Local artists and others gathered for a Painting for Preservation event at 53 Laurel Street on April 28 to bring attention to a building at risk of demolition.  The attractive building dates to ca. 1907 and is a carefully designed brick and stone double residence.  Laurel Street is an intact street with lively and responsible residents, looked just off the Michigan Street corridor.
Painting for Preservation seeks to bring together artists of all media in support of historic distressed properties

The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ellicott District Council Member Darius G. Pridgen requesting that the City of Buffalo Department of Permits & Inspections more aggressively enforce City building codes at the following properties: • Texas Red Hots located at 5-7 Genesee Street• Spa Lofts, LLC located at 9 Genesee Street; and•/city/index.html

By Xavier Guillaume:
Local carsharing organization Buffalo CarShare has received small monetary donations; however, area couple Athalie Joy and Peter Gold have just handed over their car keys, making this Buffalo CarShare's first time ever vehicle donation. Buffalo CarShare offers community vehicles that are parked throughout Buffalo that folks can rent and use by the hour. They just need to reserve the vehicle online or over the phone, walk to the vehicle, unlock it with their key fob, and then when they're done,

This Sunday, the public is invited to attend a very special occasion in Black Rock. The event is a dedication for the Black Rock Historical Society's Traveling Museum. The event will take place at the Buffalo Religious Arts Center at 157 East Street on May 20, 2012 at 2:00 PM. The occasion is intended to celebrate both the past and the future of Black Rock. It's also an amazing opportunity to check out the Buffalo Religious Arts Center. According to Historic Preservation Committee Member and Founding Member Black Rock Historical Society, Doreen DeBoth, "This is just

It was back in 2007 (photo) when I first covered Buffalo in Bloom (B in B). It was after walking out of City Hall when I stumbled upon a group of B in B volunteers who were busy transforming Niagara Square into a colorful garden-scape. It was no small undertaking, but considering the group behind the effort, it was most likely just another day of getting good deeds done. How many times have you walked past an urban garden and noticed the B in B logo planted on a stake? Too many times to count I would imagine. Once you stop

Another piece of the puzzle in the 500 Block of Main Street is coming into play. 520 Main Street, directly next to the Hyatt, is being redeveloped by Ellicott Development. The group has owned the building for several years and after the success of the Belesario next door, they have recently begun work to bring the building back online.

Office space or retail is planned for the first floor and two residential units are planned for the second and third floors. Throughout the building there is still a lot of original architectural integrity that remains.

Each year I beg and plead for people to head down to the old First Ward to attend the Riverfest Regatta. Every year the attendance for Riverfest and its infamous regatta gets greater and greater. 
Now that there are finally familiar destinations along the Buffalo River such as Riverfest Park, as well as the familiar standbys like Father Conway Park, there are myriad activities to be found. While Riverfest in itself is worth a trip to this reawakening part of our waterfront, it is the regatta that causes the biggest splash each year. Boat builders of all caliber spend countless

When you have a major sports team located on the city's waterfront, you would think that management would be just as interested in the state of the immediate environs as the general public. Can you imagine what the Sabres Organization could accomplish if 'the team' were to buy into the Inner Harbor? Of course the team does great things in the community on a regular basis, but if their front doorstep is in need of attention, then there's no reason not to use a little bit of muscle and elbow grease to spiff things up. While I always imagined that the 'no brainer' move for the Sabres would be to take

For years we've talked about reducing our sewer overflows, in order to prevent sewage runoff into our waters. We see the spewing results of outdated sewer systems mostly after heavy rainfall when the lines cannot accommodate the amount of water runoff that is generated due to non-permeable streets, buildings and parking lots. Without the necessary green infrastructure in place, we will continue to see the negative results. Of course this would mean that a public-private partnership would be required moving forward in order to collectively reduce combined sewer overflows. That is why Buffalo

On Wednesday May 16 join Landscape Architect Joy Kuebler, Architect Catherine Faust and Educator Melissa Leopard at Hallwalls as they present the concept of urban Pop Up Parks, and the effect that they will have on the city's youth and neighborhoods. The Pop Up Park is being touted as a 'design and building opportunity' for middle school students who will be given the tools (literally) that they need to construct built object(s) out of recycled and found materials. 
The first Pop Up Park will come to life on June 9th (location TBA), and then the idea will travel

