Among many other cities across the globe, Buffalo is celebrating the urbanist revolutionary, Jane Jacobs this weekend with a series of neighborhood walking tours. Jane’s Walks are free, locally organized walking tours, in which people get together to explore, talk about and celebrate their neighbourhoods. Where more traditional tours are a bit like walking lectures, a Jane’s Walk is more of a walking conversation. Leaders share their knowledge, but also encourage discussion and participation among the walkers. A Jane’s Walk can focus on almost any aspect of a neighbourhood, and on almost any topic you can think of. Walks can be serious or funny, informative or exploratory; they can look at the history of a place, or at what’s happening there right now. Anyone can lead a walk — because everyone is an expert on the place where they live!
The mission of the Jane’s Walk movement is to develop urban literacy and a community-based approach to city building by encouraging citizen-led walking tours that make space for every person to observe, reflect, share, question and collectively reimagine the places in which they live, work and play. In this way, we honor the legacy of Jane Jacobs whose writings championed the voices of local residents in neighborhood planning.
There are six walking tours planned for this weekend. For more information check out the website by clicking here.
Historic “Iron Island”: A Forgotten Neighborhood – Saturday May 2nd, 10am to 11:30am
Lovejoy’s “Iron Island” neighborhood was named in the late 1890’s by a local politician who noticed that railroad men and their families were settling there. Iron Island was started by immigrants from across Western Europe: first the Germans, then the Polish, the Irish, and the Italians. Each ethnic group had their own sections within the neighborhood. This small area of Buffalo once had 9 churches, 3 Catholic schools, 1 public school, thriving businesses, 3 movie theatres, a library, a beautiful park, playgrounds, a firehouse, a police station and much more, all within the confines of the railroad’s iron rails. The tour will cover some of the neighborhood’s past, present and future: how it began, how it developed, and where it is headed. Join us to learn more about this forgotten gem! This tour is led by Linda Hastreiter and begins at 998 Lovejoy Street.
East Side Urbanism: The Hamlin Park Historic District – Saturday May 2nd, 12:30pm to 2pm
Tour the only east side historic district and learn about the neighborhood from the early days of Buffalo’s history to the present. We’ll start at the oldest home in Hamlin Park and then move to the neighborhood cafe before winding our way through the residential streets. Attendees will learn about the creation of the subdivision after the days of the Driving Park and through the era of the Kensington Expressway, which destroyed Humboldt Parkway. Along our tour we’ll see local architectural landmarks, fantastic homes, and meet some of the local leaders from the community association, which has been going strong for nearly 50 years. The tour will conclude with an overview of the positive things happening in the neighborhood and what the future holds. This tour is led by Mike Puma and Chrissy Lincoln and begins at 60 Hedley Place. For faster service at the cafe, please bring cash.
The Fillmore & Leroy/Central Park Plaza Neighborhood: A Gem Waiting to be Re-polished – Saturday May 2nd, 2:30pm to 4pm
The Fillmore & Leroy / Central Park Plaza neighborhood was once a vibrant working class community. Unfortunately, this area is now a symbol of the consequences of severe disinvestment in America’s legacy cities. We will start the walk at the TriMain Building by discussing the early history and development of this area including how its proximity to the NY Central Beltline shaped it. As we walk, we will make stops to talk about the local businesses that once lined the streets. Next we will visit Blessed Trinity Church where I will give a brief history of this unique architectural landmark. As part of this stop we will also discuss the impact that depopulation has on churches and talk about the recent Mass mob event. Next we will head towards the site of the former Central Park Plaza, a suburban style shopping area dropped in the center of the neighborhood in the late 1950’s. Here we will reflect on how the choice to develop a suburban style shopping plaza factored into the areas decades long decline. As we walk back, we will conclude the tour on a positive note by discussing the potential to reshape the neighborhood with the proposed Highland residential project. This tour is led by Derik Kane and begins at the Tri-Main Building.
The Story of the Hydraulics: What’s New?– Saturday May 2nd, 4:30pm to 6pm
This tour will reveal the story of the Hydraulics, Buffalo’s first manufacturing district and one of America’s premier industrial heritage sites. The Hydraulics was founded in 1827 by pioneer industrialist Reuben Bostwick Heacock, who established the city’s first water-powered mills at the outlet of the Hydraulic Canal. After 1843, the neighborhood was crisscrossed by an extensive network of railroads, attracting the firms which made it a hotbed for innovation. Most famously, the Larkin Co., whose factory and warehouse buildings still make up the “skyline” of the Hydraulics, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright in 1904 to design its Administration Building on Seneca St. What happened since, and what is emerging today in what is more commonly dubbed “Larkinville,” will be revealed during the walk. This year’s walk will include updates on the latest projects in the neighborhood, including new loft and commercial developments, plus insights about the district’s new Beer-Oriented Development (BOD) sites. After the walk, the group will head over for an optional dinner and drinks at the Hydraulic Hearth, 716 Swan St., at 6 pm. The Hydraulics walk will include interior tours of 500 Seneca and the Flying Bison Brewery. This tour is led by Chris Hawley and beings at Larkin Square (745 Seneca Street).
Broadway: The Other City – Sunday May 3rd, 9am to 10:30am
Broadway was once one of the country’s great shopping streets, a direct competitor to downtown Buffalo, and the center of one of the region’s most densely populated neighborhoods. Today it is a shadow of its former self. More than 85% of its population has been lost since 1950, and the future remains unclear. As neighborhoods like Elmwood Village and even nearby Larkinville have been revived, this neighborhood remains forgotten. But will this last for long? Small signs of progress are taking root in what appears to be a sea of urban devastation. Want insights about where the neighborhood has been, where it is now, and where it may be going? Photographers are welcome! Bring your camera and make sure your batteries are charged. An optional lunch will follow the walk at a to-be-disclosed location. This tour is led by David Torke, author of the ten-year-old blog fixBuffalo and begins at the Broadway Market.
Niagara Falls: The Nitty-Gritty-City – Sunday May 3rd, 11:30am to 12:30pm
Once known as the Honeymoon Capital of the World, today the city of Niagara Falls, NY is often referred to as a slum – despite being home to a natural world wonder that brings around 9-million visitors to the area each year. There are countless reasons why the city is in its current state, but there are no excuses. I’ll take you on a walking tour of the nitty-gritty-city, through the neighborhood that I chose to invest in. I’ll share with you about why I chose this neighborhood – along with my hopes, frustrations, and we’ll discuss ideas for how to create a better future through inspired action and collaboration. I’ll give you a real-life look at a part of the city that tourists don’t normally dare to go, and politicians pretend doesn’t exist. We’ll kick off the walk over a light lunch of disputably “the best pizza in Western New York” from one of Niagara Falls’ hidden gems that’s weathered the storms and stood strong since opening in 1962 and then we’ll enjoy an easy stroll through the neighborhood. This tour is led by Nicole Holland and begins at Niagara and 19th Streets.