Buffalo Rising

Portable Outdoor Patio Heater Initiative is "Off to a Good Start”

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:40:25 GMT

Earlier this week, I posted that local restaurateurs were hopeful that they would soon be legally allowed to use portable propane heaters on their patios. It didn’t take long for the “hopefully” to become “reality,” as Mayor Brown and Councilman Joel Feroleto have announced that, Per New York State Fire Code, the portable heating units are now allowed, as long as business owners follow certain guidelines. For example, the areas in question (sidewalks, parking lots, and patios) must not be enclosed by walls. Additionally, the roofing above the units must not be combustable – no canvas awnings, for example.

Mayor Brown stated, “We continue to offer whatever support we can to help our local small businesses as we continue to get through the COVID-19 pandemic together. We will maintain outdoor dining as a safe option for people as the temperatures become cooler. Enabling restaurants to utilize outdoor propane heaters will help ensure their survival. I encourage residents to continue to support small businesses, which are the lifeblood of our community.”

This new measure complements other efforts in the Small Business Social Distancing Initiative, including the Chippewa Open Streets program.

Delaware District Council Member Joel Feroleto stated, “The restaurant industry has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19. We need to support our local restaurants now more than ever. Permitting outdoor heaters will give restaurants the ability to accommodate more guests and a better chance of surviving the pandemic.”

Brendan Mehaffy, Executive Director of the Office of Strategic Planning stated, “During this time of tremendous economic strain for small businesses in Buffalo, the Brown Administration continues to work with the Common Council on new ways to assist our businesses survive this trying time. After a successful summer, this is the first of several announcements that will continue the Small Business Social Distancing Initiative into the winter and through spring.”

Businesses must contact the City of Buffalo Office of Fire Prevention at 716-851-5333 ext. 750 to obtain a permit to use the outdoor heaters.

All things considered, this new initiative is off to a good start, and will help business owners navigate the unfriendly COVID waters this fall and winter.

The City of Buffalo also offers additional resources to local small businesses through Reopen Buffalo, a one-stop destination which provides business owners with a variety of resources regarding: Business Health and Safely Guidelines, Bid Opportunities, Minority and Women-owned Business Services, New York Forward information and a guide on how to start a small business in the City of Buffalo. If a business is interested in being added to this resource, they can register through a link on the webpage or call 3-1-1.

Businesses must contact the City of Buffalo Office of Fire Prevention at 716-851-5333 ext. 750 to obtain a permit to use the outdoor heaters. All spare propane cylinders must be stored outdoors.

Sign of Things to Come: 808 Main

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:13:25 GMT

David Kimelberg is seeking to put the finishing touches on his rehab of 808 Main Street. Kimelberg is seeking Preservation Board approvals for signage on the three-story building near Goodell Street.

Kimelberg purchased the circa-1878, 4,840 sq.ft. building in November for $380,000 and has been renovating the interior for offices uses. It will be occupied by his law firm, Kimelberg PCCL, art gallery K Art, and a working space called K Haus.

From City’s Building-Structure Inventory Form

Project Best Life: Mindful Movement

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:56:55 GMT

Time and time again, it has been proven that a main key to living the best life possible is having a healthy and balanced body. Gratefully, there are many ways of obtaining both. Although balance can refer to different things, here we are going to look at physical balance in the body. Luckily, Buffalo hosts a number of boutique studios that cater specifically to re-balancing, strengthening, and connecting the body through specific movements.

Many exercise experts and studios use the Pilates Method as the basis for their exercise practice.

In the early 20th century, a man by the name of Joseph Pilates developed a fitness activity he called Contrology (control + -logy) as a low impact system designed to increase flexibility and endurance, and improve posture and balance. For many people, the word “Pilates” has come to be identified with “core strength,” but in actuality, the system provides an intense full body workout that goes beyond rippling abdominals.

Joseph Pilates developed his system after an influenza outbreak on the Isle of Man during WW1. By retrofitting hospital beds with pulleys, ropes, and strings, he developed a series of exercises to help rehabilitate those infected. It has been suggested that Pilates’ work aided with the survival of those infected during the TB pandemic of 1918 on the Isle of Man.

After the war, Joseph Pilates settled in New York City, and started to teach his system to boxers in order to help them take punches to the stomach. Eventually, Pilates connected with dancers from the New York City Ballet who were looking to supplement their training — an enduring match was made, and the marriage of these two forms became history.

A mindful movement system that combines Pilates principles such as concentration, centering, breathing, control, precision, and flow, as well as concepts from dance or other modalities, can benefit all who study.

Whether the class is directly connected to dance, or a more traditional Pilates Method, everyone, regardless of age or flexibility, can benefit from Mr. Pilates’ system.

Consider supplementing your best life routine by taking a class or two.

Long and Lean Pilates

Buffalo’s premiere Pilates Studio, Long and Lean Pilates is located at 515 Elmwood Ave, in the heart of Elmwood Village. The studio, opened by Hayley Sullivan in 2015, specializes in private and small group reformer based Pilates classes.

Hayley describes a typical class as a “good balance of strength and mobility work that builds those skills simultaneously, creating balance in the body. In a typical class, you can expect to work your core a lot, flex your spine a lot, and feel a burn in your thighs, but feel lifted and long and centered when you leave the studio.”

The reformer, a classic piece of Pilates equipment, is at the root of all of Hayley’s Long and Lean Pilates classes.

“A private session at our studio is almost exclusively on the Pilates apparatus. My teaching practice is really all about the individual. It is so customizable, no two sessions are alike. We make each session be what each person needs. Just because one person can do one exercise, doesn’t mean the next person can. So, I really use the Pilates repertoire and break it down and modify it as needed. All our clients build the skills that Pilates methodology offers, in a way that is safe for their bodies.”

The entire staff of Long and Lean Pilates believes that everyone can benefit from this practice. “Anyone can do Pilates,” says Hayley, “we have clients who are in their 20’s, and we have clients who are in their 70’s. We have clients who come for fitness and strengthening and toning, and clients who come for rehabilitation post-injury. We actually have physical therapists on our staff. We can sneak in alignment and mobility work while also giving someone a great workout. So truly, Pilates is for anyone who wants to do it. It is great for athletes and also beginners who want to start a movement practice.”

Location: 515 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222

Phone: (716) 881-2057

Website: longandleanpilates.com

Instagram: @longandleanpilates

REFORM Fitness

REFORM Fitness has studio locations in Orchard Park and on Elmwood Ave that utilize the Lagree Fitness method.

Lagree Fitness workouts take place on a Megaformer, which has been described as a Pilates reformer on steroids.

Brittany Gabryel, the founder of REFORM Fitness describes the practice as “a full body workout in 40 minutes, that includes strength training, cardio, endurance, core, flexibility, and balance in each and every workout. It features slow controlled movements, so it allows each individual to focus on the movement and the muscle that is working, rather than using momentum. We focus on time under tension, so movements are not done under reps or sets, but each exercise is done for one to two minutes, which leads to dramatic results.”

Many report that going to classes at REFORM has benefitted them. Brittany thinks this is because, “You are getting all five types of fitness; cardio, endurance, strength training, flexibility and balance. Flexibility and balance are going to help you in everyday life. Knowing that your balance is strong is going to help you prevent injury. A lot of injuries happen when you are thrown off balance. Strength training is usually people’s goal, and that is a huge part of this method, and having cardio and endurance is also a great benefit.”

Brittany and her employees welcome everyone at their studio. “REFORM Fitness welcomes all genders. It was created by Sebastien Lagree, a bodybuilder, who, like Joseph Pilates, saw the benefits in lengthening, strengthening, and toning muscles. At REFORM Fitness, we have women come in who love the workout because they build strength quickly, and they see the results quickly, and build long lean muscles, and we have men who love this workout because it challenges them and forces them to slow down, and focus on their muscles and movement, rather than picking up weights and putting them down quickly.”

