Sustainable Neighborhood Maker & Lover of Buffalo, NY.
This was created in response to the pending demolition of this block known as St.Paul’s Mall. It’s a wonderful, unique street located in the medical campus right off main and summer. It’s a shame these aren’t being rehabbed for the medical campus employees. Sad.
We can still do something! Any ideas?!!?
A couple friends and I drove around the east side on Sunday afternoon. We found some incredible little gems and took a lot of photos! The East Side is truly a magical place. I want so bad for the East Side to come back to life.. it will be a while but there are already so many examples of hope, growth and investment all throughout the East side.
It was great to see Matt’s Lyth Cottage with a new roof. And we also heard that this wonderful little brick cottage (a few photos down) was bought by Daniel Ash, a leading member of the Farmers and Builders organization. We also saw Buffalo’s smallest candy store, a little square brick building that is vacant now and owned by the city. I can only imagine how amazing this was back in the day and wonder if anything is left inside.
My favorite sunday experience was wandering down a little street called Ada Place. Wow! Ada Place (see last photo) has very small lot sizes and is a very narrow street which makes it feel cozy and very charming. 26 Ada Place (first photo below) was literally wide open and has so much potential, it made my heart ache with love and desire to rehab it myself. I really hope this little house finds an owner soon before it’s too late.
I have been debating Buffalo tattoo ideas for at least two years now. I have always thought about the idea of a Buffalo building or the Delaware/Virginia street lion.. but also loved the Buffalo post mark idea. Since I already have a read heart tattoo on my right arm, I think it would be great to get the stamp in red on the inside of my arm so the two sorta connect. The only issue I have is that in order to see the stamp I would have to elevate and extend my arm out for the full view.. many people put it on their chests but I don’t think the chest tattoo thing would fly for me when I am wearing a suit and speaking in front of people.
Here is the post mark concept. I have another friend who has this as well over her heart on her chest. Incredible!
http://whitneyarlene.com/blog/tag/postmark/
I am going to sit on the idea for a few days and then decide. Buffalo is a no brainer for me so I may as well wear it loud and proud!
This winter has been full of amazing experiences and it just begun. I am more inspired than ever before and I know 2012 will be the best year yet.
Here are a couple photos from the last month to highlight some fun experiences.
1.Wandered the belt line basking in the glory of Buffalo’s past.
2. Pearls!
3. Drove around the East Side and fell in love.
4. Attended the Timber Timbre show. Incredible.
5. Church time.
6. Ugly Sweater Party with Jason Wilson!
7. Lynne’s holiday party!!
8. Grand slam project on Niagara Street. I want to live there now!
9. Buffalo!
Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to wander through this building on Niagara Street. The now storage facility was once a bicycle pedal factory and is now being brought back to life!
The owner is rehabbing the building to be a very sustainable mixed use project including apartments and commercial space. The owner is planning geothermal, solar thermal, green roof, energy efficiency.. AND keeping it super historic. Its going to be such a great project, I am thrilled that Buffalo Energy is involved!
On Tuesday morning, I had the opportunity to take the PUSH Green Zone Tour that they have each month. It was great to see so much development going on in the West Side of Buffalo, especially because I live literally a block away! There is so much construction happening on Mass Ave.. I should have taken more photos.
I took this picture of 10 Winter Street, the PUSH Net Zero demonstration project. Buffalo Energy, the company I work for, has been very active in working with PUSH for this house and it is nice to see it in action. The house has solar thermal, PV, geothermal, super insulation, heat recovery system.. it really has some serious stuff going on in there. Pretty soon they will actually have a tenant in there to take advantage of this place!
We should be excited about what PUSH is doing because they are making big strides in Buffalo.
I encourage everyone to take the tour or walk around the mass ave area. I believe the next tour is January 14th. There is so much happening, its exciting!
Buffalo is an Industrial Fashionista.
Buffalo may seem gritty, old and dull but it’s industrial fashion is really unique and stands out and above the most. Buffalo’s best skyline is the one people rarely see: the rustic, beautiful yet almost forgotten, grain elevator alley along the Buffalo River.
These are some pictures taken this week by either myself or my friend Jason that highlight Buffalo’s grain elevators, the belt line and the beautiful East Side. Buffalo is really an incredible place.
Wow, this is happening tomorrow. I have no doubt that it will be an incredible experience.
http://www.hallwalls.org/music/5153.html
Have you ever been to R& L Lounge on Buffalo’s East Side? Do you have any idea what the east side of Buffalo once was? Have you read the “Last Fine Time” by Verlyn Klinkenborg?
Buffalo’s East Side was once a thriving, polish community that was filled with life, polish culture, bowling alleys, neighborhood bar and incredible churches. The “Last Fine Time” really shows off how incredible the east side once was. Today we know it as an area where we are demolishing houses every day.
This past Friday, my friends and I decided to go to R& L Lounge in Buffalos East Side. Its located on Mill Street, right around the corner from the Broadway market. The R&L Lounge was a time warp back into the good ole days of the east side. We were served perogie and fish fry from polish ladies, one who was elderly and spoke broken English. The bar looked like it hadnt been updated since the 1950’s too and really had an older world charm to it. It was such a fun experience and the food was unlike any other!
I just wanted to take a second to highlight the R&L Lounge. The owners were fun, helpful, authentic people who have been working the same bar for the last 55 years. It really is the old east side when you’re there. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone to stop in at least once before this little gem is gone.
Bernice Radle 