Update: Upper West Art Center

Update: Upper West Art Center

Story Options

Dec 9th 2007, 5:36pm By queenseyes

Think Financial Student Loans

Part of the Essex Corners Arts District tour entailed a walk by the future Upper West Art Center (located at the circle at West Ferry and Richmond). This was a fun stop, as Harvey Garrett updated the crowd on how far along the project had come... and where it presently stands. For those who may not be aware of the Upper West Art Center, it is essentially a neighborhood church that will some day become a cultural epicenter of the neighborhood. Since work has begun, $750,000 has already been allocated to the conversion. Part of the allocation went towards the roof repair.

Once the center opens to the public, it will offer a number of cultural and neighborhood amenities ranging from: three distinctive performance places, an art gallery, room for potential artist (working not living) studios, and common meeting rooms for non-for-profits. Details are... 600 seat, acoustically pristine concert hall, a fully operational 2,300 pipe organ, a 99-seat drama theatre and a myriad of gallery and visual art spaces. A number of cultural art institutions have been contacted (in the past) regarding potential fits and some of those culturals are still waiting for the green light. The green light (C of O) turns out to be additional monetary funds needed for a sprinkler system and bathrooms.

When the Upper West Art Center is eventually fully funded, the neighborhood will have an additional art center right in the middle of the neighborhood where many theatre-goers and artists already live. To learn more about the art center and how you can help make the project a reality, check out the Upper West Art Center's website.

User Options

feed your soul buffalo

What Others Have To Say

Comment Options

  1. carlmalone

    1 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 19:53

    Queenseye: while I love your level of effort and work approach, are there other people that write for BR? I mean you have written the about 90% of articles in recent memory. What's the deal?

    Report this

  2. carlmalone

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 19:53

    Queenseye: while I love your level of effort and work approach, are there other people that write for BR? I mean you have written roughly 90% of articles in recent memory. What's the deal?

    Report this

  3. benfranklin

    1 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 20:13

    Carl, I recall someone telling me that the greatest thing about America is that no one can tell you when to stop working. That's not the way most people look at things, but those that do never have a bad day at work. I'm assuming Q. would count himself among that group.

    Report this

  4. Paul

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 21:30

    Good to hear something about this after a long time of silence! They've done fund raising and been in and out of the radar (mostly out). The last I heard about this place was during the fund drive to save the pipe organ...you made your donation and then nothing...for years! Not good PR!

    Report this

  5. RisingDamp666

    1 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 21:50

    Instead of donating money to these "art centers", go out and buy the best artwork from these neighborhood artists. Just a thought.

    Report this

  6. 300miles

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 22:36

    I remember reading about this Art Center project about 3 years ago... Any time estimate on when they will be ready to open?

    Report this

  7. chris69

    1 ratings12345
    Dec 9th 2007, 23:15

    ok, now i have to say this because it will be a real travesty for Buffalo to continue to ignore this especially since are talking about churches being converted to art and sculpture centers, performing arts centers, community centers, etc.

    WILL SOMEONE PLEASE (IM BEGGING HERE) DO A STORY ABOUT "OUR LADY OF NOTRE DAME DE LOURDES" ON MAIN STREET BETWEEN ARTSPACE AND BUFFALO GENERAL.

    This church is open to the elements and has been for years, its the same Richardson Romanesque as the other converted churches and it could easily be incorporated into Artspace and the wonderful things happening in the WEDGE DISTRICT (Main & Michigan)

    Please put this out before the eastside looses another anchor for its redevelopment.

    Report this

  8. Perry

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 10th 2007, 09:40

    I was wondering what happen to the progress of that space - thanks for the update.

    Report this

  9. ash

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 10th 2007, 13:16

    This is an awesome piece of architecture in our neighborhood. Just about everytime I leave home and pass this structure I am awed...

    Report this

  10. bison716

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 10th 2007, 16:43

    Another great project! Hopefully it is well lit at night time, so local people and visitors will understand exactly what it is used for. Keep it moving.

    Report this

  11. brousey

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 11th 2007, 11:54

    Tell me.....will this have an opportunity for the children of Buffalo who need to be enlightened in Buffalo? I'm just curious because I'm working at an awesome place for kids teaching art throughout Palm Beach County. Center For Creative Education it is called. I like this place...West Palm...but I'm looking for a reason or way to come back to Buffalo. i miss it up there.

    Report this

Would you like to subscribe to this conversation?

Enter your email below, and you will receive an alert each time someone leaves a comment on this post.

What Do You Think?

Login to get more

Related Articles

  • Great Public Spaces: Route 5 Lands In The PPS 'Hall of Shame'

    Story Image Here's something to ponder over the weekend. The Route 5 debacle has just snagged a spot in the organization Project for Public Spaces' Hall of Shame. After reading RaChaCha's post on the Ten Great Qualities of a Great Street (criteria from PPS), a couple of members of the organization (who saw the post) flew into Buffalo. RaChaCha and I toured them around and showed them all of the Cobblestone District advancements as well as the area in and around the Commercial Slip. When they …

  • Carl's Constitutional Convention

    Story Image Carl Paladino is shaking it up once again, and next to the calling for the toll barriers to come down, this may be a hit with the general public. "I'm asking our legislative candidates to vote for a Constitutional Convention," Paladino said. "This can happen every twenty years, the last time being 1996, but it hasn't been done since 1938." Paladino's objective, he says, is to get both houses to vote by majority for a referendum on the ballot. This, he explains, would put to vo …

  • Hoax Revisited

    Story Image The Nicole Kidman/Studio Arena hoax that recently hit the media is an opportunity for some discussion about the way news travels these days, and begs comment on the phrase "Any publicity is good publicity". After speaking with someone closely related to Studio Arena, who wishes to stay anonymous, it seems like the Kidman hoax was timed perfectly—in order to circumvent corroboration—and named just the right names in order to look plausible. Add to that the fact that many of t …

  • Local Advertising Firm To Receive National Attention

    Story Image For over a decade, PRINT Magazine has been publishing a Regional Design Annual. This homage to graphic design receives more than 20,000 individual entries and only around two hundred are chosen as worthy entries into the yearly publication. They whittle down the entries in a stringent process of selection, picking only 5% of the first-rate winners from each region of the country that represent the best design, illustrations, and photography in the United States. This year, The Mar …

Text Links