Location: 467 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 | 6562 E Quaker St, Orchard Park, NY 14127

Phone: (716) 662-3181

Website: www.reform.fitness

Instagram: @reformfitness

Barre[tend]

Barre classes are based upon a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, weight training, and Pilates. Barre is named for the stationary handrail (barre) that is a fixture in ballet training and studios. Located at 503 Delaware Ave, this barre studio was founded by head “barre[tender]” Megan Leith.

Barre[tend] caters to women who aren’t super flexible. “When I started taking bare classes, I was frustrated because I felt that the focus on the class was on women who could lift their legs up really high, or could do moves that I could never do, regardless of how often I went. Sometimes I would leave feeling frustrated, so when I got the idea to open up Barre[tend], I really wanted to focus on women who weren’t dancers, who weren’t athletes, but could feel comfortable coming to a barre studio and could get a great work out and not feel self-conscious.”

The practice of Barre[tend] is more athletic than balletic. “We do a 40 minute head to toe workout. We do a warm up, a little work on the barre for the glutes and the legs, we do some arms, some abs and some planks, and a cool down. We are at the ballet barre, but that doesn’t mean we are doing ballet dance moves. We do very small, controlled movements using light weights. Doing small movements in a controlled, precise way is a lot different than going to the gym and using stamina to lift the weight up. It takes a couple of classes to get used to because it is unique, but it is well worth it.”

Barre[tend] caters to both men and women, but has a special consideration for a certain overlooked population. Megan says, “We do a lot of classes for new moms. Right now due to COVID, we are outside, and all of our outdoor classes are stroller friendly. We actually do stroller barre! I want new moms to feel like they have a place to come work out. You can come to Barre[tend] babies are always welcome and encouraged.”

Location: 503 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202

Phone: (716) 768-4393

Website: barretendbuffalo.com

Instagram: @barretend

For more tips and inspiration to help live a healthy, happy and balanced life to the fullest, subscribe to Roswell Park’s #projectbestlife newsletter.

Project Best Life Instagram: @projectbestlife716

Tappo Pool Club and (new) Rooftop Restaurant

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 12:39:03 GMT

The pool is in. Developer/restaurateur Rocco Termini’s Tappo Pool Club is one step closer to fruition.

Now that the pool is complete, Termini says that the next step is adding the concrete around the pool, and planters.

Once open, the pool club will seat 300 people – a good space for social distancing, if the pandemic sticks around, says Termini.

Along with plenty of seating around the pool, Termini says that he is planning a 150-seat rooftop restaurant that will be built on top of an existing concrete block building. The “casual healthy” restaurant will overlook the pool club. There will also be two bars – one up on the roof, and one down by the pool.

Access to the club will be through the new restaurant, or direct from Chandler Street.

To start, there will be no membership fee for the pool club – instead there will be a “charge per entry.” Termini says that he wants to test the market. “Who knows what will happen with the pandemic?”

Tappo Pool Club and the new restaurant are two additional components to the burgeoning commercial district which has done a tremendous “about-face” in recent years. There’s a lot more to go, but knowing Termini, he’s still got plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

The designer behind the pool club concept is Benjamin Siegel (BMS Design Studio).

BITTERS: b’Lure Flower Extract Cocktail

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 11:54:38 GMT

This episode of Bitters is presented by KegWorks: Tools for Drinking.

Host Michelle Merlo went behind the amazing bar at Toutant to create a cocktail with b’Lure, the first commercially produced blue tea concentrate from Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. Originating in Southeast Asia, and long used as a dye in food, blue tea boosts metabolisms and promotes a sense of well-being.

b’Lure is quickly becoming a staple among forward bartenders everywhere. Because of its sensitive pH balance, this 100% natural tincture comes out of the dropper bright blue but changes to various hues of purple and pink depending upon the acidity of the drink it’s added to—acid typically from lemon or lime.

Try b’Lure at your home bar in Michelle’s craft cocktail concoction, or one of your own. Use Gift Code “BUFRISING” for 10% off all orders from KegWorks at KegWorks.com.

KegWorks
kegworks.com

Gift Code “BUFRISING”
“No amount of physical contact could match the healing powers of a well made cocktail.” — David Sedaris

Instagram: @kegworks

About KegWorks:

KegWorks is the place for drink enthusiasts, home bar owners, and industry professionals to find the draft equipment, bar supplies, and premium ingredients that every bar needs. Whether you want to craft the ultimate cocktail, have beers with friends or you’re looking to build the ultimate home bar, we have the tools you need.

We are dedicated to offering unique bar products that elevate the drinking experience and we’re passionate about helping our customers get the most out of their purchase. The KegWorks Blog offers recipes, how-tos, and bartending tips to inspire you to create and share adult beverages & have a damn good time doing it!

Since 1998, KegWorks has been sending “boxes of awesomeness” to customers around the world from our warehouse in Kenmore, NY. As an added show of love to our WNY customers, we also offer local pickup at our warehouse for those that can’t wait to get their new, kickass tools for drinking. Shop now at KegWorks.com and pursue your drinking passion.

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View other videos in the Bitters series

Alleyway Theatre gets booked until 2048

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 23:37:29 GMT

The beloved Alleyway Theatre, located in a defunct Greyhound Bus Station on Main Street, has been granted a lease extension by the City, until the year 2048. Mayor Brown made the announcement that the theater could extend its lease at One Curtain Up Alley, thus vastly contributing to the collective artistic soul of the district, which is currently being threatened by the pandemic.

“I’m pleased that we reached an agreement that will enable Alleyway Theatre to continue producing high-quality plays for our residents and visitors,” said Mayor Brown. “The Alleyway Theatre has an important place in Buffalo’s culture. I’m proud of our long-standing partnership and look forward to many new plays in the years to come.”

This has already been a year of flux for Alleyway Theatre, as its founder, Neal Radice, retired in June. Executive Artistic Director Chris J. Handley says that he is excited to see what the future beholds, as the theater company embarks upon its forty-first season of new plays, made possible thanks to the City’s lease extension.

“It might look different for a little while (due to COVID-19), but we are exploring every avenue for delivering new plays to our audiences,” said Handley. “The first production of our forty-first season, Currents: 716, was filmed by Full Circle Studios and will be streamed online for three weeks in September. Meanwhile, we are using this time to beautify and update the facility in preparation for the return of live audiences.”

Alleyway Theatre, a professional theatre company dedicated to the production of new plays, will occupy the 33,000 square foot building at One Curtain Up Alley until 2048.

Over the course of its history, the historic Art Moderné style building has seen a lot of changes… and a mixed bag of tenants – the bus station at one point shared space with the Buffalo Police. It was in 1999, under the Masiello administration, that Alleyway Theater became its sole occupant.

In 2005 (thanks to the fortitude of Neal Radice), a $1.5 million restoration and adaptive reuse project was completed. The building is also ADA compliant, with a wheelchair lift to the second-floor conference room and exhibit gallery, thanks in part to a New York State Council on The Arts grant. Other building/theater assets include:

An intimate ninety-nine seat black box main stage
Impressive lobby
Scene shop
Costume shop
Rehearsal halls
A second performance space: the seventy-seat Alleyway Cabaret
A classroom space in a portion of the building facing Pearl Street – now the home of The Theatre School of Western New York, which offers classes in acting, playwriting, on-camera technique, and more

This new lease extension is a big deal for the theater, which has already given back to the community, more than we could ever ask for.

Mom’s Skate Shop

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:00:53 GMT

North Buffalo recently welcomed a new kind of store to its wide plethora of shops found on Hertel Avenue. Mom’s Skate Shop brings a diverse community and culture along with a brick and mortar skate paradise, found at 1416 Hertel Avenue.

