Last week's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was a success on many levels. Beyond the new house constructed for the Powell family at 228 Massachusetts Avenue, over 100 other homes received exterior improvements, several community gardens were planted, and a trio of murals were painted on previously graffiti-scarred walls. Most importantly, over 5,000 residents were involved in the effort to bring hope and a brighter future to a West Side neighborhood.
Mayor Brown rallied the troops at the kick-off. The Mayor thanked everyone "for giving of their time, heart and energy to transform a home for a deserving family, but not only to transform a home, but to transform a neighborhood. We are going to show what Buffalo and Western New York is all about," he said, "not only nationally but internationally as well."
And with that, work was underway. Few imagined how the effort would grow during the course of the week.
Harvey Garrett, who has been working tirelessly to help stabilize and turn around the West Side for several years, proudly showed off the work that was accomplished as he led me on a walk through the neighborhood. The photos collected and used in the video below show a handful of the projects completed last week.
Garrett, Executive Director of the West Side Community Collaborative, estimates that hundreds of thousands of dollars in labor and materials was invested in improvements last week.
But that is just the beginning. The momentum is expected to continue and the partnerships and community involvement, if nurtured, is expected to pay dividends for years to come.
Volunteers cleaned vacant lots, put on new roofs, painted homes and murals, installed new porches and windows, replaced fencing, installed siding, planted trees, and installed landscaping. The City committed significant personnel and resources into the effort as well.
Video by Nate Mroz, Buffalonian4life
Garrett described the week as "spurring a movement" in the neighborhood. "Neighbors came together to help each other. Before, no one had a vision for the area. Owners were reluctant to invest in their properties due to the deteriorating condition of neighboring properties. That has changed."
The results are impressive. Many long-time residents described the experience as like "winning the lottery." For the first time in years children were let out at night and were able to live life up a little in the city, said one neighborhood resident.
One house had no water for two years, and because the family didn't speak English, they couldn't get it fixed, so they ran a hose from a neighboring property for water. Volunteers got it fixed in one day. They are forever thankful.
The success stories are seemingly endless. Block parties are being planned. Yards will be getting sod in the spring. There is even talk of having a similar effort in another neighborhood next year.
WNY helped a family and a neighborhood. In the end it helped itself.
Photos by Joe Cascio
Wow, that is a big improvement, let's not stop now, lets work towards the east untill we reach Cheektowaga!!!