Mike Puma

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• Posted The Bailey Avenue Neighborhood is Working Towards a Brighter Future to Buffalo Rising
  There is some exciting momentum in the Bailey Avenue neighborhood as improvements are planned for the street, collaborations are under way, and a large section of the area was designated a Buffalo Promise Neighborhood last year. Abraham Cissé is often at the center of all this good news since he founded the Bailey Avenue Business Association (BBA) last year. The BBA stretches from Winspear to Genesee and includes almost 200 active businesses within those boundaries. Cissé has been in WNY since 1994 and moved to the Bailey Avenue area in 2004 from Cheektowaga. In his nearly ten years living...
• Posted Preservation Plus Now Seeking Proposals for September Conference to Buffalo Rising
  Don't forget to save the date for the second annual Preservation Plus Conference hosted by Preservation Buffalo Niagara. The conference takes place from September 27th to the 29th at Buffalo Seminary, which was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The stately building will provide a great setting for this year's conference, which takes inspiration from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's conference. Last year, the conference was a great success with 40 education and field sessions for over 150 attendees. Preservation Buffalo Niagara is currently seeking proposals for workshops, demonstrations, field trips, tours, and education sessions. The...
• Commented on The Hamlin Park Neighborhood: A Strong Community and One You Should be Seriously Considering
  I honestly don't see why they would have a problem. I've been to a number of the HPCTA meetings and all the residents are in agreement that the best thing for Hamlin Park's future is to cater to a more...
• Posted The Hamlin Park Neighborhood: A Strong Community and One You Should be Seriously Considering to Buffalo Rising
  This post originally appeared on Views of BuffaloHamlin Park is a neighborhood that is very under the radar for most Buffalonians looking for a new place or suburbanites moving into the city. People assume simply because it's east of Main Street that there is no reason to consider it, which is a huge oversight. Those who live in Hamlin Park or are in the process of moving there now know better. Here are some of the biggest reasons why you should be looking to make Hamlin Park your home. 1) A Dedicated Community with Very Active Leadership: The Hamlin...
• Posted Painting For Preservation: Shining a Light on Three East Side Beauties to Buffalo Rising
  Painting for Preservation will be capturing the stately beauty of 36-50 East Utica Street on Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.  Artists of all media and skill level, community members, and interested observers are invited to document these beautiful but neglected historic homes through participation in on-site art-making and story sharing.  Dana Saylor-Furman, an organizing member of Painting for Preservation, researched and wrote The Active Path to Rebirth about the 1880s buildings for Buffalo Spree. The upcoming June Painting for Preservation events are as follows: ·      Saturday, June 1st , 9:30 am - 12:30 pm -...
• Posted Homestead Eligible Properties: Buy a House in Buffalo for a Single Dollar to Buffalo Rising
  The Urban Homestead Program that is offered by the City of Buffalo enables qualified buyers to purchase a home that has been deemed "homestead eligible" for $1.00 and there are plenty of properties left. There are three main requirements when purchasing a homestead property; the owner must fix all code violations within 18 months, have immediate access to at least $5000, and live there for at least three years. You also have to cover the closing costs of the purchase.   A complete list of homestead eligible properties and vacant lots can be found here, but it has not been updated since...
• Posted Deaconess Hospital Complex Comes Down, Deaconess Heights to Rise in its Place to Buffalo Rising
  The Deaconess Hospital complex at 1001 Humboldt Parkway (google map) is completely down and crews are working to remove the remainder of the debris. Once the site has been completely cleared a new housing development will begin construction on the site. Kaleida Health paid for the demolition of the 268,000 square foot hospital complex in order to pave the way for the Community Action Organization of Erie County (CAO) to create a new housing development, Deaconess Heights.  Deaconess Heights has been designed in an attempt to be sympathetic to the nature of its urban surroundings. New homes will have setbacks...
• Posted Construction Watch: Hotel Graystone on Track for New Residents this Summer to Buffalo Rising
  Rehabilitation of the Hotel Graystone at 24 Johnson Park is well underway and should be wrapped up and ready for residents this summer. The inside of the Graystone is buzzing with activity as workers create the 42 market-rate apartments, restoring original features, including over 320 original windows. In addition to the apartments, commercial space will be available in the basement. The Graystone was built between 1894 and 1897 and was originally planned to extend all the way to Delaware Avenue. Unfortunately, the plans never materialized because the owner ran into financial problems leaving the building only partially completed. A new...
