be on the market for $3.5M. Here's that story.

The significance of Buffalo's remaining industrial heritage sites can not be emphasized enough. Even in their neglected state they are stark and subtle reminders of our glorious past. They are frequently studied and photographed. German photographer Gerritt Engel was here in 90's and our collection of elevators was the subject of his first book and exhibit - Buffalo Grain Elevators. Here's a recent video where he's interviewed about his work.

1994 photo (HAER credit) of GLF from Chicago Street and a recent photo from the same location.

More recently a number of community activists and organizations have taken a strong position on the deep cultural value of Buffalo's waterfront and the importance of these long neglected industrial heritage sites. Make sure to watch the following video about this powerful and emerging voice describing how the City of Buffalo is being reinvented.

Prior to Thursday's meeting I spoke with two community leaders who support the Ontario Speciality Contracting position and demolition. Here's the short podcast (5:17) with Laura Kelly, Executive Director of the Old First Ward Community Association. I also spoke with Peg Overdorf, who is the Executive Director of the Valley Community Center. Here's that short podcast (3:24). Riverfest Park - aka 'Peg's Park' - is located opposite GLF on the other side of the Buffalo River.

The full recording of Thursday's Preservation Board hearing about the planned demolition of portions of the GLF Elevator is available - here (68:30).

This preservation battle has only begun. Support letters should be addressed to Preservation Board Secretary Michelle Brozek: Buffalo Preservation Board - 65 Niagara Sq. #901 - Buffalo, NY 14202

12/06/2010

Homestead: 226 East Utica - December 2010

I met-up with Joshua Reis and Emily Gaines the other day. We talked about their work and plans for one of the City's newest homesteads - 226 East Utica (google map). Joshua recently closed on the formerly City-owned house and is plowing forward with a contagious mix of grit and grace with his partner, Emily.

Josh is drawing inspiration for his work from his studies at the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, which he attended in 2009. Since taking courses at the institute, Joshua has continued his interest in permaculture, reading books such as Gaia's Garden and Edible Forest Gardens. He also gained insight from an on-line resource - Permaculture Activist. Emily teaches music at the Bennett Park Montessori Center in Buffalo, NY. During the past year she has participated in dance and drumming classes around the corner from her new homestead at the African-American Cultural Center on Masten Avenue. For her, this has been an exciting continuation of almost 8 years of study of African music. Emily is new to the ideas of permaculture and is living proof that the ideas of urban farming are accessible to anyone who believes in his/her community.

A fellow community member and friend, Matt Zinski is the architect for this project. Matt was featured in a recent Artvoice article about his Capoiera classes on the West Side. Joshua is his student and the Capoeira community has been instrumental in the progress made at 226 East Utica so far.

fixBuffalo readers may remember this post about 226 East Utica (March 2008). While a number of people have expressed an interest in calling 226 home, Joshua and Emily are doing it. Stop by and visit and/or keep track of their progress in this Facebook album - Solrise Farm.

Here's a podcast with Joshua and Emily (after the jump, running time nine minutes).

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fixBuffalo photos • the atlantic cities • shrinking cities • americansuburbX • copenhagenize
buffalo reuse • spacing toronto • infrastructurist

11/22/2010

Norquist on Buffalo's Future

John Norquist, former Mayor of Milwaukee and President of the Congress for the New Urbanism, was in Buffalo recently and spoke at the Burchfield Penny Art Center.

The podcast of Norquist's remarks - Part I - runs about an hour after the jump.

The panel discussion that followed was led by Kate Foster - Director of UB's Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth and featured two of Buffalo's most progressively minded urban developers: Carl Montante and Rocco Termini. They were joined by Jacques Gourguechon, a Principal of Camiros the firm retained by the City of Buffalo to undertake the complete over-haul of the city's antiquated 1951 zoning ordinance.

The podcast of the morning's panel discussion and Q&A - Part II - runs about an hour, after the jump.

The website of the Buffalo Green Code, the title Mayor Byron Brown has given the zoning re-write effort, was formally unveiled by Jacques Gourguechon during the forum. The event was sponsored by Jaeckle, Fleishman & Muegel LLP and was part of their annual WNY Economic & Land Development Forum.

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fixBuffalo photos • the atlantic cities • shrinking cities • americansuburbX • copenhagenize
buffalo reuse • spacing toronto • infrastructurist

11/10/2010

St. Gerard's Fate - Update

The following story about St. Gerard's Church appeared on ABC News this past Sunday. Built in 1911, this iconic neighborhood heritage structure is modeled after the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and is located at the corner of Bailey and East Delevan on Buffalo's East Side (google map).