Buffalo native Dave Eoannou, owner and operator of the new skate shop is no stranger to Buffalo’s skateboarding community with over 20 years of skating experience. After finding an identity and lifelong friendships in the skating world at a young age, Eoannou, like so many others, knew that skateboarding would be so much more than just a hobby.

While the physical store is only a month old, Mom’s is nothing new to our local skateboarders as the “shop” just recently celebrated its first birthday. Over a year ago Eoannou saw a need for skateboarders from across the city to be able to get boards and other hard goods locally. He had previously owned a warehouse space and began ordering products under the name Mom’s, and filling the space with everything necessary to start selling and operating an online store via the social media platform Instagram. This humble beginning would be the start of an entire movement and revolutionize the already existing skate culture here in the Queen City on the Lake.

In the Spring of 2020, during the national shutdown, Mom’s began to get business like never before from people all over the area looking to buy skateboards and other goods. The business became so overwhelming that Eoannou decided to pull the trigger and open a physical store.

“A skate shop is a hub for the community – it’s the link-up spot, it’s where you go to watch a new skate video. This is such an important part for not only the skate community, but the community in general. It’s so much more than just a retail shop,” says Eoannou.

With a few beloved skateboard shops closing in recent years, Mom’s offers that “home” that so many of our local skaters have been longing for. From a work bench for people to assemble a new skateboard to clothing and magazines, this is much more a community space than just a place to buy skateboards.

Buffalo’s skate culture now has a brand to represent them, to other cities all over the nation.

“Yes, I want the skate community to be proud that Mom’s is representing them, but I ultimately want it to be about the community that champions the brand and the city we come from.”

Mask up and stop by the shop Thursday through Saturday 12 pm until 5 pm to buy a new board, fix your old one, or even just to ask Eoannou for advice on how to do that trick you’ve been wanting to land. From beginner to lifelong skater, anyone can find a place at Mom’s Skate Shop.

Find Mom’s Skate Shop on Instagram

Returning for its second year, Buffalo Startup Week

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 17:07:36 GMT

Buffalo is currently playing host to an international level of speakers, who are sharing their experience around Startups, Design, Finance, Software Development, and Game Development.

A five-day celebration of entrepreneurs returns to provide opportunities to learn, engage and discover; hundreds of Western New Yorkers to spend the week of September 28th celebrating the success of regional entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial community.

This five day event series, which is now underway, is scheduled to run to October 2. During that time, the tech and startup community, including aspiring founders, corporate leaders, investors, technologists, designers, innovation leaders, and service providers, will spend time networking, exploring opportunities, attending social events (while social distancing), and participating in workshops.

“Buffalo Startup Week is an opportunity for all community members to come together to celebrate the growth of our entrepreneurial community.”, said Harshita Girase, Executive Director of Buffalo Startup Week. “Even if you’re not currently a founder and are just looking to get started, it is a great place to learn from and meet community members from all walks of life.”

“Upstate Venture Connect is proud to sponsor the 2020 Buffalo Startup Week,” said Nasir Ali, Co-founder and CEO of Upstate Venture Connect. “The pandemic has not dimmed our community’s entrepreneurial energies and we are thrilled at the amazing founders and experts who have agreed to be a part of this year’s speaker lineup.”

Meet the people

Meet the mentors

Meet the startups

The event is free and open to the public but all attendees must register at www.wnystartupcommunity.com/startup-week-2020. Attendees will have the opportunity to get to know the community, and learn from and connect with a wide range of entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors, and other innovation leaders. The event will host experts and leaders from six different tracks – Design, Development, Game Development, Finance, Legal, and Startup 101.

New Master Plan (underway) for Buffalo Central Terminal

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:13:35 GMT

There’s big news on The Buffalo Central Terminal front. A new Master Plan (the “Plan”) is underway, that will actually see a start in late 2020.

It sounds as if the long wait is (mostly) over, as the Plan is being funded by a $400,000 grant through Phase II of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion.

The Plan will include:

$2 million replacement of the flat roofs, gutters of the barrel roof and related masonry structural repairs

Followed by:

The renovation of the 8,000 square foot former restaurant space to make it weather-tight and tenant-ready for full fit out

I’m not saying that there’s not a lot more work to be done, but much like the build-out of the Richardson-Olmsted Campus, it sounds like a great start. And like the Richardson-Olmsted Campus that saw Hotel Henry as the anchor tenant that drove so much of the project, if the Central Terminal can land an anchor restaurant, there will be cause to celebrate.

Nobody even thought that The Richardson-Olmsted Complex would evolve as quickly as it has. It might have taken many long years to get to the starting line, but once it got there, things started to fall into place at a nice clip.

Historic photo courtesy CTRC

“Many people have worked for many years to save the Terminal,” said Paul Lang, Chair of the Central Terminal Restoration Corp (CTRC). “This plan will be an opportunity to knit community hopes, values, concerns and opinions into the future reuse of the Buffalo Central Terminal in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood.”

The Plan also looks at the much larger picture – the scope – of how The Central Terminal fits into the Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood, including the business district and the Broadway Market. The Central Terminal and the neighborhood must play off one another, work alongside each other, and boost and re-energize together, for the greater good of the district.

The last train departed the Terminal in 1979.

“I’m excited to be part of this group. I have lived in this neighborhood for 40 years, and I see all of the different cultures we have here,” said Marva Threat, Community Advisory Council (CAC) Co-Chair, President of the Greater Eastside Field of Dreams Block Club Association and long-time resident leader in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood. “I think this could be something that finally brings all of our voices together with our neighbors.”

The adaptive reuse of the building will be based on recommendations from the Urban Land Institute, which drafted a report of its findings back in 2018. Of utmost importance is to create a regional destination that is a year round draw for all of Buffalo to enjoy. That means that the Main Concourse will also be addressed, to figure out ways to activate it. COVID-19 has demonstrated that Buffalo needs to place a higher importance on safe and inviting outdoor areas. This particular campus is deemed 20+ acres of untapped opportunities.

The planning work will occur simultaneously with ongoing efforts to invest $5 million in New York State Buffalo Billion funding for capital improvements to help create a more year-round, regional event venue in a portion of the Terminal.

An in-depth review process led the CTRC, Empire State Development (ESD), and neighborhood residents to identify SmithGroup as the lead orchestrator for the process. SmithGroup will be joined by national and local team members Barbara Campagna Architecture + Planning, Watts Architecture & Engineering, Mustard Seed Consulting Group, Trophy Point, and James Lima Planning and Development.

COVID-19 also presents its fair share of challenges pertaining to how to successfully address the community engagement process.

“We will be looking for ways to reach people where they are,” said Kenneth Kokroko, a planner and landscape architect with SmithGroup. “This is a new situation for all of us, and with input from the Community Advisory Council, we will be testing out options for online and mail outreach so we can make sure everyone knows what is going on and is able to contribute.”

The Master Plan includes three main components:

A guide to redevelopment and reuse of the Central Terminal
A plan to strengthen connections between the Central Terminal and the neighborhood and its existing assets in a manner that reflects the neighborhood values
A development and financing structure to establish a framework to solicit and evaluate developer proposals

The first of four public meetings will be held on Thursday, October 8. The planning overview, public meeting information and interactive activities are available at www.buffaloterminalplan.org. collaborative between the community, stakeholders, the CTRC and the SmithGroup Team.

The Buffalo Central Terminal is part of the East Side Avenues program and funded through the East Side Collaborative Fund, which is administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Crunch time in local budget preparations as federal relief legislation stalls

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 13:06:48 GMT

Originally published on politicsandstuff.com

As the leaves turn and the weather gets colder local governments in New York State shift into high gear in preparations for their 2021 budgets. The leaves on the trees will look a lot nicer than those budgets.

