Praised and embattled Buffalo ReUse is once again embroiled in internal strife and financial struggles.

There has been a lot of recent to-do about the new waterfront food shack on the Central Warf in Buffalo. After a couple hundred thousand dollars of research via Google images, the best the ECHDC could come up with was this:

Pshaw! You call that a shack?

Worth six figures in R&D? Probably not. In fact, the ECHDC should have just called me. For gas and lunch money I would have gladly traveled the GLOW region to photograph some of the most shacktacular (and successful) food shanties in Western New York. Out here in the rural counties we know our shacks, both little league and otherwise.

So, for the next couple days, time permitting, I’ll be driving around Genesee and Orleans Counties to give you the best information on what’s new in shack technology, design and usage. For the folks at the ECHDC, I’ll be submitting my petrol and cheeseburger bill at the end of the week; I understand that if I upgrade to the double cheeseburger I’ll be expected to pay the difference out of pocket…cheap bastards.

Without further ado, I submit for your approval The Lighthouse:

This shack is putting on airs. Indoor seating indeed...

This is an (almost) waterfront shack in the Town of Carlton, Orleans County. At roughly 500 square feet, it is half as deep as it is wide allowing for a full kitchen, a small eat-in counter and (gasp) some indoor seating, putting it in the full service restaurant category. Despite it’s diminutive size, The Lighthouse is packed to the gills on any given morning, afternoon and evening serving a full menu of basic diner fare to boaters, fishermen, seasonal residents and year-round locals.

The Lighthouse also features picnic tables, parking and a storage shed for when shack space is at a premium.

Other waterfront attractions in this little town you’ve never heard of: Three marinas, four restaurants a historic lighthouse and a state park just up the road.

Your move ECHDC.

Coming tomorrow: An actual little league snack shack that features a new anti-fire technology known as cinder block.

By Samantha Murphy:

For technology lovers, sharing their latest ideas and developments with others in a casual, fun environment sounds like a dream. Toss in some beer and food and that dream becomes reality with Buffalo BarCamp.

Buffalo BarCamp is a small, casual conference where people meet to present their ideas and discuss the latest technologies. According to Dan Magnuszewski, one of the founders of Buffalo BarCamp, it has a very informal style, where anyone can just sign up and give a talk about almost anything.

Magnuszewski said, "It's a very open thing. We really encourage everyone to talk even if they aren't a hardcore technology person. Last time we even had a guy talk about how to win every time at rock, paper, scissors."

The name can be misleading though. While the conference it titled, "Buffalo BarCamp," it is not always hosted at a bar. Magnuszewski explains, "BarCamp in the technology world is not an actual drinking bar. It's a variation of the word "foobar" which is like a slang term."

BarCamp is not just a local conference, it's actually international. It began as an alternative to "Foo Camp," which was hosted by Tim O'Reilly and attendance was by invitation only. Many others liked the idea but decided that the conference should be open to the public.

The creators of Buffalo BarCamp liked this idea as well. They changed some things around to make it fit locally. "We have a shorter weeknight format," Magnuszewski said. "Ideally, everyone gives about a ten minute presentation. It usually runs from about 6 to 11 pm."

There have been two Buffalo BarCamps this year, one in March at the Pearl Street Grill and the other in June at the Main Washington Exchange. Both were very successful, with over 100 people in attendance at the second conference.

For those still looking to participate, there will be another Buffalo BarCamp in the early fall. The date is yet to be determined. However, unlike the other meetings this one may be held on a weekend and last an entire day.

Akron man suffers leg injuries, is charged with felony drunken driving.

Good Morning Buffalo: 7/5/11

With Guest Host: Shelly Schratz

Michael McIntyre, Author of the Authentic Salesman:

Download audio file (070511mcintyre.mp3)

Carl Paladino, Ellicott Development, & former gubernatorial candidate:

Download audio file (070511paladino.mp3)

Check out these new posts from the Wilson Street Urban Farm on their website…

• Another Opportunity To Support Urban Agriculture
• Yes… Finally Another Post!

Corpus Christi parish is pleased to announce its Super Flea Market, to be held on Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This event will be held in the Sears Street Hall, located at 165 Sears St. across from the church parking lot (just one block from the Broadway Market).

This sale will have something for everyone, with a large selection of used “treasures” – all marked at LOW prices. The Super Flea Market will also feature an assortment of homemade baked goods for sale. All proceeds support church maintenance.

Read full story—>

A new bill that will make it more difficult for people with eating disorders to buy a compound that induces vomiting may soon become law in New York State.

In Saturday 07/03, a multi-denominational blessing of the gardens took place on the roof of the Broadway Market. It featured blessings from Father Simon Shaner of Corpus Christi Church, Tu Hieu Buddhist Temple and a Muslim Blessing. (The person who performed the Muslim blessing asked not to have it video’d or photographed)

HT to Amanda Beale who organizes the gardens at the Market for inviting me.