Rev. David Dye and his congregation plan to move St. Gerard's to Norcross, GA. They've included a catalog of naming opportunities on their site to help raise the $16.5m necessary for the demolition/move/re-building of one of Buffalo's architectural treasurers. With increased national exposure and Buffalo's largest preservation organization - PBN's statement about St. Gerard's - signing off on the plan, the suburban Atlanta congregation may get their way.

The text of ABC's Sunday story is available here.

See - The Plundering of Buffalo with links to additional pics and writing about St. Gerard's including last February's USA Today article about moving St. Gerard's to suburban Atlanta.

Update - here's the full text of the Common Council resolution - sponsored by Buffalo Common Council President David Franczyk - designed to stop the plundering of the city's architectural resources. The resolution was adopted by the Common Council and is currently being conformed into law by the City's Law Department. According to Council staff it is expected to become law by year's end.

8/07/2010

What Remains - One year later

One year ago today the Woodlawn Row Houses were razed in an emergency demolition following a late-night fire. The row, designated a City landmark in 1982, was owned by the City of Buffalo. Here's the archive of pics and posts.

What remains - charred shingle

The year that followed the fire has seen two development projects initiated in the neighborhood. Both bring some hope. The faith-based housing projects, developed by Reverends Pridgen and Stenhouse, respectively, form book-ends on opposite ends of Woodlawn Avenue. A number of single family homes have been developed - here and here.

The vacant City-owned lot, where the Woodlawn Row Houses once stood

Alternatively, a number of architecturally significant and urbanistically unique City-owned residential properties in Midtown continue to languish. The fate of 94 Northampton, 393 Masten and 11 Holland Place remains uncertain. Two of these properties - 393 Masten and 11 Holland Place - are part of a two-year old City sponsored subsidized rehab program, yet no progress has been made. 94 Northampton was nearly demolished earlier this year, but was given a stay of execution by Jim Comerford, Commissioner of Permits & Inspection.

A year later, one landmark burned, have we made progress? Are we learning?

6/04/2010

Tour de Agros - East Side by Bike!

The city's East Side is being transformed, vacant lot by vacant lot. In the last two years parts of Buffalo's urban prairie has been transformed into urban farms. If you're curious and have ever wondered what this development means for the City, join me on Saturday June 19th for the first Tour de Agros!

View Tour de Agros 2010 in a larger map

We'll meet at the Sonic Cafe, across from Artspace for a 10am departure. Our three hour route will loop through the City's East side. We'll stop at three urban farms. You'll have a chance to talk with some of the most dedicated city residents who are committed to transforming the city - Caesandra Seawell/Buffalo ReUse - Daniel Ash at Southampton & Masten and our last stop will include the Wilson Street Farm and a visit with Mark and Janice Stevens. Between the three scheduled stops - we'll also take time to examine the urban prairie.

Previous bicycle tours have focused on the City's neglected heritage structures - Tour de Neglect. The new focus on urban agriculture here in Buffalo reflects a wider trend in other urban centers. Here's the map.

group pic - Tour de Neglect

Please make certain your bicycle is in good working condition. You may want to bring the following - water, some snack food, camera and a few bags as you may want to take a few moments to pick and pay for some fresh vegetables along the way.

Date/time: Saturday June 19th - 10am

Meet-up: Sonic Cafe, across from Artspace.

A $10 donation will be collected and given to St. Luke's Mission of Mercy on Sycamore Street. There's no pre-registration necessary. See you on the 19th!

5/26/2010

Drew Ludwig: the future of church - Part I

I met Rev. Drew Ludwig from Lafayette Presbyterian Church last week (google map). We sat down this morning in the church's sanctuary and talked about the use/re-use of religious structures in the context of a shrinking-city.

Rev. Drew Ludwig - Lafayette Presbyterian Church

Drew pointed to a number of religious buildings that have been repurposed in Pittsburgh - including the Church Brew Works - and the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto as possible models for the reuse of religious structures in Buffalo. The fiscal challenges at Lafayette are daunting. The operational budget is nibbling away at the endowment's principal and membership has dwindled over the years. According to Drew, if the Diocese owned Lafayette it would probably already be closed.

click image to enlarge

Drew is asking - "Do we have to collapse as a congregation, fold as a spiritual community for the building to find a new life - or can we become more proactive?" The solution, according to the emerging dialog here at Lafayette Presbyterian becomes a new and progressive mix of the secular and religious.

Here's the podcast (17min, after the link).

Lafayette Presbyterian Church - 1914

After completing his M.Div. at Palmer Theological Seminary he returned to his home town of Pittsburgh in 2004 as an assistant pastor. Drew became the pastor at Lafayette Presbyterian Church in 2007 and lives with his wife and two foster children in the neighborhood. Lafayette Presbyterian Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

5/18/2010

Lourdes on Main Street - Part IV

I walked around Lourdes Church on Main Street this afternoon (google map).

