By Thea Hassan:
Plans for the Buffalo Maritime Center's relocation are moving full-steam ahead (see back story), with the center busy in the fundraising process.
A 24,000 square foot, two-story brick industrial building at 1569 Niagara Street offers a basement, parking lot, fenced in lot, attached warehouse spaces, and a location on the bus route.
The center is engaged in a three phase fundraising campaign to "get the job done" and buy the location. The first phase includes raising funds for the downpayment, the second phase will last over two years to outright purchase the property, and the third phase involves improving and modifying to get the building in ship-shape to fulfill the center's needs.
The Maritime Center is also moving forward with news programs and partnerships.
Two new partnerships are with the Buffalo Outdoor Urban Education and the Great Lakes Water Sport Institute. The Buffalo Outdoor Urban Education aims to give students a hands on environmental education about Lake Erie and the waterfront, while the Great Lakes Water Sport Institute works to make the waterfront and water sports available to physically challenged people.
"They're logical partners, so we're joining with them so that even though our building is going to be landlocked, we are going to be able to use our equipment, our boats, our traditional methods with their staff doing joint programming," said Roger Allen, the new director of the Maritime Center. "We're really excited about it. It makes so much sense when you look at it. We are not competing with each other, we're working together. And so, even while we are doing the fundraising to move into this permanent home, we are moving ahead with that kind of programming."
The center is also designing a set of new programs designed for the public, including a series of weekend classes. Allen hopes boat building students will learn not only boat building skills, but also the craftsman's attitude, what he calls the "critical part."
"The bottom line is we don't really need a lot of wooden boat builders in the world. But what we do need is people with the craftsman-like attitude," said Allen. "I believe the wooden boat is the ultimate expression of manual arts because it has this black and white test. If you build it right, it will float. What you learn when you launch your own boat, you learn you can do anything... and that's what this program offers."
Allen also hopes to work with the school system in Buffalo, and two of the charter schools in order to offer maritime programs as part of their curriculum.
Anyone interested in donating to the Buffalo Maritime Center mail in a check to 1250 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213.
^Click to enlarge
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Plans for the Buffalo Maritime Center's relocation are moving full-steam ahead (see back story), with the center busy in the fundraising process.
A 24,000 square foot, two-story brick industrial building at 1569 Niagara Street offers a basement, parking lot, fenced in lot, attached warehouse spaces, and a location on the bus route.
The center is engaged in a three phase fundraising campaign to "get the job done" and buy the location. The first phase includes raising funds for the downpayment, the second phase will last over two years to outright purchase the property, and the third phase involves improving and modifying to get the building in ship-shape to fulfill the center's needs.
The Maritime Center is also moving forward with news programs and partnerships.
Two new partnerships are with the Buffalo Outdoor Urban Education and the Great Lakes Water Sport Institute. The Buffalo Outdoor Urban Education aims to give students a hands on environmental education about Lake Erie and the waterfront, while the Great Lakes Water Sport Institute works to make the waterfront and water sports available to physically challenged people.
"They're logical partners, so we're joining with them so that even though our building is going to be landlocked, we are going to be able to use our equipment, our boats, our traditional methods with their staff doing joint programming," said Roger Allen, the new director of the Maritime Center. "We're really excited about it. It makes so much sense when you look at it. We are not competing with each other, we're working together. And so, even while we are doing the fundraising to move into this permanent home, we are moving ahead with that kind of programming."
The center is also designing a set of new programs designed for the public, including a series of weekend classes. Allen hopes boat building students will learn not only boat building skills, but also the craftsman's attitude, what he calls the "critical part."
"The bottom line is we don't really need a lot of wooden boat builders in the world. But what we do need is people with the craftsman-like attitude," said Allen. "I believe the wooden boat is the ultimate expression of manual arts because it has this black and white test. If you build it right, it will float. What you learn when you launch your own boat, you learn you can do anything... and that's what this program offers."
Allen also hopes to work with the school system in Buffalo, and two of the charter schools in order to offer maritime programs as part of their curriculum.
Anyone interested in donating to the Buffalo Maritime Center mail in a check to 1250 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213.
^Click to enlarge
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Great initiative-these guys are incredibly tenacious. I am thrilled to see them land in their own (re-used) building, but I simply cannot believe the Powers that Be on the waterfont did/would not do more to get this group, ie the Maritime Center, ON THE WATERFRONT.