Reduced business activity continues to cut substantially into local sales tax revenues, a major part of local budget funding. Some government fee collections will also be affected as well as the payment of property taxes. Things are better than they were in April and May, but pandemic restrictions on business activities make it likely that the situation will not improve a whole lot over the next several months, into 2021.

Local governments in Western New York are also negatively affected by the shutdown of personal cross- border traffic. That land you can see a mile and a half across the Niagara River is Canada, but it might be sometime next year before you can drive over there again. No Canadians coming over to shop in Western New York has also put a major crimp in sales tax revenues.

Local governments in Western New York are also negatively affected by the shutdown of personal cross- border traffic.

County and town budgets operate on a calendar fiscal year along with some cities. The City of Buffalo has a July-June fiscal year that will be one quarter complete on September 30 with still no public action to deal with a fiscal crisis that was set in place when a grossly unbalanced budget was approved in June.

The County of Erie budget is by far the largest of the local governments in upstate New York, weighing in at $1.2 billion in 2020, which excludes the $372 million in sales tax revenues that the county collects and then disburses to cities, towns, villages, school districts and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. The county’s July 2020 Budget Monitoring Report indicates that sales tax revenues through that month were down 8.75 percent compared to 2019.

The county has accumulated substantial reserves, which stood at $102.5 million at the end of 2018 and grew several million more after the closing of the 2019 fiscal year.

The County Charter requires that by October 1 the County Executive must transmit his non-property tax estimate of revenues for the next year to the County Comptroller for his review. The Executive’s proposed budget must be submitted to the County Legislature no later than October 15; in 2019 Poloncarz submitted his fiscal plan on October 1. The Legislature will have until early December to approve the budget.

Look for County Executive Mark Poloncarz to use a significant of amount of the county’s fund balance as 2021 budget revenue. The County Charter requires that the fund balance must remain at a minimum of five percent of the previous audited year’s General Fund balance; there are options for leaving less than the five percent mandate but such action requires a two-thirds vote of approval by the Legislature. The five percent rule would mean the fund balance would need to be, at a minimum, somewhere in the range of $55-60 million. It is unlikely that the county will need to get that close to the legal requirement.

Poloncarz will probably also makes some budget cuts and propose raising property taxes. The County’s average property tax rate has decreased 6.2 percent in the past nine years. Because of growth in the tax base, however, the actual tax levy has increased $113.2 million (47.6 percent) during that period. Something in the range of a four to five percent increase in the levy would produce $14-18 million in additional property taxes.

State law sets a cap on property tax increases at no more than two percent or the rate of inflation. The Office of the State Comptroller has determined that the cap for 2021 will be 1.56 percent. The County’s property tax levy cannot exceed that level of increase unless 60 percent of the total voting power of the County Legislature approves such an increase, which means that seven out of the eleven legislators must vote to raise property taxes beyond the cap. There are seven Democrats, three Republicans and one Conservative on the current County Legislature.

Town governments are also completing their 2021 budget preparations.

Town governments are also completing their 2021 budget preparations. Reduced sales tax revenues will impact the towns but not as significantly as the county. Nonetheless the towns will be making spending cuts and raising their property taxes too. The Town of Amherst has requested state legislation for deficit financing to help get them through the current crisis, with a payback period longer than the current two year limit. Other town governments might make the same request.

All of this is occurring as Congress and the Trump administration dicker with the possibility of approving another round of pandemic relief that state and local governments hope might include aid for state and local governments to mitigate service cuts and tax increases. Republican congressional leadership and the Trump administration are not much interested in helping. House Democrats have pushed for this funding but there doesn’t seem to be much chance for action prior to the election.

Keep in mind that we in New York State annually send billions more in tax revenues to Washington than we regularly receive in return while other states like Mitch McConnell’s home state of Kentucky draw down much more than they send to Washington.

It is anyone’s guess as to when or how much federal money might be approved. The election results will, as much as anything, help determine that answer. If Biden wins and the Senate leadership flips to Democratic, any assistance will have to wait until after January 20. State and local governments will have prepared their 2021 budgets in the meantime.

The 2021 fiscal year will be a trying experience and the difficulties will not go away quickly, even if a COVID-19 vaccine is available next year.

The 2021 fiscal year will be a trying experience and the difficulties will not go away quickly, even if a COVID-19 vaccine is available next year. The pandemic and the deep economic pain have highlighted the fact that our national economy was not on firm ground, even before March 2020. Income inequality has left millions of Americans vulnerable to an economic crisis, threatening people’s health and homes in very big ways. The country as a whole is in a precarious situation when so many of its people are living one big medical bill or car repair charge away from a fiscal calamity such as a health care bankruptcy or the loss of a home. Those issues will greatly impact state and local government budgeting.

The United States has been through financial crises in the past but knowing history doesn’t make things any easier. We have more safety nets in place than there once were but the failure of the federal government to step up with another round of fiscal relief for individuals and state and local governments could make the 2020 issues even graver than ever before – another major issue for voters to consider as the start of voting gets closer.

Ken Kruly writes about politics and other stuff at politicsandstuff.com. You can visit his site to leave a comment pertaining to this post.

Scott Bottoni’s "City of Light – The Second Act”

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 23:11:20 GMT

It was in 2014 that Scott Bottoni sent me a poem, to post on Buffalo Rising titled “City of Light – The Second Act.”

At the time, from what I recalled, we had never posted a poem on the site, which meant that it would a first.

Six years later, I just received another email from Bottoni, informing me that he took the words of that same poem, and turned them into a song – a nice song about Buffalo.

“I have been collaborating with Buffalo area musician Joe Shanahan, from the acoustic duo Off the Grid, and we are turning my Buffalo poems into songs,” said Bottoni.

The song is about Buffalo stepping “… out of the darkness and into the light.” And that’s exactly what’s been happening, in a physical sense, but also a spiritual manner.

Enjoy!

Lyrics and arrangement by Scott Bottoni | Music and arrangement by Joe Shanahan

Lead image: Buffalo photographer Mike Shriver @ Buffalo Photo Blog

Workshops: Black Businesses Matter

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 22:26:50 GMT

Business is tough all around, due to the pandemic. But it is especially tough in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, where minority-owned enterprises are prevalent. That’s why Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, Community Action Organization of WNY, and Dixon Schwabl are hosting a series of free Black Businesses Matter workshops that will help attendees (small, minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs) to grow their businesses by learning about “low-cost, effective marketing and advertising techniques.

The series will also delve into issues of diversity and equity in the Buffalo business market. Hopefully this marketing series and the discussions surrounding it, will help to alleviate the “great divide” (aka Main Street) that has acted as a racial barrier for far too long. We all need to be supporting each other, to strengthen our communities, while moving this city forward, together.

Learn marketing, advertising, and public relations technologies that are affordable and efficient.

“The Black Businesses Matter marketing series was established to address the inequities in opportunities for minority-owned businesses that have crippled their growth for decades,” said Catherine Roberts, senior vice president of program administration at Community Action Organization of Western NY. “Unfortunately, the impact of COVID-19 has exacerbated these disparities and, according to Forbes magazine, nearly 41% of Black businesses are now closed due to the pandemic. This workshop series is a call to action to help minority-owned businesses remain viable, profitable and sustainable by enhancing their branding and marketing skills to better promote, compete and succeed both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The Black Businesses Matter initiative provides the opportunity to equip Black and brown communities — who have been and continue to be disadvantaged — with well-needed tools that enable and promote socioeconomic and generational equity,” Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals President Mark Glasgow said. “We hope to give the community of small Black- and minority business owners and entrepreneurs key strategies that will strengthen and grow their business presence in order to have a positive economic impact throughout the Buffalo community. Buffalo and Western New York, we invite you to experience a new access and exposure to resources and conversations for sustainable empowerment so that your business can progress toward long-term survival and growth.”

