By Thea Hassan:
The Buffalo Maritime Center has announced intentions to relocate to a permanent location at 1569 Niagara Street.
The group has been in five locations in 20 years, the most recent being the leased space at 1250 Niagara Street. The Buffalo Maritime Center has raised $45,000 towards the purchase of a permanent building, with another $65,000 needed in order to seal the deal.
The new building, at 24,000 square feet, will be able to accommodate the spacial needs for the Maritime Center to facilitate a boat shop and classroom space. Although the new building is not ideal due to not being on the waterfront, it does satisfy three quarters of their mission, said Allen.
The Buffalo Maritime Center had been working on finding a waterfront property for a long time.
"We have been talking with people who are in control of waterfront property in this area... and all of those organizations are complicated, they are larger than the universe as far as we're concerned," said Roger Allen, director for the Maritime Center.
Moving frequently has resulted in the Center having to spend a lot of their resources on moving and adapting to the new spaces, said Allen.
"Its truly spinning wheels, you're spending a lot of energy and not getting anywhere," said Allen. "The program itself was progressing to such an extent that in order for it mature into what the board saw as its potential, and what the community saw as its potential, we needed to have a facility."
The realization of a permanent location was partly due to the organization, previously an extension of Buffalo State College, becoming an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This has given the Center more autonomy and mobility in making changes. The arrival of Roger Allen, the new director for the Maritime Center, also acted as a catalyst to the move. Allen has big plans for the Center, plans that won't fit into anymore leased spaces.
"I recommended a fairly straight forward solution, and that's that we get the money together and buy a building," said Allen. "Long range we know we need to be on the water, but short range we need a permanent facility."
Allen (photo left standing with John Montague) relocated from his previous position directing a center in Cortez, Florida. For more on Allen and the building, stay tuned.
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The Buffalo Maritime Center has announced intentions to relocate to a permanent location at 1569 Niagara Street.
The group has been in five locations in 20 years, the most recent being the leased space at 1250 Niagara Street. The Buffalo Maritime Center has raised $45,000 towards the purchase of a permanent building, with another $65,000 needed in order to seal the deal.
The new building, at 24,000 square feet, will be able to accommodate the spacial needs for the Maritime Center to facilitate a boat shop and classroom space. Although the new building is not ideal due to not being on the waterfront, it does satisfy three quarters of their mission, said Allen.
The Buffalo Maritime Center had been working on finding a waterfront property for a long time.
"We have been talking with people who are in control of waterfront property in this area... and all of those organizations are complicated, they are larger than the universe as far as we're concerned," said Roger Allen, director for the Maritime Center.
Moving frequently has resulted in the Center having to spend a lot of their resources on moving and adapting to the new spaces, said Allen.
"Its truly spinning wheels, you're spending a lot of energy and not getting anywhere," said Allen. "The program itself was progressing to such an extent that in order for it mature into what the board saw as its potential, and what the community saw as its potential, we needed to have a facility."
The realization of a permanent location was partly due to the organization, previously an extension of Buffalo State College, becoming an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This has given the Center more autonomy and mobility in making changes. The arrival of Roger Allen, the new director for the Maritime Center, also acted as a catalyst to the move. Allen has big plans for the Center, plans that won't fit into anymore leased spaces.
"I recommended a fairly straight forward solution, and that's that we get the money together and buy a building," said Allen. "Long range we know we need to be on the water, but short range we need a permanent facility."
Allen (photo left standing with John Montague) relocated from his previous position directing a center in Cortez, Florida. For more on Allen and the building, stay tuned.
It's great to see these guys finally get a home, though it is a bit confounding that no-one could seem to make space on the waterfront for them. It shows a lot of tenacity on their part, however.