While I was visiting the Maritime Center this past summer I noticed this curious rendering hanging on the wall. As I stared at the depiction I narrowed in on the ramp that was seen leading down to the water. As I stared, I began to place (in my mind) where this was… or knowing John fairly well by that point, where this was intended to be. Suddenly it occurred to me that this could only be a proposal for the former airplane launch at LaSalle Park. Once I had focused in on the ramp, the rest of the image came…
Author: Todd Schoepflin
If you can get away from work for a few minutes tomorrow (Wednesday, October 1st) during the times of 10:30am to 1pm, you have to make your way over to LaSalle Park. It’s the annual ‘test the winds’ event that always precedes the Niagara International Kite Festival. I make it to this aesthetic experience every year – to see some of the world’s most amazing kites in action at the Buffalo waterfront. A special appearance will be made by the International kite flying team known as Team iQuad. For those of you who have never made it to this ‘test…
Did you know that there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to convert part of a historic building to a Maritime Center? Yes, this idea was crafted by John Montague of the Maritime Center. It involves a large space, a truck, a boat and a dream. John wants to put the Maritime Center in part of the Colonel Ward Pumping Station. This is one of the biggest ‘no brainer’ ideas that I have heard in a long time. The space is there… the need is there… there are even people ready to go out and raise the money. So what will it…
Next spring Buffalo can expect to add a heaving hitting park to its roster of public amenities. A $625,000 facelift at McCarthy Park is just now being completed thanks to Medaille College, in partnership with The State, The City and Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. Medaille is investing nearly half the required money needed to ensure the addition of nearby NCAA regulation athletic fields. The park will be available for use by Medaille students, the Buffalo Public School system and the entire community. Some of the new amenities for the park include a men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse field (newly…
I never knew that commercial awnings could create such controversy. The last time I spoke to Dan Campieri, owner of Campieri’s 888, he told me that his building would be getting an eye-catching canvas awning. Then, suddenly those plans came to a halt when the request was shot down by the Preservation Board. From Dan: “The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) approved a single frame burgundy canvas awning across the entire front of my building. Then it went before the City Preservation Board. We got the OK from SHPO, so I figured that we would be good to go with…
In recent weeks there have been more than a handful of discussions regarding what to do with upwards of 20,0000 square feet of available warehouse space in Black Rock. The building in question is located directly next door to the future student living accommodations known as Rock Harbor Commons. One of the ideas that has been floated about is the possibility of building a relatively short length indoor velodrome – a bicycle racing track that would also accommodate roller derby (inner circle). This coming Sunday, a group of cyclists will be heading to London, Ontario to research the inner-workings of…
As the fall season sets in, it won’t be long before Emerald Beach (for lack of a better name), located at Erie Basin Marina, will be closed for the season. It wasn’t long ago that this little piece of waterfront property was filled with rocks and driftwood. Fortunately, we’ve seen an entire summer season of use at the beach, and it will be interesting to see what a winter season will do to this waterfront asset? It will also be interesting to see what the future of the beach holds. Though it is a small stretch of sand, there was…
It appears that scavenger hunts are the thing to do these days. If I’m not hearing of one, I’m seeing one… and if there is a scavenger hunt anywhere near, you better look out. That was the case as I was coming down Elmwood yesterday. There was a large mass of cyclists congregated outside of Campus Wheelworks. I knew right away that this was some sort of scavenger hunt, because there were a bunch of costumes in the crowd, and the three directors were dresses as Santa Claus, I Dream of Jeannie, and Bee Girl. I took a look at…
After taking three weeks off, festivities at The Yard kicked into high gear today. Well, that is unless you’re a fixed-gear rider, and there were a lot on hand. There were also breakdancers, hackers, b-ball players, rappers, violinists, scrabble and checkers players, graffiti artists, chalk drawers, shuffle-boarders, veggie burger flippers, Frisbee huckers, skateboarders… this was the one to be at if you were into any of those activities. The Yard was basically handed over to Tone X of Deep Thinka Records to continue on with an entire weekend of Art of Hip Hop related sights and sounds. It all kicked…
I last updated BRO viewers on the Sunday Skate and BMX expansion back in May. Since that time, owners JP and Jim have been busy tricking out the former Sweet ‘n Dirty store. Now it’s completely outfitted with BMX bike frames, skater shirts, and a gumball machine that’s full of bushings. I was surprised that the entrance to the new addition turned out as well as it did. Considering that Jim and JP had to deal with a staircase that could have made the connection quite troublesome. Despite having to deal with a staircase, the clearing between the two rooms…