I'm so happy that spring is almost here, not because I don't like winter, but because I'm a fan of outdoor farmers' markets. Visiting your local farmers' stands is like heading to the farm without spending money on gas. The way that I feel about this growing trend of urban markets is the more the merrier. Most of the times these favorable food options start off as grassroots initiatives, which makes the overall healthy 'farm to table' trend that much more impressive. The only problem is that many of these markets arise in

By Lisa Ludwig: Neil Garvey was my friend. I feel so honored to be able to be able to say that.  Many many people are proud to be able to say that Neil was their friend as well. A few weeks ago, as I sat at his funeral, I could not help but look around, see the room overflowing with people, and think what an exceptional man he was, how truly loved he was, and by so many.  I thought of his beautiful, caring family, and of Neil's remarkable ability to make anyone feel special, even those for whom he didn't particularly care

975 PARKs / 162 Cities / 35 Countries / 6 Continents...
Although PARK(ing) Day may seem like a long way off, there isn't a better time than now to formulate a plan and to get Buffalo on the PARK(ing) Day map. PARK(ing) Day is Friday, September 21 2012. That day will be dedicated to those who feel that utilizing a parking spot for most anything other than a car is a good idea. The idea started in 2005 in San Francisco, where a parking spot is prime real estate dedicated to the car. Since the cars sit all day taking up space, the

To continue our focus on Trinity Place at the southern edge of Allentown I want to call attention to a couple of buildings (lead image) with tremendous potential on this charming street that currently act only as a lead weights to improvement.  I have long anguished over the condition and long decline of these two which sit on the southwest corner of Trinity at Elmwood.  They have sported a pair of for 'for sale' signs for several months or more now.   The building directly on

It is not often that we get a chance to recreate history. To actually rebuild it. Fortunately that is not the case with Buffalo's historic boats. The Inner Harbor was once teeming with Harbor Ferries. As larger boats anchored in the water, and were looking for ways to get workers to shore, the ferries turned out to be a fast and convenient way to make that happen. If you observe historic images of the harbor, you will see that the small crafts played a crucial role in delivering goods and people - something that the Buffalo Maritime Center (BMC) would like to see once again (in smaller numbers

By Hannya Boulos (Buffalo ReformEd):
Two major issues have come to the forefront of the Buffalo Public Schools in the past month: teacher evaluations, and funding to improve Buffalo's lowest achieving schools. These issues are directly related, because a provision of receiving funds from the state to carry out improvement in 6 low achieving schools is contingent upon the negotiation of a new teacher evaluation system.
There is a lot at riding on whether or not the State Education Department

The Genesee Block has been transformed into a welcoming gateway at the base of the Kensington.  Fred LoFaso of Sienna Realty is planning a similar transformative project at the I-190/Niagara Street exit. 

In 2007, LoFaso purchased the Turner Bros. building at 295-305 Niagara Street (originally built as a sarsaparilla, gingers and bitters manufacturer in 1853) and the adjoining taller building to the north built as a storage facility in 1920. The two buildings boast 55,000 sq.ft. of space. While the taller of the buildings would remain as storage over the years, the Turner Bros.

Sarah Bishop's (of Buffalo First) birthday celebration will be one for the books this year. Rather than basking in the birthday spotlight with the typical annual party, she's seizing the opportunity to turn her special day into a shared celebration of life and community. "A [26] Candles Reprise," which will be held on Friday, March 9 at The Eights Bistro, will be a fundraiser to support a local not-for-profit organization: The Pride Center of Western New York. 
"For over a decade, The Pride Center has tirelessly

The next chapter in Rich Tomasello's artistic journey will open up to the public at 464 Gallery on March 9. The exhibit, entitled "BREED," will build upon the themes that Tomasello established in his first solo show, "Rhinoceros" and will continue to confront the issues of conformity, masculinity, violence and abuse of power in today's society, this time with different mediums and a more universal perspective. 
"The

Since moving to Buffalo three years ago, I've watched with great interest the astonishing development of the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus.  I've watched the stunning Gates Vascular Institute  rise from an empty lot to rival the new federal courthouse as the most talked about pieces of modern architecture in Buffalo.  I've toured the iconic Hauptman-Woodward