“This is a time in history when it’s really critical that we all take a good look inward, get involved and commit to making changes for the better,” Dixon Schwabl President Mike Schwabl said. “The Black Businesses Matter initiative gives our team at Dixon Schwabl an opportunity to share their expertise and partner with some great people and organizations to bring real change and hope to Black small business owners and their communities. Helping others is just the Buffalo thing to do.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals and Dixon Schwabl on this initiative to shine a light on the importance of supporting minority businesses throughout Buffalo and Western New York,” Roberts said.

The weekly live webinars will begin the week of October 5 and take place at 6 p.m. each Wednesday. BBM workshops, led by Dixon Schwabl’s marketing experts and key community partners, will provide tools and resources to help small Black- and minority-owned businesses grow and thrive in their communities by providing expert guidance on marketing basics, with a focus on practical skills and tangible executions.

To register for the webinars/workshops, visit www.blackbusinessworkshops.com. All workshops are free to attend.

Photo by Elly Brian

Clay projects to-go at Terra Clay Studio

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 19:57:00 GMT

Ever since the pandemic came about, parents have been looking for ways to keep their children occupied, while keeping them safe. Instead of running about, willy-nilly like they are supposed to, there are now additional boundaries in place. That’s why Terra Clay Studio has introduced a new line of Art at Home projects where children can “de-stress and unplug” while they are homebound.

Kids’ name plates

Kurinuki cup for the adults

Owners of Terra Clay Studio, Jody Selin and Amanda Schober, felt that there was a “perfect storm” of conditions to introduce their “to-go” program. What is especially interesting about this program is that there is an element for the kids… and the adults. The kids get to-go kits that include tools, clay, and instructions, along with a hanging name plate. The adults get a kurinuki cup – ancient art of carving from a solid block of clay – and an online video tutorial.

“Adults drop off their carved cup to be fired and glazed. They are then able to pick them up when they’re done!”

It’s not often that these types of at-home projects include kids and adults, which is one of the reasons that this project is so different. Of course, the adults can simply opt and and leave all of the fun to the kids. Or… the adults don’t have to even tell the kids, and can have all of the fun for themselves.

Selin and Schober not only view these projects as stress relievers, they also feel that there is a crucial meditative element that is good for the heart and the soul.

For those that would rather work with clay at the Terra Clay Studio in Kenmore, they are offering “in-person” classes that are deemed safe, per social distancing regulations. Programs offered include:

Six-week student driven Core Clay Series classes
One-time Try Its
Date Nights
Children’s classes
Private parties
Continuing education for local art educators

For more information, visit www.terraclaystudio.com, check them out on social media, or email info@terraclaystudio.com.

Terra Clay Studio 2954 Delaware Ave Kenmore, NY 14217

Lead image: Photo by Taylor Heery

The Tool Library Expands Service Area and Inventory to Bring Affordable Tool Access Across WNY

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 18:07:06 GMT

The Tool Library announced that starting September 24, 2020, it will be expanding its tool sharing service to allow membership from 8 Western New York counties. Originally servicing residents in Erie and Niagara counties exclusively, individuals can now join from Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties as well.

The all-volunteer organization operates out of a small storefront in Buffalo’s University Heights, where members can borrow from an inventory of over 3,000 tools.

This announcement comes following expanded hours of operation at the Tool Library. While the Tool Library initially closed through the month of April due to pandemic, it has since reopened with new sanitation measures and volunteer procedures to ensure the safety of members, visitors, and volunteers. Since the beginning of 2020, members have rented 934 tools a total of 4,647 times, saving an estimated $141,841 in total tool costs while completing DIY home improvement, gardening, and community improvement projects.

To better meet the needs of a growing membership base and service area, the organization is launching their 2020 Toolraiser fundraiser: http://www.thetoollibrary.org/toolraiser/. The fundraiser will help The Tool Library add high demand tools to its inventory and also add tools that have been requested by its members.The goal is to grow the organization’s inventory by 750 tools (about $50,000 worth of tools and equipment) from 3,250 tools to over 4,000 tools by the end of 2020. This includes tools that will be used by individual members as well as items that will be used on projects in the community. The Tool Library is requesting donations of new or gently used tools, monetary gifts, and will also be running mini-fundraisers for individual tools on their Facebook page, like their first campaign for a HEPA-certified Shop Vac to aid members with Lead-Safe renovation and abatement projects: https://www.facebook.com/donate/967049353807749/3427363390619993/

“At the heart of our mission is sharing. And we can’t think of a better way to share than to expand the people and communities we service. And while doing so, we want to make sure we secure items on our tool wishlist – things that members new and old and communities need to get through this difficult time and thrive,” Said Cheyenne Ketter – Franklin, a member of the Tool Library board. “From victory gardens to crucial home repairs, we see our tools tirelessly at work and playing a vital role in many lives. We are thankful for all the support we have been given and look forward to serving all of Western New York in a safe, socially distant way.”

Memberships can be purchased in advance at The Tool Library’s website, starting for as little as $20/year. Donations can be made at The Tool Library’s location, 5 W Northrup Pl, Buffalo, NY 14214 during normal shop hours: Wednesday through Friday 2-7PM and Saturday 10AM-2PM.

About The Tool Library

The Tool Library is an all-volunteer nonprofit tool-lending library located off of Main Street in Buffalo’s University Heights neighborhood. We believe that cost shouldn’t be a barrier to fixing up your home, growing your own food, or improving your community. We also believe that a strong community is a civically engaged community. We put our tools to work on small-scale community improvement projects like tree plantings, public art, community gardens, and more. Learn more at thetoollibrary.org.

The Fruits of National Grid’s Economic Development Programs

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 15:17:55 GMT

National Grid is one of the unsung heroes when it comes to helping development teams come up with resources they need to get their projects off the ground and to completion. I recently learned about a few of the projects, including the rehab of 436 Amherst Street and 516 Amherst Street (lead image) – projects that directly benefitted from an economic development grant that was approved by National Grid that “offset electrical upgrades at the two separate mixed-use renovation projects – both longtime vacant buildings.”

I was so happy to hear about these additional resources that helped to get these two Amherst Street projects underway. Unlike Elmwood or Hertel, Amherst Street is crucially impacted by these relatively small scale developments. They have the ability to ripple outwards, which is exactly what is needed to reenergize the historic, and mainly intact street. Unfortunately, while there is a high density of buildings, many of them need significant interior and exterior work, that wouldn’t be possible without some incentives.

Since 2013 National Grid has paid out more than $27.1 million in economic development grants in western New York.

“Our commitment to western New York is reaffirmed through our relationships with our customers, who can benefit from our grant programs because this funding can help them achieve their ambitious goals,” said National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa. “We take pride in supporting growth across the region, and whether it’s a small family-owned farm or a large industrial business, our full suite of economic development programs can suit a variety of needs.”

Curious about how National Grid interacts with movers and shakers in Buffalo, I reached out to Mary Grace Welch, Lead Economic Development Representative at the energy company, which is “not simply about wires and poles.”

I mostly wanted to learn more about $760,000 in recent economic development grants, to support seven western New York initiatives that are listed below. I was also curious about the wide range of businesses that were accessing the program, from small family-owned farms to National Grid’s largest commercial and industrial customers.

‘It’s all under one big umbrella – our economic development initiative that encompasses 18 programs, from large scale brownfield cleanups (such as developer Rocco Termini’s Chandler Street projects) to smaller Main Street Revitalization projects (such as the ones on Amherst Street),” said Welch, who is in charge of the Program in WNY. “There is a wide ranging diversity in the projects, and our ability to help. I take care of all 9 counties – I’m very busy these days. My job is to listen to the stories, to see if we can help, and to figure out the best fit. We’ve participated in the Riverbend cleanup, and getting the Bethlehem site ready. Our company supplies support – new life breathed into buildings and sites that might not have had a chance otherwise.”