It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce the artists (see below) who have been accepted to show their works at this year's echo Art Fair on July 7-8, 2012 at the Larking Center of Commerce. Not only will there be exceptional artists presenting their works, the venue itself will be a major draw as most people have never seen the interior space. Event creator Frits Abell wrote to me to say that, "We are extremely excited about echo Art Fair 2012. We're pleased with the organic growth of the fair, and the new programming additions. The

To adults, most bodily functions are just that - bodily functions. But to a kid, there's nothing quite so fascinating as learning about runny noses, body odors, etc. At times, most times, these unpleasantries can be tough to discuss with kids, without embarrassing moments and lots of laughs and giggles. Thankfully, the Museum of Science has got you covered. As of May 25*, you can head to the museum to explore the yucky sights and sounds of 'Grossology' - an exhibit that got its start based on the best-selling book by the same name. 
By using sophisticated

Last week I posted on Allison Adderley's parasitic sculpture hanging in Marine A at Silo City. The sculpture was one of the myriad thesis projects designed and installed by students from the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, under the direction of Associate Professor Jean La Marche. 
The second thesis project to be featured is an interactive work that literally ties in the Buffalo River. The work, Paper Lever, is incredibly made from paper and cardboard

By Joshua Bauer (Football Nation):
All QB Alex Tanney wanted was "an opportunity to get into a camp" and, thanks to the Buffalo Bills, he now has that chance.
When you're from a small, Division III school like Monmouth College, located in western Illinois and home to only 1400 or so undergraduate students, sometimes a player will have to do something special to get noticed. Sure, Tanney may have set the all-time Division III record for yardage

Where are you from originally?  
I was born and raised in the Southern Tier of WNY. I left after high school and studied and lived in a variety of places all over the world, but always knew I would return to this area to start a family and lay my roots.  
What is your medium? 
I am a lamp work glass artist. I use the glass beads I create, as well as metals, leathers and other findings, to craft unique jewelry.   
How has Buffalo influenced your

By Michele Schmidt
Thanks to connections made through the 2012 Green Drinks Earth Week Happy Hour, 25 families from throughout Buffalo will benefit from fresh, local produce this spring. Prior to the Happy Hour event, Modern Recycling announced that for each pound of perishable food items donated at the event, Modern would match that donation by donating an equal amount of tomatoes from their greenhouse to Massachusetts Avenue Project's Mobile Market. Read on to learn more... 
/city/index.html

Saving Cities is asking for your help to complete their feature length documentary film focusing on the American Rust Belt, titled 'Red White and Blueprints'.  Saving Cities Describes themselves online as:
...an organization dedicated to using media as a tool to advance community development across the Rust Belt. Through the creation of positive, call-to-action content, we aim to inspire a new generation of leaders to take responsibility

Where are you from originally?  
I grew up in Batavia, been in Buffalo since 1995
What is your medium? 
Photography
How has Buffalo influenced your work?
It's given me both a place to grow and thrive as as an artist and with all its great architecture a place to work as a photographer 
Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
All the great photographers that

A multitude of running races continues to be announced in Buffalo, and by now there is a race for just about everyone... and in every part of the city. You might say that we are becoming something of a running town. Jericho Ministries has just announced that it is hosting a race on the West Side of the city on June 16, and what makes this race truly unusual is the layout of the course. Take a look at the map and you will notice that the route is designed to get entrants running along streets that have recently begun to show great promise. 
Regular BRO readers will see

Preservation Buffalo Niagara is recognizing outstanding preservation projects and those contributing to preservation efforts at its annual awards ceremony May 30, 11:30 AM in the Statler's Golden Ballroom.  Award categories were established to acknowledge distinguished contributions to our community through preservation activity. Recipients will be recognized in several areas including: preservation craft; rehabilitation/adaptive use; stewardship; neighborhood conservation; planning/reconstruction; and preservation journalism.  Buffalo Rising will profile this year's winners leading