A $50 million renovation and expansion of McKinley High School is on track for an August completion.  The work, which started in early 2010, will give the school a brand new entrance and four story addition. Originally constructed in 1964 to house a traditional vocational school, McKinley Comprehensive High School of Choice was designed without a formal entrance. The new addition will serve to remedy this problem by providing a covered pedestrian walkway through a canopied entry court into the new main lobby. The three upper floors of the addition will house 20 new classrooms.
 The

While many people may think of the grain silos and elevators as an abandoned part of the city, where monstrous buildings wait to crumble, they might be surprised to learn that a faction of University at Buffalo students feel otherwise. In fact, UB students can be found at Silo City on just about any given day. What are they doing down there? Well, it turns out that Silo City is a very inspirational place for architecture and design students. There is no other place, possibly in the world, that is so conducive to unleashing the creative energy necessary for the students to thrive. Take the

By Jake Steinmetz:
On Thursday, May 10th, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chairman Mark G. Pearce is scheduled to keynote at the "Freedom in the Balance Event" on Buffalo's east side.  The event is being sponsored by Vive, Inc., the United States' largest refugee shelter, in an effort to create greater awareness of their organization's operations and their continued need for support.  
Mark Gaston Pearce was named Chairman

Yesterday marked the start of a significant tribute to Hispanic Americans who have served this county. A Hispanic American Veterans Memorial Monument is underway at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park and will be located between the Korean and Rust Bucket Monuments. A rendering is shown that depicts what the final work will look like. Being recognized as the 'first landmark of its kind for Hispanic Americans in the region', this tribute is an important milestone for soldiers who continue, to this day, to serve in the military. The first step towards seeing this monument

At long last, work on an expanded canal system at Canalside appears ready to begin.  Albany shenanigans held up releasing the funds for the project delaying construction.  Survey crews were at work on Friday and construction equipment is beginning to be brought to the site.
The historically aligned public canals are approximately 37,000 square feet and will include all the necessary equipment to maintain ice during the winter. Three

It was only when I was heading down Elmwood earlier today and saw a roadside grill that I remembered that it was Cinco de Mayo. It didn't take long to forget about the holiday, as it was the grill that remained emblazoned upon my mind. I was so excited to see a restaurant taking the time to interact with pedestrians in a way other than just setting up a passive patio, that I decided to inspect the scene a bit closer. I walked up to Solé's chef AJ Della Selva and congratulated him on his outdoor setup, and he acknowledged that he was preparing the grill for a Cinco de Mayo celebration

Where are you from originally? 
I was born and raised in Toronto.
What is your medium?
Acrylic paint and mixed media.
How has Buffalo influenced your work? 
Well, there is a vibrant art community here and very affordable studio space can be readily had. I share space in the Tri-Main building and the fifth floor is alive with other painters, sculptors, potters and more....so I never feel like "the lonely artist" when

La Tee Da has always had an amazing back patio, there is no question. And who doesn't like to hang out on a sweet patio when the weather is nice? As much as there are some great patios in Buffalo, there are few that can hold a candle to La Tee Da's. First of all, the giant tent-like awning that covers the better part of the courtyard has ceiling fans for when it is hot, and heaters for when it is cool. The golden color of the awning gives off a warm glow as the sun goes down, and the sides drop down to protect visitors from the wind and rain, while rolling them up showcases manicured gardens

The Olmsted Parks Conservancy is getting ready to cater to park-goers and golfers this summer in a big way. The conservancy has announced that there is a new operator moving into both the Parkside Lodge and the kiosk on Ring Road as well. Kat Tyler, owner of the EM Tea Cup Cafe and The 2nd Cup, will be preparing to service the two locations in coming days. The eatery at The Parkside Lodge will be called The Tee Cup, and will offer all sorts of lunch items for the golf crowd as well as for routine visitors to the park. She will also be applying for a beer and wine license, which is something

If you're looking for a truly unique way to enjoy the waterfront, why not pay a visit to the West Side Rowing Club (WSRC) this Sunday. There's nothing better than relaxing along the Black Rock Channel while rooting on your home team while they participate in the John Bennett Regatta - one of the largest rowing events ever to be held in Buffalo. This is WSRC's big kickoff marking the beginning of the club's racing season. The regatta will be attracting over 600 rowers to the city's waterfront from high school crew programs from across New York State, Pennsylvania and Southern Ontario. "The