As I spoke to Welch, I was found it interesting that while she is busy fielding the influx of calls, there is still untapped potential because many project leaders are not aware of the various economic development grants that are available. “Every day I get inquiries, but it’s mostly word of mouth,” Welch explained. “Currently, there are 50 inquiries that I am working on. Certain developers have me on speed dial. One of my biggest rewards however, is hearing from smaller project owners that tell me that they couldn’t have done it without our support – they take the award letters to the bank, which help to get them financing on their projects.”

When I asked how COVID-19 had impacted the flow of requests and recipients, Welch told me that her workload has not decreased in the slightest. “I am hearing from developers that I’ve never heard from before,” she told me.

That makes sense. At a time when the world seems upside down, more people are looking for financial incentives and relief in places that they might not have looked before the pandemic struck. Following are a handful of projects that are currently underway, which have benefitted from National Grid grants.

Tonawanda Street projects boosted by nearly $400,000 in grants

The Projects: Two grants were approved for 31 Tonawanda Street LLC. The first grant is for up to $300,000 and will be used to offset a portion of multi-million-dollar remediation costs at 31 Tonawanda St., a 140,000 square-foot building that is being converted into a multi-use facility. The second grant, for $86,000, will be used to offset remediation costs of abandoned railway property at 150 Tonawanda St. Plans there also include debris removal and construction of a 17,000 square- foot storage facility (see projects).

Grant Program: Funding was made through National Grid’s Brownfield Redevelopment program, which funds utility-related infrastructure improvements and other costs necessary to progress the redevelopment of a brownfield site or building.

North Tonawanda agribusiness expansion planned

The Project: Wheatfield Gardens specializes in sustainably-grown produce and is retrofitting its controlled climate, 12.5-acre greenhouse. The retrofit will allow Wheatfield Gardens to become a year-round regional supplier of lettuces, herbs and other greens to area retailers, schools and food service operators. To offset the customer’s costs related to upgrading electricity service, which is part of the retrofit, National Grid approved a $170,000 grant.

Grant Program: Funding was made through National Grid’s Electric Capital Investment Program, which offsets customer costs associated with electricity infrastructure upgrades needed as part of business expansion or new construction projects.

Family-owned restaurant to reopen

The Project: The popular, family-owned DiTondo’s opened in 1904 and closed in 2018. Since closing, fourth-generation family ownership has developed a new menu and has a vision to reopen the restaurant, which for decades attracted customers from all over the region. Building owner DiTondo’s LLC plans to convert the building, which dates to 1890 and has been vacant since it closed, to a mixed-use commercial project. National Grid approved a $50,000 grant to offset costs related to utility upgrades and new electricity service.

Grant Program: Funding for the project was provided through National Grid’s Main Street Revitalization program, which is used to revitalize main streets and commercial corridors in villages, towns and cities within the company’s service territory.

Industrial hub planned at former Bernzomatic Building

The Project: The former Bernzomatic factory in Medina has sat vacant since 2011. Dating to the 1940s, the site had been used to manufacture hand-held torches for soldering, brazing and welding. The building is being converted into a 160,000-square-foot industrial hub. National Grid approved a $55,000 economic development grant for B360 Holdings, which will be use the investment to offset some of the costs related to demolishing a portion of the building.

Grant Program: Funding for the project was made through National Grid’s Brownfield Redevelopment program.

Two Amherst Street projects each receive $50,000 economic development grant

The Projects: National Grid approved two economic development grants for $50,000 that will offset electrical upgrades at two separate mixed-use renovation projects at longtime vacant buildings. The first grant was approved for Jackal Holdings of Bflo LLC, which plans to convert 436 Amherst St. into a 1,400-square-foot storefront with four housing units. A second $50,000 grant was approved for Mark Kubiniec, whose renovation of 516 Amherst St. (lead image) calls for a 954-square-foot storefront and two housing units.

Grant Program: Funding for both projects was provided through National Grid’s Main Street Revitalization program.

“My partners in the project – my sister Judy, her husband John and our father Richard – are lifelong Amherst Street residents and businesspeople committed to this revitalization,” said Mark Kubinec, who is renovating 516 Amherst Street. “Thank you to National Grid for shepherding us through this part of our financing; it sure helps us get through the big projects.”

More information about National Grid’s suite of programs is available at www.shovelready.com.

Will Outdoor Patio Heaters Help To Save Area Restaurants Come Winter?

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 13:07:44 GMT

As a way to help area restaurateurs get through tough times this fall and winter, the city’s Common Council has proposed a resolution that would allow dining establishments to use outdoor heaters. This would allow the restaurants to continue to seat people outside, who might not want to take the risk of eating inside due to COVID-19.

The New York Restaurant Association predicts that one out of every five restaurants in the State will close due to the pandemic. Those are sobering numbers considering that so many people rely upon the restaurant industry for their livelihoods, not to mention the trickle down economy that will also be impacted.

“We need to assist restaurants and do everything we can to give them a shot of surviving the pandemic,” said Delaware District Councilmember Joel Feroleto, who was also also a proponent of Reopen Buffalo (the timely and critical patio expansion initiative). “Propane heaters are not permitted in Buffalo but we’ve just seen NYC do a 180 and allow them on sidewalks for dining, they were previously prohibited. Restaurants employ thousands of buffalo residents and support many other local vendors.”

“This will help some restaurants survive the pandemic,” agreed developer and restaurateur Rocco Termini.

“At a time when the restaurant business is struggling to keep their doors open, it would be nice if the City would help us by eliminating this policy,” said restaurateur Jay McCarthy, co-owner of The Place Restaurant.

Moving forward Common Council is requesting that the City of Buffalo’s Department of Permits and Inspections “help with a smooth transition to maintain outdoor operation.” The Council asks that the Department issues guidance on the resolution prior to October 6.

If all goes according to plan, Buffalo would follow in the footsteps of international cities such as Toronto that have already gone down this road. The only other issue at hand is successfully sourcing the heaters, according to McCarthy, who told me that everyone is now scrambling to get the heaters, making them impossible to find.

“The next step will be finding outdoor heaters now that it’s fall and most places are out of stock.”

A Viking fit for Valhalla

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 22:03:23 GMT

Jeff Benjamin, owner of Viking Lobster Co., is no longer with us in the physical realm. Earlier today I heard word that he had passed on, which is quite a shock considering that I had been in contact with him about the potential sale of his restaurant, and his desire to spend more time farming, which was his version of retirement.

All the years that I spent, sitting around the table with him, family and friends, it’s hard to imagine that his voice will no longer resound throughout the halls of his restaurant. There was something about his voice that is unforgettable. It was the voice, and his ability to tell stories, that made it seem as if you were there when it happened (whatever it was).

Jeff – I called him “Viking” – was a dear friend, a brother, and a father figure, depending on the day (or moment). I loved to hear the tales of “old Buffalo,” during the days when anyone could get away with just about anything. He would describe how police would sit at one table, with ne’er-do-wells at another table a few feet away… “blue bloods over there, and scoundrels over there,” he would say… “and they all knew each other, and they were all at ease and respectful when they were here.”

From the sounds of it, the restaurant was like a church or a sanctuary back in the day, and to tell you the truth, that’s the way that I viewed it as well. There was no other place like it. It was the last of a type of restaurant that was once prevalent in Buffalo. You know, the ones that you always heard about, but they were all gone… except for Viking. It was the last bastion of the Wild West in Buffalo, and it was owned by a guy who fancied himself a… not a gunslinger, but a deputy who kept law and order, but just enough law and order to ensure that the building would still be standing in the morning.

