This past weekend the Buffalo Yacht Club hosted the Lake Yacht Racing Association (LYRA) Annual Regatta - only the second time held in Buffalo in the last 126 years. In order to accommodate the racers, the club added a floating dock system that extended out along the LaSalle Park seawall. The extension was a welcome addition to the park, giving passersby an opportunity to envision what LaSalle would look like if boaters were allowed to tie up. I asked a few people at the club if the dock system was permanent, and the answer was, "Probably not..."

When I inquired as to why the docks

By Tom Tarapacki

Summertime is obviously a great time to run, and many people take advantage of the warm weather to hit the road. It's also a good time to participate in one of the many area road races. Entering a 5K race is a terrific way to enjoy a run with a bunch of other people, pick up a new t-shirt, and support a good cause. Running in a 5K is a great way to improve your overall conditioning, since trying to finish with a time time (as in the time it takes you to finish the race) adds a little incentive to your training.

5K (or 5 kilometer) runs are pretty frequent

By Mike Rizzo:

Some things are better left unsaid, but then you wouldn't know about them, right? For the past five years I have been releasing a new local history book every other year. First there was "Through the Mayors' Eyes," then "Nine Nine Eight: The Glory Days of Buffalo Shopping," and last fall I released "They Call Me Korney: The True Story of Buffalo's Korney Gang." Each book is unique in content and originality: Buffalo mayoral history, retailing, and Polish gangsters.

During the middle of that my wife and I started The Mob Tours, which provides bus tours

At long last Porter Avenue will see the infrastructure improvements needed to turn the street into a the gateway to the city that it always should have been. Phase 1 of the $3 million project is underway (see back story), and with it the street will be transformed into something much closer to how it was originally intended - as an Olmsted Parkway.

Now that work has begun from near the entrance of Lasalle Park to Niagara Street, it would be fitting to examine some of the

On Friday we taped our regular show with the delightful Mark Scott at the WBFO studios. There was a lot to talk about, we could have filled at least an hour. But, as usual, Mark touched on some timely and interesting topics, a few of which aired Monday on the Buffalo Rising Roundtable.

Our Bass Pro discussion is prefaced with the caveat that it was taped before Bass Pro made their big announcement on Friday. Scott cajoled me a little for my excitement over the two new street vendors that have been given permission to sell fresh and high-quality street food downtown. Here you will listen

This announcement just came in from Bernadette Pawlak and should be of interest to many.

CUFF (Curtis Urban Farm Foundation) and CTRC (Central Terminal Restoration Corporation) will host a community outreach program and hot dog roast tonight.
 
The meeting will focus on all of the work that has taken place on the lots in the Peckham, Clark and Lombard area, along with a presentation

Isn't it amazing what can happen when a public park is built by the community in an at-risk neighborhood? Following are two examples of the changes that can occur - interestingly enough, both of these community projects were built at corners, and both were built at sites that, until recently, were occupied by structures.

It can be a scary scenario when a corner lot opens in a residential neighborhood. Often times the lot sits vacant and collects garbage, thus attracting other bad elements to the spot. Vacant corners are also susceptible to parking lots, which can be major eyesores if

Well, it seems the universe wants us all to tell it what we'd like to see at the waterfront entity known as Canal Side.  The retraction of interest by Bass Pro may mean a huge, bright, new opportunity for all of us who like diversity, variety, value and a genuine Buffalo environment in which to learn, laugh, and celebrate our unique city.
 
Form follows function, right?  If you build it they will come, but if you build what they want, they will keep coming! So, is it green, sports, BBQ, history, playgrounds, museums...?

Buffalo Rising and the Buffalo

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) is a local partnership funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) working to advance community-based solutions that will help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. It focuses on changing policies and environments to support active living and healthy eating among children and families.

To start HKHC want to hear from you - What can be done to help our community increase its overall health? What can we do to improve the health of our kids?

Local youths, educators, parents and any other interested parties are invited to a series

By Michael Canfield:

South Buffalo has a rich and diverse history, with Buffum Street - and what may be the oldest home in South Buffalo - playing a large part in it.

