tuesday may 13th 2008
Hunt Real Estate - Like Night And Day
queenseyes
I've been watching with great interest the Hunt Real Estate development at the corner of Elmwood and Breckenridge (see story). For many years a group of us picked up the crap at that corner because the previous landlord and a certain business did not care about the property. We found old city street signs discarded in the overgrown grass, and we tried to keep the graffiti to a minimum. The acid etched graffiti on the front display windows meant that replacement glass was needed. But no one cared enough to spring for the money to do the things that really needed to be done.
Then along came Hunt Real Estate. Hunt has made this corner respectable again. And if you think the place looks good from the outside, the inside is pretty nice too. There are wood floors and pendant lights... and a beautiful seating area in the front window. The stone-looking facade adds a different look to Elmwood - plus I'm a total suck…
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queenseyes
After reading Steel's post on David from Fix Buffalo, I happened to run into him at Caffé Aroma. He was in the midst of planning the '08 Tour de Neglect. Now that people have gotten their bikes tuned up, they should start preparing for these grueling tours. Grueling not due to the amount of riding, but grueling on the brain - by the time you are done with the tour your head is spinning with all of the East Side achievements and possibilities.
As of moments ago, David, a long time East Side resident, had chosen this summer's dates for the tour. If you are not familiar with the tour, then here are a few of the details from David:
"2008 is now officially scheduled and sponsored for 2008. Meet-up and return at the Sonic Café (across from Art Space on Main St…
queenseyes
The other evening I happened to run into Mike Higgins, former fireboat captain of the Edward Cotter, and he shared with me a vision of what The Cotter home could some day look like. It seems as if there is a big push to build an appropriate home for one of Buffalo's greatest treasures. The historically designated, century old Cotter fire-boat, is the oldest operational fireboat in the world. It has battled fires on the Lake Erie shores for over a hundred, and in that time it has been put through the ringer.
This boat has gone through name changes, retirement issues, paint jobs, enormous amounts of damage, victories, and even changes in living quarters (see photo). Proponents of the fireboat have painstakingly researched the history of the vessel in order to show that this boat, which still services Buffalo, deserves a home that suits its character. I spoke with Vincent Benbenek…
queenseyes
I'm already comforted to know that a new coffee shop opened yesterday on Elmwood (see original post). Not because I need more coffee... it's more about a business coming onto the street and occupying a space that has been empty for many years. I must say that I didn't realize how much of a dead spot that storefront actually was until the café opened. Now the fabric awning is up, the lights are on and there are people in the window. What a difference.
The interior reminds me of the type of café one might find in a college town. And since Buffalo is considered a college town by many, the business should thrive. It's not crunchy like many college café scenes - the inside is fairly sparse with exposed an exposed HVAC system. The lighting is really well done too. There are no dominant light sources. Rather you will find lit food displays, backlighting, low-light overheads... very…
STEEL
These two houses are virtually identical in design. They are part of a row of similar brick houses built in the late 1800's, probably from the hand of one builder / developer. They are simple, well built houses of a type created for a newly growing middle class.
They are not extravagant, but do have a few Victorian flourishes to announce their owner's comfortable status. The house on the left (as well as some others in this area) has been meticulously cared for and continues to provide its owner with wonderful shelter in spite of the drastic downward spiral of the house next door as well as the neighborhood as a whole.
The house on the right, 1572 Jefferson on Buffalo's East Side has led a very different life. At some point in history the paths of these houses diverged. 1574 continues to flourish while 1572 slowly declined and became vacant. At this point 1572 Jefferso…
Eli George
With three states and Canada sending metal artists and artwork to the first annual Great Lakes International IronFest, it will surely be a sight Buffalo has not seen before. The public is being invited to attend this event, held at the Worthington Business Complex.
Artists from WNY, PA, Ohio, and Ontario will have limited admission to their demonstrations as they conduct their forging. Tickets will be available to be purchased on site. The above picture is of Kim Thomas, one of the artists giving a demonstration and below is Andy Hammer, an artist giving a demonstration who has received national attention for his bronze gate that will hang in front of the Lincoln catafalque in the Visitor Center at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.
monday may 12th 2008
Come See UB Architecture Students Play With The City
queenseyes
With all of the talk about seeing continued investment by University of Buffalo into the city, it's good to know that the students are already onboard. Tomorrow university architecture students are hosting a show at the Market Arcade (617 Main Street) that showcases how the class envisions potential university projects in the future. I asked Professor Adam Sokol, AIA what it was like for the students to tackle this project (for the first time), and he was clear that this was purely hypothetical and in no way attached to any university plans. He did say that the visions that his students developed were in answer to how they would like to see the city grow in conjunction with the university. From Adam:
The sites are purely hypothetical and are not reflective of any concrete plans on the part of UB or the City. But, the sites that the students were given to work with are:
1. …
queenseyes
In a matter of just a few days, Allentown will be home to a rather unusual new café. It's going to be unusual for two reasons... the operator is just coming from the show, 'Hell's Kitchen', and the style of food is going to be out of the norm (let's just say words like creative, healthy and fusion come to mind). First things first, it must have been a little tough watching Hell's Kitchen last week, as Buffalo's own Shayna Raichilson-Zadok was tossed by Gordon Ramsay. Chef Ramsay decided Shayna was just too "darn slow" to keep up in Hell's Kitchen.
Well, we in Buffalo are happy to have Shayna back home. She's working quick and steady as the Bohemian Hostess to open the Steel Crazy Café (mid-May). It will be "Bistro" style with, as Shayna says, "...a meld of fresh, and delicious comfort food with a juxtaposition of the hard surroundings of collectible steel-art displayed and fo…
buffalorising
Shark USA has moved their headquarters to Buffalo and become an instant local favorite. It seems only natural then, that this newly emerging energy drink would partner with another local favorite: Mighty Taco.
Mighty Taco was founded in 1973 and has always been exclusively in Buffalo. They have 15 locations across the WNY region and have no signs of slowing down. Shark Energy Drink has been around since 1965, but just recently moved to Buffalo in 2007.
Shark has really been making a splash around the city. With their presence on Chippewa, as well as with Mickey Rats and Cozumel, they have emerged as a contender for the top spot of energy drinks in Buffalo.
It almost comes with no surprise that
Eli George
What started out as an internship with Common Council President David Franczyk has now turned into a program that will see murals painted all over the Broadway area. Kimberley Moore is the president and founder of the Buffalo Mural Arts Program (BMAP). Painting will be taking place at the Broadway Market, 1105 Broadway, and the Duch Builder at 1247 Broadway.
Erik Minter will be painting 1105 Broadway and will begin on May 24th. Moore says, “It’s called “B-lo Looks Up.”” Moore explains that it will feature architecture, famous Buffalonians, wind turbines, and Sheas, with the premise being where Buffalo is going. Francsico Amaya will be painting the Duch Builder with a theme of Buffalo hunting and historic Buffalo.
Catherine Parker will be the painter of the Broadway Market and people from the city will actually get to help. BMAP will be hosting a summer picnic/fundrais…