Lourdes Church - Main Street view

Lourdes is now open on every side. Previous posts and pics clearly show that the windows in the rear and side have been open for years. According to neighbors that I spoke with, damaging winds recently blew the boards off the prominent Main Street windows. Interior pics from September 2008 show a church stripped of any traces of architectural detail and stained glass.

Lourdes Church - rear basement windows

Today's slide show of Lourdes Church.

An entity controlled by local developer and New York State gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino purchased Lourdes church last month for $40,000. The future of this Main Street landmark remains uncertain.

Lourdes Church - side view

Buffalo Rising is carrying this story today - House of the Hole-y.

Lourdes on Main Street - For Sale, again (1/8/10)
Lourdes Auction - Follow Up (9/13/08)
Lourdes Auction (9/08/08)

5/16/2010

Creighton Randall - Homesteading the City

Creighton Randall purchased this single-family home at 268 Dodge Street (google map) from the City of Buffalo for $1. On weekends he's been working on renovations with friends and family. I caught up with Creighton late Saturday afternoon.

Creighton Randall - 268 Dodge Street

Despite the blemishes and missing plumbing, the house was in good structural shape when Creighton bought the house. He is devoting additional time to completing renovations this summer and plans to move in this Fall.

268 Dodge Street is directly across from Masten Park, Johnny B. Wiley and the concrete remains of the City's WPA crown jewel, Civic Stadium, also known as the Rock Pile. (See Somewhere in Masten (12/18/08) for additional pics/maps.) Creighton was quick to point out the proximity of City Honors High School as we climbed the concrete steps and walked around Masten Park on Saturday.

286 Dodge - from Masten Park

Creighton told me that he's taking a long-view on his new home and cautions against seeing the City's homestead eligible properties as quick way to 'flip' a property and see a short-term return.

click image to enlarge

Creighton took a short break on Saturday and talked with me about his project. Here's a short thirteen minute podcast with Creighton after the jump.

Creighton describes the neighborhood

Creighton moved to Buffalo in 2002 from rural upstate New York near Albany and has recently completed a graduate program in urban planning at UB's School of Architecture and Planning. Creighton incubated and runs Buffalo Car Share, a local non-profit rooted in social entrepreneurship.

If you'd like to know more about Creighton's new home and homesteading and possibly participating in a house-painting workday/party, drop Creighton an email - creightonr@gmail.com - to learn more and get the updates.

73 Dodge Street - Homesteading the City (5/13/10)
86 City-Owned Properties - $1 (5/1/10)

5/15/2010

Richard Tobe - Fixing the Kensington Part VI

I sat down with Richard Tobe yesterday afternoon at the EM Tea Coffee Cup Cafe in Hamlin Park. We talked about the Kensington.

Rich moved to Buffalo in 1967 from Long Island. After graduating from UB with a degree in political science and completing his legal education at UB in 1974 he became Chief of Staff for Assemblyman William Hoyt. He served as Erie County Commissioner of Environment and Planning and Commissioner of Economic Development and Permit/Inspections for the City of Buffalo. He currently does economic consulting and teaches economic development seminars at UB Law School. Rich is a Richardson Center Corporation and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper board member.

Our six-minute Kensington podcast is followed by a longer segment where Rich describes a number of battles with NYSDOT and highway construction in the City during the 1970's, including the controversial West Side Arterial.

Here's the podcast.

Stephanie Barber - Fixing the Kensington Part V (5/13/10)
Terry Robinson - Fixing the Kensington Part IV (5/6/10)
The Boulevard Option - Fixing the Kensington Part III (5/5/10)
Bury this Big Mistake - Fixing the Kensington Part II (3/4/10)
Fixing the Kensington - Part I (2/23/10)
fixBuffalo Kensington photos

5/13/2010

73 Dodge Street - Homestead in the City

73 Dodge Street is City-owned and available to any qualified prospective home owner for $1. It's located one block from Main Street and around the corner from the Summer Street subway station (google map). Artspace and the Coe Place are right next door. This two-family house appears to be in structurally good condition.

73 Dodge Street - $1

The asphalt shingle siding is no doubt covering - and probably preserving - some clapboard and architectural detail that hasn't seen the light of day since the '60's. Such was the case just around the corner at 1042 Ellicott which was featured in this post, two years ago.

Here's a 73 Dodge Street slide show.

This house, along with 85 other city-owned houses were recently added to the City's inventory of 'homestead eligible' properties. The post and map about that development is available right here.

Interested in making this house your home? John Hannon, Director of Real Estate, is waiting to hear from you. The City's Division of Real Estate can be reached at (716) 851-5261.