The history of what is now Buffum Street dates back to the 17th century, when the Senecas took over the land surrounding the street from the Kah - Kwah tribe.  The area eventually became known as the Buffalo Creek Indian Reservation, and the corner of Buffum Street and Fields Avenue still holds the remnants of a Native American burial ground, now a memorial park.  The burial ground was the original

After nearly ten years of study, site shifts, and lease negotiations, Bass Pro has dumped plans to open a store on the waterfront.  On July 19, Congressman Brian Higgins issued an ultimatum to Bass Pro giving the retailer two weeks to act on a lease for a Buffalo location.  Bass Pro president Jim Hagale notified Congressman Higgins today that it "cannot respond favorably to the lease draft forwarded to us by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation within the fourteen day time period

It took all of about six months to transform this house on Porter from a multi-family dilapidated mess to a pristine single-family home (see back story). According to the developers, Jim Swiezy (right) and Matt Klafehn (Greenleef Real Estate), the house was about a year away from being beyond repair. Thankfully Jim and Matt decided to take a big chance - one that resulted in restoring a high profile property in a historic district. Before choosing the appropriate paint

Grand opening for the Blue Monk (formerly Merlin's) is only a couple of weeks away. Although there is still work to be done, the interior has come a long way and the logo has made its way onto the side of the building. As is common in cafe and restaurant rehabs these days, owners Mike Shatzel and Kevin Brinkworth made trips to the land of reuse to find a number of different fixtures for the pub. If you think about it, the reused materials add to the antiquity of the place, giving it a look that

Allentown is a neighborhood that constantly reinvents itself, yet at the same time it never appears to drastically change. Thankfully the changes that we have seen in recent years, are ones signaling progress. Whether the progress takes the shape of Kleinhans' reflecting pool and the circle, or nearby restoration of houses on Porter and in the Fargo neighborhood, Allentown is looking up these days. We've seen what the Karpeles

If you're into green, and you're looking to take part in a very unique celebration, head over to Shakti Yoga this Friday to pay tribute to Buffalo's 'Net Zero' house and the people who worked on it. It's true - the house will generate as much power as it consumes, leading the way for others in the community to rethink how a zero impact house can be built. What may ultimately prove to be more important is the geo-thermal and solar system training received by the young adults who worked on the project. Each of them now possesses the valuable knowledge that they will bring with them on future jobs,

It's been a year since a rooftop garden and patio area was installed at Savarino Cos. and Avalon Development's 95 Perry Street in the Cobblestone District.  So how did the plants tolerate a mid-summer planting and deep freeze over the winter?  Amazingly well according to landscape contractor and 'green' expert Dave Majewski owner of Premium Services.

"I have not seen the plants since spring budding; it is doing incredibly well," said Majewski.  "All the plants survived the winter with no problems.  It is doing better than expected."

The rooftop deck, with amazing

This past Saturday, photographers of all sorts came out to the Erie Canal Basin, Marina, and Naval Yard to participate in Scott Kelby's Third Annual World Wide Photo Walk. Led by Annie Levay, the group met in the ruins found alongside the Commercial Slip's stunning waterfall. The gathering was not only an opportunity for photographers to compete in a worldwide contest, but to also stretch one's photo taking skills and legs.

Once Annie gathered all the walkers together, she explained all the special features of the area that would be accessible

Efforts to secure an exemption for the NYS Rehabilitation Tax Credit program from the Governor's and Assembly's tax credit deferral plan continue, and your final assistance is needed to protect this program from changes that will halt or severely delay rehabilitation projects across New York State.  Your making three phone calls to the Governor, Assembly, and Senate can assist the Preservation League and others working in Albany to keep the rehabilitation tax credit program intact and ready to work for Buffalo and New York State.

Governor Patterson proposed - and the NYS Assembly

Future redevelopment in the Hydraulics neighborhood was given a lift when a Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, helping property owners to designate buildings in the neighborhood as historic.  Owners of listed buildings are eligible for Historic Preservation Rehabilitation Tax Credits.  Jennifer Walkowski, an Architectural Historian with Clinton Brown Company Architecture, prepared the MPDF document (see background here). 

By Kimberly Worling:

There's a new ball in Delaware Park. In addition to baseball, golf, soccer, basketball, cycling, running and more, Buffalo can now add The World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA©) Kickball to its list. It's the same red rubber ball and game from grade school, except the players are older, at least 21 as mandated by WAKA rules, rules that govern age and the play of a 5-inning game. In addition to age, WAKA mandates there must be at least 8 (and up to 11) players on the field and there must be at least 4 males and 4 females