• Commented on FREE: Mid-19th Century Commercial Building, Needs Some Love
  Housing court was last week and it was declared an imminent danger hence the move to a demolition hearing the first half of May. Taxes and everything are all paid up. My gut feeling is that they would go the...
• Commented on FREE: Mid-19th Century Commercial Building, Needs Some Love
  It's certainly not for the weak of heart or wallet. I'm every optimistic, but I see the reality of this building's needs and they are a lot to handle. No, neither the first nor second floor is intact along the...
• Posted FREE: Mid-19th Century Commercial Building, Needs Some Love to Buffalo Rising
  This post originally appeared on Views of Buffalo.This handsome commercial building at 363 Genesee Street (google map)has a lot of its original integrity, but it has certainly seen better days. The next few weeks are crucial to determining if it will join others in the landfill or if it will be saved and rehabilitated. A hearing has been set for the first half of May for the demolition of this building so anyone who has an interest needs to act quickly. This could be great space for a number of different users, such as a non-profit entity looking to be...
• Posted Artfarms Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant for First Sculpture Series on the East Side to Buffalo Rising
  Artfarms and its partner, Polish Community Center of Buffalo, have been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Art Works grant. They are one of 817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive funding through the NEA grants. A grant of $35,000 has been recommended for the construction of artistic sculptures that will supplement agricultural activity on vacant east side lots.The focus of Artfarms is centered on developing a creative repurposing idea that utilizes the East Side's extensive vacant areas to encourage redevelopment. Artfarms began as a private initiative to address urban vacancy in post‐industrial cities like Buffalo. Their approach is based...
• Commented on City Hall is Making it Easier to Buy City Owned Properties
  I'm glad someone was willing to reply to Kevin who actually understands the reasons for why the east side is the way it is rather than just ignorantly pointing the finger at current residents and blaming them. Thanks for that....
• Posted City Hall is Making it Easier to Buy City Owned Properties to Buffalo Rising
  This post originally appeared on Views of BuffaloAs the population of Buffalo continues to shrink we are often left with an increasing catalogue of vacant homes, many of which become the property of the City of Buffalo. Ownership falls to the city for a wide variety of different reasons like failure to pay taxes or a property being struck to the city due to increased complaints because of the negligence of the property owner. The process for acquiring a city owned property is usually lengthy and complicated, but things are beginning to change for the better at City Hall. Traditionally,...
• Posted Local Author's Debut Novel, Boarding Pass, Deals with Coming of Age to Buffalo Rising
  Growing up and coming of age. It's something everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives. For some people it comes naturally as they age and for others it comes as a requirement due to an event in their life. The latter is the case of Matt Derby a typical college senior faced with growing up and finding himself. Derby is the main character in debut novel, Boarding Pass by local author Paul Cumbo. Below is a Q&A with Paul about Boarding Pass, his background, and his inspiration for writing his first novel. Who are you? I'm...
• Commented on Great Potential for Residential Church Conversion is Squandered by Owners Unwilling to Sell
  Well, if someone has a serious offer they may entertain it. You never know, always worth a shot. We or I could call and see where it goes. Hell, I'll just drop in to their office on Bailey and see...
• Commented on Great Potential for Residential Church Conversion is Squandered by Owners Unwilling to Sell
  If you're serious, shoot me an email at mike.j.puma@gmail.com....
• Posted Great Potential for Residential Church Conversion is Squandered by Owners Unwilling to Sell to Buffalo Rising
  This post originally appeared on Views of BuffaloAnother church on the east side is slated for demolition with an owner who is unwilling to sell. This handsome brick church at 41 Spruce Street was built for the First German Baptist Church in 1869. The current owners, Trinity Baptist Church, have owned the building since 1940 according to Erie County Property records. I was able to get in touch with the church, located at 2930 Bailey Avenue and the receptionist informed me that the church will be demolished shortly and they will not consider selling it. This decision apparently comes after a...
• Posted Architectural Historians to Converge in Buffalo at Annual Conference Next Month to Buffalo Rising
  Buffalo is hosting another prestigious conference focused on levering our historic assets. The Society of Architectural Historians will be having their annual conference in the city this April from the 10th to the 14th at the convention center. The event will draw hundreds of visitors to Buffalo from fields like urban planning, architecture, preservation, and architectural history. Registration information is available by clicking here. Online registration ends this Friday, but people will still be able to register on-site the day the conference starts between 7am and 5pm at the convention center.  The primary focus of the conference will be how...