Where are you from originally? 
Wyoming, NY What is your medium? 
Mixed How has Buffalo influenced your work? 
Buffalo is where I started sharing my work with people other than family. I met Brian Nesline [Faces of Buffalo] and he told me I need to get my work out there. Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
/city/index.html

By this time we have seen quite a few Give for Greatness (G4G) events unfold all around us. Whether it's a group of lawyers in Downtown Buffalo giving it up for the culturals, or a gallery in Black Rock, the message is loud and clear: We believe in our arts institutions and will rally behind them in order to keep them strong. The next G4G event on tap is the Fiesta for the Arts. We must give credit where credit is due. Just take a look at all of the dance troupes that are gathering for this event. Combine that with the awesome live music line-up and this fiesta appears to be bound

When you're trying to get some action going in your neighborhood, and your neighborhood is located in a section of downtown that is on the borderline of bouncing back, there's nothing like hosting a block party to liven things up. On Friday, May 11, 2012 starting at 4:00pm (just around the time that you're getting off work), you are invited to come party with some businesses and culturals on the 500-block of Main Street. The event is free and open to the public... especially all of the people who work downtown. After all, if downtown workers make an attempt to support these types

The new federal courthouse on Niagara Square was officially dedicated Thursday afternoon.  Speakers included Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Brian Higgins, WNY U.S. District Court Chief Justice William M. Skretny, U.S. General Services Regional Administrator Denise Pease, U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs, Court of Appeals Second Circuit Justice Richard Wesley, WNY U.S. District Court Judge Richard Arcara, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and William

It was last fall when the old yellowish green newspaper box showed up on Grant Street in front of Sweet_ness 7 Cafe. It looked pretty battered, but just the same there was a story to tell - a story that would would lead to many more stories as winter turned to spring. The box turned out to be a Free Book Exchange. As far as anyone can tell, the person that dropped it off never stopped in to tell anyone at the coffee chop that it was there... or how it should be used. Of course the name of the program is a good clue as to how it should work, but at the same time, would people know to drop off an

As Buffalo's bridal headquarters, The Lafayette Hotel, speeds towards opening day, another Buffalo business is heading along for the ride. 
Ali Eagan, owner of Elmwood Avenue's custom fashion design shop, Made by Anatomy (facebook), will be packing up her custom designs before reopening as a custom bridal showroom and design showroom at The Hotel Lafayette. "I am SO super excited!" Ali told me. "Anatomy will be open and functioning [on Elmwood] normally until May 13th. Thereafter

By Kelsey Hanks:
Buffalo Niagara 360 (BN360) continues to thrive as the young professionals program of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. First-class sponsors and strategic partners collaborate to produce business leadership seminars, up close and personal discussions with government leaders, social hours to benefit local charities and volunteer opportunities. BN360 provides Buffalo Niagara's young professionals with the necessary leadership development, business networking

I've never attended a maypole festival. Nor did I think that Buffalo would ever play host to a maypole festival. Actually, the only reason I am even familiar with this sort of festivity is due to a particular scene in the movie 'Wicker Man' (the original, not the remake with Nick Cage) where the pagan celebration pays tribute to fertility and the coming harvest. Now I'm sure that Farmer Pirates is organizing the event in order to beckon in a successful harvest... I'm not sure if the fertility aspect is in play here or not. Either way, this is a

Where are you from originally?
I grew up in the area. I went to Infant of Prague for grammar school and Maryvale for High School
What is your medium?
Anything and everything that I can enhance, manipulate, personalize or expose. I love using acrylics and oils on canvas but have gotten into making custom hula hoops and other things that people buy like jewelry, bags, wearable art and other usable art.
How has Buffalo influenced your work?
/city/index.html

Educators, administrators, mentors and parents seeking new methods for motivating and supporting students at risk of educational failure will have the opportunity to hear from 15 leaders in the fields of education and arts at the 5th Annual Patricia Cotsen Arts Abilities Conference, held Friday, May 4 at Asbury Hall. The conference is being presented by Young Audiences of Western New York and Arts Partners for Learning.
The focus of the conference will be to provide those who work with youth--whether they be teachers, administrators, human service workers,