Families must move quickly to mute the financial toll of the disease

The state's new 2 percent property tax cap resonates well with many local taxpayers and business owners, but most local school district and government officials and teachers union leaders are horrified.

Sam Hoyt’s abrupt resignation left a gaping hole in local progressive politics that Attorney/Activist Sean Ryan is looking to fill.  Looks to me like he will be a great successor to Sam.

• Sean has spent his career to this point in delivering legal services to those who cannot afford it. He has worked in a homeless prevention program, represented victims of housing discrimination, fought for a more equitable food stamp delivery system, and most recently worked for PUSH Buffalo to establish an affordable housing program aimed at rebuilding a neighborhood in the West Side of Buffalo.
• Sean’s work with PUSH was centered around building sustainable housing that utilizes the latest in green building techniques including the use of highly insulated shells, on demand hot water and high efficiency furnaces. He developed the concept for PUSH’s “Net Zero House” that is powered by renewable energy and will not use more energy than it produces in a year. The house is powered by solar thermal for domestic hot water, PV Panels for electric and a cutting edge geo-thermal heating system using a trench cut into a vacant lot to create domestic heat. This house is groundbreaking in terms using the most cutting edge technology to demonstrate that you can retro fit a vacant City house into a highly efficient energy producing house that can be used as a model for other vacant homes through out the city. He realizes that the government must continue to play in important role to establish the use of residential renewal energy until it becomes more affordable and accepted by the general population.
  • Sean’s work reclaiming/rebuilding old housing stock in Buffalo is a great way to help stabilize the blight affecting the City, create jobs and provide affordable housing for people - Vacant lot will be able to heat home
• Sean is on the Board of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and has pushed the Buffalo Sewer Authority to tackle the problem of combined sewer systems and the resulting discharge of untreated human waste directly into the Niagara River.
• Sean has been an advocate for living wage legislation in Buffalo and active in Coalition for Economic Justice, a group that advocates for a living wage, rights at work, accountable economic development and health care for all.

Progressives are offering exciting candidates this year; Pam Cahill for City Council, Diane Wray for City Court Judge (more on Diane coming soon) and now,  possibly Sean Ryan for NYS Assembly.

Erie Canal Harbor attracts families and friends for celebrations of freedom.

Yay Shack

Last Friday, Tom Dolina, and I attended the ceremonial ribbon-cutting of the Erie Canal snack shack, ironically dubbed “Clinton’s Dish”. (We’ll have video up shortly.)

Friday’s weather was glorious, and there were hundreds of people outside enjoying the green space right along the boardwalk. The Pride of Baltimore II replica schooner was in town, the naval museum was open, there were some painted Adirondack chairs available for people to relax in – some shady trees helped keep people out of the hot sun – and there was, of course, the shack itself and a small sandy area before representing a “beach”.

It’s obviously a huge improvement over what used to be there, a parking lot, but I was struck by how many people were there given that the only real thing available to do was to just hang out. The shack itself? Perry’s Ice Cream, hamburgers and hot dogs, chips and sodas – usual shack fare, and on opening day it was quite slow and disorganized. It’s nice that it’s there, but it’s sort of a clone of the Hatch.

Reporters listened to the politicians’ pronouncements, and afterwards cornered Congressman Brian Higgins to press him on issues like the Peace Bridge and the federal deficit, and Mayor Byron Brown to press him on the delay with the Naval museum restaurant.

What I wanted to know was – what’s next? The ECHDC has done an awful job of explaining to people and reminding them that, despite all the jokes about the massive self-applause over a somewhat pitiful shack, there’s a lot more to come. Again – people were there with nothing to do; imagine if there was something to do. Imagine if there were shops and a public market, perhaps a few restaurants and bars, or a gallery or museum space. There is such huge potential there, and you kind of have to go down there on a nice day to be reminded of it.

One thing that stood out – when standing around on the boardwalk by the water, the Skyway is absolutely a non-issue. There was negligible traffic noise, and it was far enough overhead that I didn’t even think about it until I consciously sought it out to observe it. It’ll be nice to someday be rid of it, and it’ll be nice to have the at-grade crossing to the Outer Harbor, but its removal is not a prerequisite to developing and enjoying the Canal Side area.

I was also struck by the fact that a snack shack and some deck chairs were, so far, the net sum of the six-figures paid to Fred Kent and his traveling crowdsourcing circus. That right there is some taxpayer money that is owed back to the people.

So, we asked ECHDC President Tom Dee and Congressman Brian Higgins to remind us what’s coming next. When are the RFPs? Why don’t we just sell off the parcels to private developers and let them do what they want, within design and engineering regulations? What is the benefit of having one unified developer at Canal Side versus several different developers, or one for each parcel.