• Posted BYP Presents: Preservation "Speed Dating" Tonight to Buffalo Rising
  Tonight from 6 to 9 pm at Sweetness_7 (220 Grant Street), Buffalo's Young Preservationists (BYP) will host a "speed dating" event at which several key leaders of BYP will be giving several "speedy" five-minute presentations about current & future initiatives that BYP is working on. The goal is to "match" your skills and your passions with the initiatives happening within your community.  Anyone interested in being more involved in a variety of different ways is encouraged to stop by for the event. BYP is comprised of passionate and active people, but we could always use more to do more cool,...
• Commented on Hamlin Park Historic District Approved for State Listing, Now on the way to National Designation
  The recently designated Elmwood West Historic District has a period of significance between 1867 to 1941, a period that spans 75 years compared to Hamlin Park's stretch of 80 years. Furthermore, it has 1971 contributing homes and 258 non-contributing so...
• Posted Common Council to Vote on Local Landmark Designation for Trico Next Week to Buffalo Rising
  If you have an interest in the historic built environment of Buffalo, live in the Fruit Belt, and/or are concerned about the future of the National Register listed, Trico #1 Building don't miss the next Common Council meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 26th in the Council's chambers on the 13th floor of City Hall at 2 pm. This is the ONLY public meeting before the common council legislative committee decides whether or not to designate Trico as a local landmark. The designation was unanimously approved by the Preservation Board and now the ultimate decision lies with...
• Posted MINI Cooper Climbs Central Terminal to Kick Off New Fundraiser to Buffalo Rising
  A large crane lifted a MINI Cooper to its temporary perch just below the clock face of the Buffalo Central Terminal tower yesterday morning. Raising the MINI on the building marks the kick-off to a fundraiser for the continued restoration efforts of this east side landmark. Towne Automotive has donated a two-year lease on the MINI Cooper and tickets will be sold for $10, commencing the annual Dyngus Day celebration at the Central Terminal on April 1st. Tickets will be available for the six months following the Dyngus Day event until the Oktoberfest event. "We are very pleased to help...
• Commented on Hamlin Park Historic District Approved for State Listing, Now on the way to National Designation
  These historic districts are unique and I can say with certainty that not every neighborhood nor every old building in Buffalo, or any city for that matter, can receive this designation. You cannot imagine the amount of buildings clients have...
• Commented on Hamlin Park Historic District Approved for State Listing, Now on the way to National Designation
  Any property owner proposing demolition would first and foremost have to go through the local review before getting it approved since it is a local historic district. If someone wanted to level one or many of these homes in the...
• Commented on Hamlin Park Historic District Approved for State Listing, Now on the way to National Designation
  What do you mean by expansion? Are you talking leveling a few blocks for new buildings or Canisius purchasing existing homes and renting them?...
• Posted Hamlin Park Historic District Approved for State Listing, Now on the way to National Designation to Buffalo Rising
  The Hamlin Park Historic District was approved for listing on the New York State Register of Historic Places at the quarterly meeting yesterday. Now that it has been adopted by the state, the application is on its way to National Park Service for listing on the National Register. Hamlin Park is the first historic district on the east side and is now one of the largest in the state.  Out of the nearly 1600 properties within the district boundaries, approximately 1370 of them are contributing structures, while only 190 are non-contributing as a result of integrity loss, significant alterations, loss...
• Posted National Register Historic District Proposed for the Old First Ward to Buffalo Rising
  In the near future, Buffalo may have another National Register (NR) Historic District, this time in the Old First Ward. Senator Tim Kennedy has announced an effort to pursue the designation in order to help the community maintain the historic character that makes it so charming. The NR designation would allow homeowners to utilize a 20% tax credit for qualifying rehab work and a 40% tax credit for commercial properties. "Buffalo's First Ward is a relic to the hard work, sweat and endurance that our region is known for. It's going to take similar determination to secure historic designation, but...
• Commented on Owner of Bethlehem Steel Agreed to Sell Hours Before Demolition Began
  I can certainly answer some of those questions. My understanding is that the $100k was offered by Bill Magavern to Detweiler and the building would have been transferred to a non-profit. I don't know if it was a signed agreement...
• Commented on Owner of Bethlehem Steel Agreed to Sell Hours Before Demolition Began
  Hey Folks, Please see the update in the post for clarification. Many apologies on my end for forgetting to include it in the first place. It was in my original draft, but somehow managed to get removed. Here it is...