Ouch: Buffalo Named The Lea

Buffalo is the least fashionable city in America, according to a new ranking from Bundle.com. How...

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Rendering vs Reality: 600 D

Darn close. Alliance Advisory Group, Inc. and 600 Delaware, LLC purchased and renovated 600 Delaware...

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Downtown Waterfront - it's

By Charles Gordon:Renewed interest in our Downtown waterfront has undeniably resulted in some improvement. Efforts...

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April 2009 Archives

City April 30, 2009 5:50 PM

UB Team Prepares For 91 Totems @ Urban Roots

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Once again, Brad Wales and his team of 10 independent and 15 studio UB students have set out to astound the residents of Buffalo. Remember the bus shelters in Allentown? Remember the spinning facade of the house on Putnam? This time Brad had set his eyes on the Five Corners area of the city. In fact, his latest Small Built Project will add to the growing grassroots momentum that has begun to take root. Back in December I detailed the project here. Since that time the students have been busy preparing the totems for the Urban Roots park.

When I stopped by earlier today to check out the progress being made at the site, I found the UB team busy dropping the footing and pounding and welding the rebar frame into the ground in preparation for the upcoming trench cement pour. The dirt removed from the trench was donated to an organic farm at the corner of Vermont and West. Off to the side lay the

City April 30, 2009 1:47 PM

Buffalo Native Honored On 2009 All-USA Academic Team

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A short time ago, Buffalo Rising designer Jonathan Gorczyca and I were greeted in our office by a friendly and cheerful college kid. He explained that he was an avid BRO follower, Buffalo-grown, and wanted one of our t-shirts. Curiously, we explained that you can purchase them online. "I know," he replied, "but I have an important photo-shoot coming up, and I wanted to make sure I had it by then."

Jonathan and I soon learned that we were in the presence of Aaron Krolikowski, one of 2009's all-USA Academic Team; a selection of 20 college kids whose accomplishments go beyond GPA,

City April 30, 2009 1:14 PM

A Simple Tank Yank: Some Don't Think So

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The City of Buffalo Department of permits and inspections, along with the DEC and the Department of Public Health will be issuing a cease and desist order on soil remediation efforts at Chandler Street and Military Road in the City of Buffalo's Black Rock section today.
What began as a "tank yank," the removal of defunct gasoline tanks and remediation of the petroleum contaminated soil surrounding them on the Dickie's Donuts property at the corner of Hertel and Elmwood, has become a larger source of controversy for two communities.
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City April 30, 2009 1:00 PM

Buffalo Rising Store Welcomes Michael Gelen

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As we all know, Buffalo is home to many amazing independent artists. We're happy to welcome the work of another one of those artists to the Buffalo Rising store - Michael Gelen.

You may recognize Michael's work from his designs for the Irish Classical Theatre. Or you may have had the good fortune of seeing his renderings of iconic Buffalo landmarks including the Central

City April 30, 2009 7:54 AM

Community Steel Warehouse Coming Down

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Popped over to the site of Tuesday's fire to see whether the building was being torn down as expected, and to see if there was any more information about the fire. Hey, on the lower right of the entry image, is that a Brian Davis campaign sign peeking out?

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Recent Photos[ BR Flickr ]

lifestyle April 29, 2009 6:00 PM

Starr Turn: Episode 3 of All Access Pass

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Everybody's favorite local rock star/foodie is back at it again with Episode 3 of his series All Access Pass with Nelson Starr.

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City April 29, 2009 3:22 PM

Five Points Flourishes

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Regarding the status of Five Points Bakery's soft opening this past Saturday, I must say that the massive community support has been nothing short of overwhelming. We stopped in for a loaf of bread on opening day (photo) and learned that they had sold out 50 loaves in an hour and a half. Then, after working through the night to prepare for Sunday sales, they still could not keep up with demand and sold out again (another 50 loaves). Needless to say, the bakery has become an overnight sensation (see original post).
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Regional April 29, 2009 1:25 PM

Higgins, Lee, Israel, Maloney and Massa Stand up to NYPA for the Region

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Last year, even though the New York Power Authority had a surplus of $309 million, over 75 percent of which is directly attributable to the Niagara Power Project here in Western New York, only 14 percent of the economic benefit from the Niagara Power project currently remains in the WNY region.

