thursday may 15th 2008
Just Vino @ Granite Works
queenseyes
After two years, developer Ben Obletz's Granite Works building has finally landed a tenant. That's not to say that there hasn't been any interest from commercial prospects - rather Ben has been looking for the right tenant that fits with the building and the existing residential loft-livers (that means no cooking, etc.).
So what does it take to be a perfect business fit for the Granite Works building? Well, the first party to open at the corner of Main and Virginia will be a wine bar called Just Vino. Owners of Just Vino, Jeff Borsuk and Ken Wood, have been talking about opening a wine bar in Buffalo for over ten years. Finally, when Jeff was in-between jobs, he decided that the time was right to follow his passion. "We're both very happy with the direction that the city is going in," he told me. "We looked at other locations, but never considered Granite Works because we though it was going to be too expe…
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buffalorising
Today marks the 2nd Buffalo for Africa's Rally for Peace. Local politicians, performance groups, schools and activists will congregate at Niagara Square for this moving evening. The mission of Buffalo for Africa is to educate our community, raise awareness and funds in attempt to aid Africa. They strive to inspire the city of Good Neighbors to help protect the dignity of human rights and take action.
The rally's schedule is as follows:
5PM: African Dance Performance by “Nedra” (Kim Weber from the WNY Belly Dance Association)
5:10PM: Introduction by Christina Sullivan & Patty Evans. (Opening remarks to explain the schedule of rally, why we are there, introduction of the Board, welcome to special guests, recognize schools/refugee groups, and Granville family, etc.)
5:20PM: Darfur: The Urgency by Drew Bei…
queenseyes
If architect Karl Frizlen and developer Paul Johnson have their way, the city's West Side will soon see a vacant 35,000 sq.', three-storey, 1928 school building converted to modern loft apartments. Karl and Paul are planning on turning the former Catholic Academy, found an 257 Lafayette Street, into a mixed-use project consisting of 20 apartments and an 11,000 sq.' office/daycare space.
This $3,000,000 privately financed proposal is a short walk to a number of destinations, including Guercio's market, Big Orbit Gallery, Left Bank Restaurant, Essex Pub, Quaker Bonnet, Prime 490 Restaurant and Urban Roots. It is also just down the street from Prish Moran's big project on Grant Street, where on Friday, June 6th, The brand new Grant Street Gallery will be hosting its first show featuring the works of R.J.Witzel (RJW Retrospect S…
queenseyes
It looks like some of the local business community is beginning to open their eyes to the fact that the biking community spends money too. It amazes me that there are still businesses around town that have no bike racks. Just take a look out your window and look at the all of the bikers these days. Bikers do not take up 'precious' parking spaces. But they do need to lock up their bikes. If I'm biking around the city I tend to stop at many more places for the things I need... if there is a bike rack.
To go even further, companies can, and should, offer incentives to get bikers through their doors. Take the Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre for example. They have a new program where you can buy a sticker for five bucks that you can adhere to your bike helmet. Customers who bike to the theater wearing a helmet with the sticker get $2 off a movie. How cool is that? The hope is that m…
West Coast Perspective
The Buffalo Diocese has announced the formation of a new committee that will advise Bishop Kmiec on future uses for parish properties that will no longer be used as a result of mergers. The Parish Property Redevelopment Committee is comprised of architects, engineers, housing advocates, urban planners and developers.
To date, twenty Buffalo churches have been shuttered as part of the controversial "Journey in Faith and Grace," a strategic planning and spiritual revitalization initiative launched in June 2005 to respond to shrinking population, changing demographics, declining attendance, and fewer diocesan priests. The diocese has drawn criticism for placing what some consider over-restrictive reuse limitations on the properties.
wednesday may 14th 2008
Take Time To Donate Life in Buffalo
Serina Richards
Did you know that each day 132 people are added to the national donor waiting list? Each day only 79 organ transplants take place... this means each day there are 53 people who are in dire need of help.
Blood is perhaps the most needed resource in the organ transplant process. It is used during operations and is needed to sustain life for those who are waiting for organ transplants. In coming days and months, Upstate New york Transplant Services (UNYTS) is hosting blood drives all over the Western New York Community. Blood donating is your chance to give the Gift of Life now... in taking just forty-five minutes of your time to donate one unit of blood, you have the opportunity to save up to three lives given the different life-saving elements of your donation.
To find out more about community blood donation through Upstate New York Transplant Services, call our Community Blood…
buffalorising
Jim Locke and his late wife Mary started a garden at 75 Lancaster Avenue in Buffalo. After Mary lost her battle to cancer, a few years went by and Annabelle Irey appeared on the scene, bringing with her a heritage of gardening. Now, the garden that Jim and Mary started and was continued by Jim and Annabelle will be featured in the Summer ’08 issue of Better Homes & Garden’s Garden Ideas and Outdoor Living.
The magazine is published quarterly by Better Homes & Garden’s Special Interest Media. The garden is known as “Mary’s Garden” and 11 photographs of the property, including some of its unique plants, are being featured. The magazine will be returning in June ’08 to photograph two more Buffalo gardens.
“Mary’s Garden” is one of the popular stops on Garden Walk Buffalo, which is
Eli George
With all of the tree planting efforts going on around the city, even Mayor Brown is getting in on the act. A second grade class from Nardin Academy wrote to the Mayor on Earth Day, urging him to take certain steps to help improve the environment. The letter follows:
Dear Mayor Brown,
We, the boys and girls of the Second Grade, think you are doing a good job as mayor.
We are concerned about our earth. Here are some ideas we would like you to work on.
2. Have factories and businesses use better, cleaner ways of doing business
4. Enco…
Eli George
Yet another opportunity for Buffalonians to voice their opinions, albeit a little more complexity is involved then there was with the last opportunity. Assembly member Sam Hoyt will be hosting a public hearing this Friday, May 16, to review the 73 recommendations made by the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness (LGEC).
The report by the LGEC was released in April and can be viewed here. The fifteen member board, which Hoyt is a member of, was created by executive order and conducted their review over a period of 12 months.
Their findings include several recommendations that will be advanced as state legislation. Some of the major recommendations are the centralization of several local government fun…
buffalorising
Steven Stepniak, Peter J. Merlo, P.E., and Drew Eszak are the Mayor's newest appointees.
Stepniak was named Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Streets after being the acting commissioner since August of 2007. Before that he held positions as the Senior Engineer for the City of Buffalo Division of Engineering, and Director of Street Cleaning and Snow Removal.
Merlo the new City Engineer, is a licensed New York State professional engineer, and was employed at R&D Engineering, P.C. from 1995 through March 2001, before joining the Division of Water in 2001 as an associate engineer. He was named principal engineer in 2005
Drew Eszak, the interim City Planner in the Office of Strategic Planning was most recently the Erie County Commissioner of Environment & Planning. As interim, Eszak will hold the position for the next few months while a search for a permanent City Planner…
