The Kleinhans Community Association (KCA) was recently awarded an important grant of $4,080 from the City of Buffalo to make improvements to the intersection of Pennsylvania Street at Plymouth Avenue.
The Pennsylvania/Plymouth Four Corner Improvement Project (which has already begun) is designed to improve the safety and aesthetic value of the four corners. The site, one block away from Kleinhans Music Hall, is one of eleven corners targeted by the City of Buffalo, all of which can be found in livable community neighborhoods. It has been estimated that nearly 350,000 patrons visit the Klenhans neighborhood annually, and many visitors tend to park in this area when seeing a BPO performance. While the neighborhood immediately surrounding Kleinhans Music Hall has improved significantly over the last ten years, just a block west at Plymouth Avenue, the neighborhood is busy trying to catch up. Because of the deficiencies in some of the common areas (graffiti, litter, poor signage, etc.) this setting is not as inviting to visitors or as pleasant to residents as it could be.
One of the scopes of the Four Corner Project includes additional improvements to public utilities, which include the construction and installation of unique and historically appropriate street signposts. These posts are inspired by the Victorian designed houses and the pedestrian-based community that live in them. They will also accentuate the new eBrad Wales designedi modern bus shelter nicely. (Photo: Ub architecture students work to install new plantings at the bus shelter. At left in white t-shirt is UB professor and architect Brad Wales and to his right in blue t-shirt and baseball cap is Jon Spielman, a UB architectural school graduate and recent Kleinhans Community homeowner.)
The project, which began in the summer of 2005 is expected to be mostly completed by the end of 2005. The KCA will once again be working with Colgate Industries, who was responsible for fabricating the replacement light standard installed at Symphony Circle.
Many thanks to Ann Angelo for her assistance with writing and managing this grant. -KCA