Sometimes you need to compare something you know against something else to truly understand the real nature of that something else.  One such 'something else' for me was a newly built giant of a building. As an architect I was naturally interested in the construction of the massive Burj Dubai now know as Burj Khalifa. At 2,723 feet it is currently the tallest man made structure in the world. It has 163 usable floors and 46 maintenance floors with a total of over 3.3 million square feet of space. It was the centerpiece of a $20 billion

By Matt Sabuda:
In the next round of Bills lease negotiations, we can expect that some expansion or enhancement of premium seating will be highlighted. Why not create premium seating sections that are aimed at a uniquely Buffalo demand segment?
Bleacher Report ranked Buffalo 4th among all NFL cities for tailgating. Even Food and Wine Magazine has recognized Buffalo as one of "America's Best Tailgating Cities." Why not bring the party into the game?  Bringing Buffalo's tailgating tradition into the stadium would build on an already

Two model homes flanking the entrance to the Colvin Estates subdivision in North Buffalo are nearly finished.  A former railroad right-of-way is being transformed into 127 new homes.  Twenty-four lots are available in the project's first phase.  The development is located off of Colvin Avenue between Taunton Place and St. Lawrence Avenue.

Burke Homes is offering both one and two-story homes ranging from 1,235 to 2,126 square feet.  The Craftsman style homes, designed by Dean Sutton Architects,

Lafayette Court at 465 Main Street is getting a new food tenant.  The Lunch Box, a café and catering company serving salads, sandwiches and wraps that will be open for breakfast and lunch, is opening its third city location on the ground floor of the office building that is owned by Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation. 

The company was founded in 2009 by Amy McCarthy, co-founder of Globe Market, in the Tri-Main Center at 2495 Main Street.  A kiosk location was later opened in the lobby of the Innovation Center on Ellicott

By Joshua Bauer (Football Nation):
Just recently, Forbes Magazine released their selections for the "Most Miserable Sports Cities" and, wouldn't you know it, Buffalo made the list. Ranking number four in 2012 (they've been higher, but never number one and always in the top 5), Buffalo has been an annual fixture on Forbes' list of futility, sitting alongside perennial number ones Atlanta or Seattle, as well as lovable losers Phoenix and San Diego. Picking from

A heads-up for artists and galleries: the March 16 submission deadline for the 2nd annual echo Art Fair is approaching fast.
The fair takes place July 7 and 8, 2012 at The Larkin Center of Commerce, 701 Seneca Street, in Buffalo, NY. Last year's echo Art Fair, a one-day event, was held at Buffalo's historic Central Terminal, and drew over 3,000 people. Forty artists and galleries were selected from an international pool of applicants to display their art for exhibition and sale. The

Back in April, we featured a property located at 408 Amherst Street that we felt was a great opportunity for a buyer with good intentions. Since that time realtor Larry Bartolomei has sold the property and is convinced that the new owner will be a good fit for the street. When I last talked to Larry he wasn't just thrilled with the news of the latest property sale, he was already talking about a number of other successes and potentials that Black Rock was seeing. Personally, I find myself on Amherst Street more often visiting places like Nick's

Letter to the Editor:
My name is Vincent Alejandro. I was born and raised in the old First Ward in Buffalo, NY. I left for the Army in '93 and haven't lived back there since. I have missed Buffalo so much and am now planning within the next year to move back to my home city with my family. My parents, who were also born and raised in the ward are also talking about moving back to the area from Missouri. I check your website on a regular basis and love to read the stories of the old buildings and businesses being revitalized and reused. 
The

After witnessing Elmwood's first Easter Bonnet Parade last year, I vowed that I would return again this year... with a creative hat too! The inaugural event was such a blast, with people coming from all over the city donning custom creations to parade about on the lawn of the Unitarian Universalist Church before heading off in a colorful march towards the final destination - Lafayette Presbyterian Church. As it so happens, I happened to capture a number of the parade-goers and was able to put together

By Michael Hargrave:
The West Side Bazaar, on 242 Grant Street, celebrated its first anniversary on March 3rd. Exactly one year to the day from when they first opened their doors. The six women, some the original members, and some more recent additions, spent the day amidst a flurry of cupcakes and music.
I took a moment before the festivities started to sit down with Novi Paluch and Louise Sano, two of the vendors who run stalls in the Bazaar. Paluch,