Coming Soon (?)

The snack shack doesn’t deserve the hype it got. We ought not pat ourselves on the back for things that should have already existed – for no-brainers. We should get excited about the stuff that’s coming and frustrated by the fact that the banners had until recently touted Canal Side opening in May 2011. Well, the newly-cobbled streets are open, but we’ve got a glut of cobbled streets with little to do around them down in that area.

The snack shack is definitely anticlimactic.

But, it may bring you down there and you may enjoy a nice stroll along the water, or take a seat in the “sunset chairs” and hang out. As you do so, imagine how great it’ll be in a few years when the city blocks between you and the HSBC tower have re-watered replica canals and loads of shops and restaurants.  Seriously, it will be great.

As for the process, the ECHDC is talking about building an underground parking garage underneath the Canal Side development. The area needs it, and the tenants will demand it. By placing it underground, you keep it out-of-sight and it doesn’t become a blight on the area. I predict that this will be the next major source of conflict and strife over the coming months, but a refusal to implement underground ramps will only result in the perpetuation and further propagation of private surface lots in the nearby areas.  That’s something we don’t need.

7/5/2011

I have a voracious appetite for internet memes, video, podcasts, news and analysis, so each morning I’ll share several links that you can consume during your “morning grumpy”.

After receiving dozens of complaints about the redneck on the toilet image featured in each post last week, I have moved on to featuring a condescending/grumpy baby. See, I take feedback. Now, quit complaining.

1. Last night, I capped off my 4th of July by watching Alexandra Pelosi’s documentary, “Citizen U.S.A., a 50 State Road Trip“. Pelosi crashes Naturalization Ceremonies across the country and asks newly minted citizens why they came to this country and what they love most about their new home. It’s nice to get a refresher on why America is indeed a special place as it’s still a land of opportunity and abundance for millions of people around the world. Hearing these immigrant citizens tell of their hopes and dreams and to be so grateful that this great experiment in Democracy is still a beacon to the world was inspiring.

During the last century, the constant flow of immigrants into this country preserved the belief in enduring American values, it kept the dream of America a reality. I think we all need a little bit of that immigrant spirit if we’re to continue this great experiment in Democracy.

2. Detroit as the new TriBeCa. The urban renewal “movement” in Detroit is based on people taking advantage of the “now” to make a better future. Here, we celebrate the past to make a better “now”.  It’s not a small difference.

With few exceptions, Buffalo is about sentimental appreciation for long-ago people, businesses and buildings. Celebrating, constantly, a past that was better than our “now”. In Detroit, they have an attitude. That attitude is “Fuck you, we’re Detroit, we built this god damned country and we’re gonna build it again“.

Here, it’s slow Wilfred Brimley voiceovers about “realness” and how our past makes us relevant. I’ll be digging into this over the next few weeks because what’s happening in Detroit is “for real”. They have youth, energy, diversity and access to capital and they’re using it to make a better future.

3. Still wondering why there has been no real action was taken against the banks that caused our near economic meltdown? Well, so does Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Meet one of the few guys in America who is trying to hold the banks accountable for their actions.

4. As mentioned last week in this space, Glenn Beck’s last day was June 30th. A day which sane people will celebrate for years, as there is now one less dummy with a national platform. The untold story of Beck’s departure from Fox was the fact that organized boycotts still work as an effective means of protest.

I think we need to take time to recognize the innovative and relentless boycott that set out to strip Glenn Beck of his sponsors. The boycott was amazingly effective at doing just that–ultimately convincing several hundred corporations (including major names such as Wal-Mart, GEICO, and Procter & Gamble) to agree not to advertise on his show.

5. Frank Rich is my favorite political columnist, his latest piece in New York Magazine is an opus.

The president’s failure to demand a reckoning from the moneyed interests who brought the economy down has cursed his first term, and could prevent a second.

6. Be smarter and read this primer on ten economic theories and issues that matter. Once you’ve read this, follow up and read more.

7. Now that you’ve read some theories from the dismal science of economics, read Paul Krugman’s Op-Ed from Sunday’s New York Times. You’ll thank me later.

Over the last two years profits have soared while unemployment has remained disastrously high. Why should anyone believe that handing even more money to corporations, no strings attached, would lead to faster job creation?

8. Apple is an awesome employer that makes the coolest products in the world. Right? Right?!? Yeah, not so much. While Chinese people commit suicide from the stress of working in labor camps 20 hours per day to make your super cool iPad, Apple employees in America are starting a push to unionize. Why? Because Apple is a terrible employer. Apple, a magical, revolutionary experience.

9. Click here for the most incredible breakdown of the Casey Anthony case and her defense strategy.

Have a day!