Regional April 29, 2009 11:56 AM

Opera Men: A Few Homeboys Bring Us The Barber of Seville

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Buffalo natives Valerian Ruminski and John Packard will return

lifestyle April 29, 2009 11:00 AM

This Week In Memorable Local Advertising: Simon Pure Beer

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Beer commercials are pretty basic these days. A bunch of "regular" dudes are somehow hanging out with gorgeous, completely-out-of-their-league women who, in real life, would probably be hanging out with pro athletes. But hey, they're drinking Bud Light and making snarky comments, and that's a turn on (ask any woman). If it's not that, it's some bizarre sequence of lights, fire, people covered in sequins on a trapeze, you know, something weird.
Travel back in time a few decades, to a time when people were reading about Sputnik and learning that the most effective defense

City April 29, 2009 9:39 AM

Eyewitness: Myrtle Street Warehouse Fire Smokes Neighborhood Behind DiTondo's

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Myrtle Street Warehouse Fire Smokes Neighborhood Behind DiTondo's

While Buffalo Rising isn't known for siren-chasing reporting, when a smoke cloud billows near headquarters you grab the camera and run out the door. And billow they did--this was

lifestyle April 29, 2009 7:39 AM

First Friday: First Stop, Buffalo Big Print

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Not every gallery will have an opening on First Friday, though that shouldn't stop anyone from making the rounds too

City April 28, 2009 3:55 PM

Public Hearing Shows Many Still Not Sold on Pedestrian Mall Removal Plans

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Not having lived in Buffalo until this week, I didn't really feel up to speed about the plans to return cars to Main Street, so last night I decided to sit in on the public hearing on the recently-released draft Environmental Assessment (EA). I had been under the impression that the project

City April 28, 2009 11:18 AM

Get Involved: Control Board Public Hearing

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Worried about the economic health of Buffalo, public housing, the public education system and urban renewal? Get an education, get answers and input your own ideas on Wednesday, May 13th at 10AM.

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City April 28, 2009 8:58 AM

How To Build Your Own Block

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So what do you do if the dream house you were eying suddenly falls out of reach when the economy tanks? The banks aren't lending and you've already sold your house to put up collateral? To make it worse, your dream house is in jeopardy of being a victim of demolition by neglect.

That's the scenario that Scott Washburn and John Crawford were in when they made the leap of faith and moved forward with their plans to rescue and renovate a three-storey brick structure on Rhode Island (see story). "We decided

City April 28, 2009 8:25 AM

Galleries Galore for First Friday Event: Updated List

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As announced earlier on this site, First Fridays are making a comeback, and the success of the event will be measured in the number of people pounding the pavement from gallery to gallery in the Greater Allentown area and beyond.
Listed below are the 13 galleries who have committed to being open past hours for this launch of the revival of First Fridays (that's not to say more won't stick around, doors open.)

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Regional April 28, 2009 8:12 AM

Solar 2009: Go Green Buffalo Expo

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Go Green Buffalo is a lifestyle and career expo taking place on Saturday, May 9th from 10AM - 4PM at the Main Place Mall in downtown Buffalo. Featuring over 75 exhibitors that will help attendees to go green in their home, garden, business, career and community, Go Green Expo is a green job fair also, and organizers

lifestyle April 28, 2009 5:52 AM

Tango Stars Coming to Buffalo

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By Thomas Tarapacki

The Tango will be front-and-center this weekend in Buffalo as the Buffalo Argentine Tango Society is sponsoring a series of Milongas and workshops featuring Oliver Kolker and Silvina Vals. The events will take place May 1st through the 4th.

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Regional April 27, 2009 5:42 PM

Brad Pitt Loves WNY

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We already know Brad Pitt loves Buffalo, so it's especially fun to know that after reading my article last week, he went on the Maid Of The Mist with a few of his children and his parents. (As far as we know, he didn't read my article).

It's funny to see him covered in the blue ponchos we've all donned before. You think he would have a "retro-themed" poncho, or one made of

City April 27, 2009 3:45 PM

BRO On BFO: Right-sizing, Scajaquada Trail Restoration, a Teaching Tree Farm, Basic Pronunciation, Board of Education Elections and RaChaCha's Move

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Click here for the WBFO Podcast
Newell and I joined WBFO News Director Mark Scott for some highly opinionated discussion this week.
In listening to the 21-minute long podcast, it occurred to me that several of the stories from the past week are personal hot-button issues for me, but it's not as much fun to say what you believe when no one really answers back. There's something about gathering