Talking to another restaurant owner earlier today, he said, “… the guy was a legend!” when I told him that Viking had passed. He was a legend because he didn’t play by the rules – he made the rules. He did what he wanted and never asked anyone for help along the way. He was a hard worker (too hard), and lived his life to the fullest (almost too full, but that’s up for debate). Too many “pops,” too much red meat… you couldn’t tell the guy what to do, ever. And if you did… look out! One second Viking would punch me in the side with a quick jab… and then go in for the hug, because he knew that I cared for him and respected him for his work ethic, his “charm,” his sense of humor, his resilience, his fortitude… the guy was a beast… a true viking in the best sense of the word.

A few years ago, when Viking knew that he had to slow things down, he started farming. Not that he ever listened to anyone when they told him to slow down. He, and only he, decided for himself when it was time to ‘throw in the mappine’. Here was a guy who cooked one of the best steaks in all of Buffalo (and ate a lot of them too), who was suddenly passionate about farming and vegetables?

Like everything else in his life, when he started down a path, it was impossible to get him off it. He always went into overdrive… this time on a tractor!

One of my big regrets will always be that I never took him up on his offer to visit his farm. I always said that I would… soon enough. When I heard that he had passed, I could’ve kicked myself for not taking the opportunity to see what he considered his personal Valhalla. The restaurant was his battleground for most of his life. The farm was his way of helping the restaurant, trying to get healthy, feeling a part of the earth that had provided for him all of those years, and being at peace with himself and his family. The restaurant business is a tough business. Viking was a tough guy. He was actually a softie, but I never would have said that to his face.

2020 has been a tough year for just about everyone. I finally got to the point where nothing could surprise me, or so I thought. This surprised me. This knocked the wind out of me. The only saving grace is that I know that Viking’s memory will live on in the hearts and souls of countless customers, friends, and family members that he has provided for and loved over the years.

Viking, when the wind blows off the lake, the ocean, or across an open farm field, I will hear your voice, and know that you are with us.

Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent Make mistakes;
mother wit Is ever a faithful friend…

– from The Hávamál

Street Closing Leads To New Trailblazing

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 17:57:48 GMT

There is no doubt that 2020 has not been “one for the books” for Buffalo’s commercial districts. There is one district however, that has been dealing with the COVID-19 situation in ways that we might not realize. Whereas Elmwood and Hertel are located in residential districts, Chippewa relies heavily on businesses, theaters, conventions, sporting events, hotels, concerts, etc., all of which have been decimated. That means that the Chippewa business owners have been left to their own devices, to try to figure out their own ways to attract people to downtown, at times when most people are content chilling in their own neighborhoods.

Earlier this summer, a number of business owners decided to take matters into their own hands, by closing down a section of W. Chippewa to traffic, from Delaware to Franklin – with the blessing of the City of course. While the option to close additional blocks of Chippewa was on the table, there wasn’t a lot of time for any of the business owners to think about it and/or pivot so quickly. The fact that there was any sort of street closure at all was a small miracle.

Rachel’s new patio, corner of Chippewa and Elmwood

Facing unprecedented adversity, restaurants were able to create permanent patios, make-shift patios, patios expansions, and provide expanded outdoor seating options for their guests (see Reopen Buffalo). Since businesses were required to serve food due to COVID-19 regulations, a number of the bars simply didn’t/couldn’t open. That meant that, for the first time ever, Chippewa became primarily an eating destination that happened to sell drinks. What is interesting is, that over the years, The Chippewa Alliance has been looking for ways to draw attention to the district’s food scene, to attract a wider age demographic to the street. They never could have known that a pandemic would be driving the change that they had been seeking. Not that they are against the nightlife… it’s just that a healthy balance of eating and drinking is… well… healthy, especially with a number of corporations relocating to the district.

In order to learn how the Chippewa businesses have been faring, I decided to take a walk around the district with Rachel A. DeDomenico, president of The Chippewa Alliance. We met up over at SoHo, to chat before the excursion.

“The businesses had to adjust quickly,” said DeDomenico. “Like all of the rest of the restaurants in the city, they had to figure out ways for customers to social distance, work with reservation systems, and try to stay busy, without really being busy – it’s a different type of busy. The businesses that did open, and put patios out, feel that while the weather was nice it was a great idea, and helped to increase business. There wasn’t a lot of time to come up with a uniform plan, so everyone did different things, and there wasn’t a consistent look, which was fine because they needed to do what they could, quickly.”

Businesses getting creative – Chocolate Bar sells “martini kits to-go!”

Space available – Benderson storefront, right next to Ted’s Hot Dogs

DeDomenico told me that there were a lot of lessons learned, which they never could have known from the start. For example, there are dead spots along the street, where barriers to businesses need to be removed. Also, at the entranceways, there don’t need to be so many barriers, because it’s overkill. And the barriers themselves are not at all welcoming.

Down the road, even after COVID-19 is over, there will be a lot of takeaways that will help Chippewa to become open and vibrant while maintaining a more cohesive look. Maybe that means that there will be patio umbrellas instead of pop-up tents? Or attractive bollards instead of rope and tape? And aesthetically pleasing concrete planters instead of utilitarian and foreboding street closures that look like roadwork is underway?

“There was no time to plan,” added DeDomenico. “Some of the businesses saw payroll going up, and they had to pay for security barriers, patio fixtures, and added insurance, while their numbers were way down. You have to make the math work.”

Giant mural coming to the side of 45 W. Chippewa

Big deal for Chippewa – 83 W. Chippewa will finally no longer be an embarrassing eyesore

As we talked, I peered out of the window (it was mid-afternoon), and watched, as a few people walked down the middle of the street. A few seconds later, a couple of cyclists passed by. It was fun envisioning what Chippewa Street could become after the Downtown Streetscape Project comes to pass. A new more-flexible street plan could make the district more walkable, which is something that we should all be pushing for, especially now that we have seen relative success in the wake of COVID-19.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. For Chippewa, this could be the “kick in the pants” that it takes to create a cohesive community – something that has always been so elusive for the street due to conflicting wants and needs. At the same time, it hasn’t been easy because there is no roadmap.

“We should have a template for street closures,” DeDomenico told me. “There should be a formula to show how the street would look, and how it would behave. It would be great to see this seasonally (even after COVID), with more businesses taking part, and examples that we can demonstrate that would help to show the possibilities. Once we have a better plan in place, then we can hopefully extend it down the street if more businesses want to take part, and create a real destination that people want to come to.”

SoHo goes beyond the call of duty

As we talked, the owner of SoHo, Jay Manno, came over to say a few things that were on his mind. “We’ve put a lot of time, effort, and money into the outdoor seating. We have new patio heaters and TVs, to extend this into the fall, and for outdoor (social distancing) tailgate parties (Tailgate in The Front Yard) that have been very successful so far, all things considered. We’ve built food into our bottle service at no additional charge, and we’ve had a chance to showcase our food. Upstairs, we have flatscreen TVs on rollers so that we can reconfigure seating, and a giant projector screen for live music and sporting events.

Manno prepares for a busy evening

Lower patio in action

“We’re doing everything that we can to make it the best experience possible (including serving ‘boozy milkshakes’). I love seeing what the rest of the businesses are doing to bring life to Chippewa, but the season is about to turn cold. With the patio heaters, we’re going to extend it as much as possible. We’re setting the precedent that shows it takes investing money to make money. We’ve had an incredible, warm dry summer. Once COVID is past can you imagine the street festivals that we could have, now that so many businesses are on the same page and working together – Rec Room was actually working on that concept until everything came to a halt. The sidewalks will be wider with the Streetscape Project, there will be more patios than ever… the way I look at it is like it’s some sort of Prohibition. Once we get past this – and hopefully everyone survives – we’re going to be more cohesive than even before.”

Wrap around patios at Frankie Primo’s – one of the few establishments on the street that is open for lunch and dinner

DeDomenico and Manno both agreed that another imperative measure is to somehow connect Main Street (Metro Rail) and the Theater District to Chippewa. There needs to be more public art, less dead spaces, some ingenious wayfinding signage – connectivity is going to be key, and hopefully some more businesses jumping onboard with the seasonal street closure concept.

