thursday may 8th 2008
Williams on His Way Out?
buffalorising
It's going to be an interesting evening tonight when Buffalo Superintendent of Schools comes before the school board to discuss his yearly performance evaluation along with the possibility that he may be leaving Buffalo for a similar job in Memphis Tennessee.
One of five finalists looking for the Memphis job, Williams would be awarded with a salary of $260K, a raise of nearly 20 percent over his current salary.
Williams announced the potential job at a BPS Board of Education committee meeting after his candidacy was announced by Memphis Board of Education on Tuesday, along with appearing in the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. Williams said that he was approached by school officials in Memphis about the superintendent's job along with the four others, all from East Coast schools.
Williams has had a challenging school year, with three separate incidents occurring in p…
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buffalorising
"Hello? We're here and open for business."
That's the message from Park Lane Catering (PLC), in the Statler Towers. Recent news coverage about Bashar Issa's redevelopment plans may have given the general public a different idea, but Park Lane Catering Executive Molly Ford wants everyone to know that PLC's involvement in the Stater's Golden Ballroom, Terrace Room and Rendezvous Room is not affected.
"It's unfortunate that the fate of our business is bundled up with what's happening with Mr. Issa's development plans. I can assure you that we are ready to host events that are planned and future events that require an historic and elegant setting," said Ford. She goes on to say that the improvements made to the building make PLC's efforts as an event planner all the better.
After news of Issa's halting wor…
queenseyes
Man, I thought that the last problem that Russ Maxwell and his FLW Davidson House would run into would be the neighborhood. I thought that maybe the cost to rehab would be prohibitive... or the historic codes would be tough... or the FLW Foundation wouldn’t give its blessing... or anything other than what Russ is actually facing. But it looks like Russ already has a battle on his hands if he wants to open up the house to FLW enthusiasts (see original post). "Believe me," Russ told me. "I don't want to do something that the neighbors don't want... but if they would just give it a chance I think that they would see that it's good for the neighborhood and the city. The people that would be staying there are not going to be ruffians... they are going to be people who appreciate architecture and culture.…
Eli George
NexxNow has made terrific strides since February to get Buffalo a basketball team. In February, they had purchased the franchise but were looking for a venue. Now, they have a venue and a name. The Dragons will be playing at the ECC downtown campus in the Premiere Basketball League (PBL).
According to Paul Riley, President and CEO of NexxNow, the company’s business plan is to deliver US Sports content to China. “Our intent with the Dragons is to broadcast the Dragons’ games back to China. We plan to have a roster of 5-6 national players from China. Hence the name “Dragons,” as it is inspired by our China initiative,” says Riley.
The team will open the doors to new sportsteam in the city and put Buffalo on the international map as well as serving to facilitate a local rivalry. A PBL team exists i…
queenseyes
If you've been wondering about the changes at The Washington Market, then you might want to stop in to see the first big change. Even though it is a work in progress, the cafe has moved up to the front of the building. This is only Phase 1 of the café move... the next step will be to move the entire check out site to the middle of the market. That vacant section will also be dedicated to café seating. When this move is complete, the front of the Washington Market will be a café, the middle section will be dedicated to check out, meats, deli, etc., and the rear will still be used as a grocery store/market with fridges and freezers.
When I stopped in yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to see that the front of the market was much more spacious. The market mural was very noticeable since the tables…
Sandra Williams Gordon
Sample Restaurant will be celebrating Theatre Of Youth's (TOY) production of If You Give a Pig a Party with their very own party!
What better way to begin the celebration of Mother's Day than to join the Party? Begin by stopping by Sample Restaurant for Dinner or Lunch, and then follow the celebration to TOY's production of If You Give a Pig a Party.
Often considered a restaurant to suit an adult contemporary palette, Sample is joining the celebration of family and friends, with a children’s menu designed specifically for this event. Sample will be in keeping with its all hors d’oeuvres concept, by offering a fun kids menu featuring Mac & Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly and Grilled Cheese Finger Sandwiches, Fruit Bowl, and of course, Pancakes with your “Favorite Maple Syrup”. For dessert, Ice Cream Sundae and a Mini Birthday Cake (for Pig’s Party).…
Todd Schoepflin
This just in: Buffalo has a lot of great coffee houses. Actually, that’s an obvious statement and not news to anyone. We all know that Buffalo offers many fun places to grab a coffee. I wonder what makes a person prefer some places more than others. My favorite coffee house happens to be Café Allegro. I always feel at home there. Maybe it’s the cozy chairs that remind me of past apartments, or it might be the general laid-back atmosphere. Whatever the reason, I find it the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
There are many concoctions from which to choose. I like The Shorty–espresso, white chocolate, caramel syrup, and vanilla syrup—priced reasonably at $3 for 16 ounces. A few weeks ago I enjoyed one along with a piece of raspberry pie. Life was good with my sweet treats and some time for people-watching. A young woman seated n…
Steve Stipanovich
Hopefully Buffalo Rising readers are aware of the proposed rehabilitation for the current Ontario Street Boat Launch in the city of Buffalo; the project is known as Black Rock Canal Park (BRCP). The County-owned land, that is in desperate need of repair and enhancements, is getting planning assistance from the local community. The Black Rock-Riverside Good Neighbors Planning Alliance (BRRGNPA) Land Use, Zoning and Urban Design (LUZUD) committee, has spent thousands of community volunteer hours to develop a plan and present it to every level of government, various community groups, businesses and waterfront users. Their award winning plans have been deemed so visionary that last year there was a commitment of $100,000 from the County and $50,000 from the City to fund a full feasibility study.
On the promise of the money, a request for proposals was issued, bids were received and…
queenseyes
With Memorial Day just around the corner, work on the Commercial Slip appears to be steady. Even though the Whipple Truss Bridge has not been opened to the public, there are really good vantage points that allow the curiosity seeker the ability to check out the developments. I think that people are going to be happy when they are finally allowed to walk through the Lloyd Street foundations (1840-1880 period) and on to the Central Wharf plaza (as seen in the first photo). The working buildings that once faced onto Lloyd had basement doors that led to the tow path along the Commercial Slip.
A walk through the foundations is literally a historic vantage point that gives the visitor an important sense of history and place. The second photo features land that was, at one point in time, found between Prime Street and the bulkhead along the river. Project planners tell me that thi…
wednesday may 7th 2008
Packard Building Sold
West Coast Perspective
Plans for converting the Packard Building at 1325 Main Street into 40 apartments and first floor commercial space have taken a step forward. White Plains-based Regan Development purchased the property today for $1.2 million from Cash Realty & Auctions. The three-story, 70,000 sq.ft. property is located at the corner of Riley Street, two blocks north of ArtSpace.