Five Star Bank

Back patio at Tap House

“There have been no issues so far,” said DeDomenico. “The response has been amazing, actually. People really like it, and so do the businesses, when the weather is warm. You also have to remember that there are a lot of busy back patios that can not be seen from the street, like at Tap House and Bacchus. The addition of CannonDesign to the district is going to be huge, with 200 employees moving in in October. Then, Five Star Bank opened, and if you think about it, One Seneca is very close. Chippewa is more accommodating than ever, with healthy food options, seating areas, and large corporate businesses (including Delaware North). The Master Plan is starting on Franklin soon, and then Chippewa after St. Patrick’s Day – a contractor for the Streetscape Project has been selected. The street is going to look a lot different – it’s going to be more accommodating for people, and someday it’s going to be an extension of Main Street. There’s a lot to look forward to… even at this point in time.”

Celeste Lawson Receives 2020 Fendrick Theatre Fund Grant

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 11:28:54 GMT

We are excited to announce that local poet and writer Celeste Lawson was the recipient of this year’s Fendrick Theatre Fund grant for her production of Typography of Women: I Am Not Invisible.

Typography Of Women: I Am Not Invisible was born out of a 10-year desire of Celeste’s to create an original performance piece that would bring attention to the global issue of human trafficking and share it through the lens of Western New York. As the Niagara region is robust with human trafficking activity, this performance issues a call to the public to help deter human trafficking, learn how to read the signs of victims, and how to offer aid and opportunity for escape.

In order to create as authentic a production as possible, Celeste partnered with Project Mona’s House, a transitional residence in Buffalo, NY for women who have escaped trafficking and seek assistance in rebuilding their lives, to get first-hand accounts from some of the survivors. Through a series of 18 original prose poems written by the survivors, a script was created that shares their experiences during captivity and how they are adjusting and reclaiming their lives. Celeste has also partnered with choreographer Robin Hibbert and music producer Drea D’Nur to enhance the production.

Photo by Living in the Buff. Typography of Women cast photo from September 2020 rehearsal.

Typography is currently being re-imagined, re-set, and re-staged with the hope that it will take place at Ujima Theatre in honor of Lorna, who strongly believed in this project. The goal is to live-stream the production without a live audience to meet the state’s COVID safety guidelines, and to reach as many people as possible to educate them about this horrific organized crime taking place right in our backyards.The performance was originally set to take place on March 23rd in Rockwell Hall, with rehearsals beginning in January 2020. The original cast included the accomplished artists: Lorna C. Hill, Verneice Turner, Melinda Capeles, Vonetta T. Rhodes, “Goodness” Shawndrell Green, Dayatra Hassan, Samantha Cruz, Kathleen Betsko, Gunilla Kester, Dewel “Dee” Perez, and Brandon Williamson. Sadly, a series a horrific events put the project on hold and has forced a change in cast members.

Seed money for the project was granted by The Map Fund, a national foundation located in New York City that specifically encourages projects that are socially sensitive, challenging, and are presented as a performance. Additional supporters of the project include Rigidized Metals, Just Buffalo Literary Center, CEPA Gallery, Buffalo City Ballet, WNY Urban Arts Collective, Los Artistas del Barrio, and Friends of Typography of Women.

This collaborative initiative gracefully and impactfully tackles a highly sensitive subject. We can’t wait to follow this exciting project and see the finished result. Visit the production’s Facebook page for more information and to get the latest updates.

Five Cent Cine At Home: Cuties

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 16:56:28 GMT

Amy (pronounced ah’-mee, Fathia Youssouf) is just 11, but her life has become unusually complex and difficult. A Senegalese Muslim immigrant in France, she’s coming of age, physically at least, beset by the temptations and indiscretions of puberty. Her father is about to bring a second wife into the home, a development her mother is prepared to tolerate but Amy finds repulsive. She’s new to France, the apartment building, the suburban Paris neighborhood, her school, and to a bullying, cliquish, and sexualized social scene to which she desperately wants to belong. Curiously, everyone in the film speaks fluent English.

As they usually are in such films, authority figures are either useless or make matters worse. “Auntie” (Mbissine Thérèse Diop) is an elderly matriarch who represents uncompromising Senegalese culture and tradition. She celebrates Amy’s emergence as a “woman,” which for Auntie means dicing mountains of onions for her father’s upcoming second wedding, carrying an enormous plate of food on her head (“we’re not in Senegal,” says Amy under her breath), and cheering when Amy starts menstruating. Amy’s mother (Maïmouna Gueye) is critical and often aloof, and she fails to discipline her daughter when she needs it. There’s even an exorcism.

That’s a lot for anyone to handle, and Amy, who’s clever and resourceful enough, but also headstrong and needy, doesn’t do well. She steals valuables from her mother and another family member, stabs a fellow student with a pen, and puts a photo of her genitals on the internet, among many illicit acts. Despite her transgressive nature, Amy—the actress and her girl-gang were selected from some 650 who auditioned—is low-affect and surprisingly non-verbal.

Amy engages in this less than credible, outrageous behavior, because she wants to belong to an in-group of four girls, all about her age, known as the “Cuties.” For the duration of the story, the Cuties (only one other of the young actresses makes any impact on the film; the focus is on Amy) are preoccupied with perfecting their routine for an upcoming dance contest, in which they will compete against the favored “Sweety Swaggs.” Having observed one of the Cuties (Médina El Aidi-Azouni as Angelica) dancing in a basement laundry room (a scene at once superb and surprising), Amy wants to dance, too—and to be accepted by the girls, even if they’re crude, nasty bullies (their nickname for her is “Homeless”). It is Amy, the newest of the group, who moves them from suggestive dancing to truly dirty dancing.

To make this central story line hold up, first-time feature director and writer Maïmouna Doucouré has Amy succeed, then fail, succeed, then fail, succeed, then face still another obstacle in her quest for pre-teen happiness. The result is sometimes engrossing, sometimes tiresome. Amy’s ambition—to bond with a band of (mostly) obnoxious girls—cannot end well, and it doesn’t. She will have her epiphany and—as with the bullying, the futility of authority figures, and her own mean streak—it’s overdone. We’re not prepared to see Amy suddenly embraced by her mother or to watch her abrupt turn from highly sexualized dancing to jumping rope.

‘Cuties’ has sparked considerable controversy because of its presentation of bump-and-grind pre-teen female sexuality.

“Cuties” has sparked considerable controversy because of its presentation of bump-and-grind pre-teen female sexuality. Netflix, which acquired the film after Doucouré won a directing award at Sundance, has been especially vilified for using the skimpily-clad dancing girls on its poster for the film. In reaction, “#CancelNetflix” became the top topic in the US on Twitter in early September. Netflix’s response was to change the poster photo to one from a fantasy scene in the film: happy pre-teens on a shopping spree. Doucouré’s response—and it’s a reasonable one—is that the film depicts a reality inspired by the body imagery that circulates on social media; her inspiration was a talent show she saw in Paris. She also draws from her experience as a Senegalese immigrant in a polygamous family in France. Even so, some viewers will see the final dance scenes—performed by 11- and 12-year-old girls—as exploitative, others as verging on child pornography. Best to see the film and decide for yourself.

Date: 2020

Stars: 3

Director: Maïmouna Doucouré

Starring: Fathia Youssouf, Médina El Aidi-Azouni, Maïmouna Gueye, Mbissine Thérèse Diop

Languages: Mostly English, French, Spanish, Arabic; all subtitled in English

Other Awards: Best Director, Sundance World Cinema; 3 other nominations to date

Runtime: 96 minutes

Cuties (“Mignonnes”) ★★★ (out of 4 stars)

Available: Streaming Netflix; see JustWatch here for updated availability.

See all Five Cent Cine reviews by 2 Film Critics