STEVE SHARP/Daily Times

Tribute to area veterans

Workers spent Friday and Saturday working to create a substantial tribute to area veterans at Sullivan’s Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Posted: Monday, April 23, 2012 11:09 am

Sullivan park project is tribute to area veterans

By Steve Sharp
of the Daily Times staff

Watertown Daily Times Online

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April 23, 2012

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SULLIVAN — In the works for four years, an impressive tribute to area veterans took shape over the weekend in Sullivan at Veterans Memorial Park.

Under the direction of Brian Mattke — whose late father, William Mattke, came up with the idea for the tribute — as well as Tom Ball, owner and landscape designer of Ground Affects Landscaping, Inc. of Sullivan, workers spent Friday and Saturday pulling the tribute together at the downtown park.

“Tom and I are old friends and we had a good plan,” Mattke told the Daily Times Friday as the project reached realization.

At an estimated project cost of $30,000, many bricks have already been sold to help offset expenses.

Ball, who also serves as president of the metro Milwaukee chapter of the Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association, said the group likes to perform Earth Day projects each year and the veterans memorial concept in Sullivan fit its goals well.

Mattke said Ground Affects jumped in with a complete design, working with the ideas from Mattke and others. The firm also provided volunteer labor, as well as bricks and block, trees, shrubs and other plants to decorate the site.

Providing additional assistance were the Sullivan Area Chamber of Commerce, VFW Post 10604, St. John’s Ladies Aid, the Aid Association for Lutherans and Operation Celebrate Freedom.

“This came to light as an Earth Day project for us. We wanted to do community service,” Ball said, adding initial schemes for the work were created in 2008 and flagpoles installed in 2010. More plans were drawn up, with additional input being received from various sources and the project gained momentum. It was finished on Saturday at 2 p.m.

“My dad, who died four years ago, had some great ideas for this project,” Mattke said. “It has been overwhelming getting the money together for this, things have been so good that way. I’m nervous and a little freaked out about this. It’s what I expected and more.”

© 2012 Watertown Daily Times Online . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Sullivan Veterans Memorial Park

When Mike and Robyn Coughlin met their new granddaughter in England for the first time last June, they came home with more than photographs and souvenirs from their trip abroad.

The Coughlins also came home with a new venture for their 33-year-old business, Oakridge Nursery and Landscaping. And earlier this year, they took action on that idea by erecting a 24- by 24-foot addition that will be used for wine tastings, social gatherings, business meetings and retail gift sales.

“We went to garden centers while we were there and everything you would need – from plants to clothes to gift items and a deli – was all there,” explained Robyn Coughlin. “We’re trying to create a space so groups will want to hold their meetings here.”

The new addition features a corrugated steel ceiling, fireplace, brick and stucco walls and comfortable seating to enjoy a glass of wine and conversation.

The Coughlins are hoping that one-stop concept will catch on at Oakridge Nursery.
“When we first came here, we weren’t even thinking about retail – just landscaping,” Robyn said. But the retail came in the fall of 1987 when main building was constructed. “And hopefully we can (continue to) grow the retail every year to some degree,” Mike added.

Earlier this month, the Brandon City Council granted Oakridge the licenses it needs to serve South Dakota-made wines and malt beverages. The Coughlins plan to feature South Dakota wines, selling it by the glass and bottle.

“This will be a good way to introduce them to tasting wine and South Dakota wines are our main goal (to feature),” Mike said.

Adds Robyn: “We will have more variety of gift items and we’re now handling items to go with the wine products and other items.”

The Coughlins have also hinted at adding deli but no immediate plans are in the works.

“At some point in time, we might want to do a little deli out here, maybe get into some flavored coffees,” Mike said.

“Because it seems everybody walks in with a coffee mug,” Robyn adds.

The Coughlins are hoping to create more traffic at their business by expanding their gift line and adding wine sales.

“We’ve really become a destination point, and not only for the nursery, but for gift items too,” Mike said. “I don’t know what percentage of our business is out of town people, but it’s huge, and we just want to make this a relaxing place for people to come and shop.”

Oakridge’s new addition will get its first test in early June when the Active Generations-organized Garden City Wine Tour will make a stop there for lunch.

The Coughlins will be expanding their business outdoors too, where a patio is planned.
“We want to create an outdoor patio to show what we can do,” Mike said.

Because the industry, Robyn said, has been going that way.

“With the landscaping part of it, it has gotten so much into creating outdoor living areas and kitchens,” she said.

An additional 20- by 30-foot greenhouse for outside bedding plants will be going up on the grounds, Robyn said.
The Coughlins say they have more plans for expansion. “We’d like to extend the greenhouses and make space for (seminar) seating,” Mike said.

Those plans, however, will sit idle until their newest venture is up and running.

“He’s always full of ideas,” Robyn says of her husband. “But his life won’t be long enough to accomplish them all.”

Early on in the operation, Mike was kept busy on landscaping jobs, where he often came up with these new ideas for the business.

“I had all these ideas but no time to implement them,” he said. “Now that I have four guys handling the landscaping, I’m finding out it does take some time to implement them.”

Kearns • A longtime neighborhood eyesore has been turned into a snug, energy-efficient house that’s now on sale for a qualified buyer who may have thought home ownership was out of reach.

The nonprofit Community Development Corp. (CDC) has remodeled the home at 4506 W. 5500 South, installing an energy-efficient furnace and air conditioner, tankless water heater, insulated duct work and siding, upgraded attic insulation, Energy Star kitchen appliances and exterior doors and other devices designed to cut down on utility costs. The outside landscaping was done to help with water conservation and accessibility, including colorful, low-water plants and a graceful, gently sloping no-step entry and driveway.

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Help for affordable homes, energy efficiency grants

What » The nonprofit Community Development Corp. of Utah has helped 4,000 families become homeowners.

Programs » Housing construction and rehabilitation, home-buyer education and counseling, foreclosure mitigation and down-payment assistance.

Idea Homes » Built 17 homes in Salt Lake County, demonstrating energy conservation, solar-energy generation, solar thermal hot water and water-wise landscaping.

For more information, visit cdcutah.org

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Affordable homes for sale:

Assistance may be available for first-time buyers with minimum family incomes for one person, $39,950 up to eight people, $75,350. Homes include:

Kearns » 4506 W. 5500 South, $134,000

West Jordan » 1419 W. 6785 South, $139,900.

Magna » 2952 S. 9000 West; $139,900; 2611 S. 8990 West; $142,900; 2745 S. 9000 West, $109,900.

Salt Lake City » 31 W. Fremont Ave. (1100 South); $72,000; 634 S. Navajo Street (1365 West), $143,900.

For information or a tour, call Carol 801-554-4942 or visit www.cdcutah.org

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The home is one of seven in Salt Lake County that is for sale. All were built for low-income families and as “idea” homes to educate the public on energy-saving strategies.

“This is like throwing a pebble into the water,” said Darin Brush, the development agency’s CEO. “Ideas from these homes with energy-saving features can have a ripple effect on the entire community.”

Neighbor Carol Mecham went on a recent tour of the Kearns home, calling it “one of the most beautiful in the area now.” She added that ideas on energy efficiency, such as vapor barriers and insulated crawl spaces, “are wonderful.”

Elizabeth Wilson, also a resident in the neighborhood, was impressed with the home’s interior textured walls that improve insulation and sound absorption.

Asking price for the three-bedroom, 1,014-square foot home in Kearns is $134,000. Prices of other homes range from $72,000 to $143,900.

Down payment assistance may be available for qualified buyers. Qualified persons must make 80 percent or less of the Area Median Income, which ranges from one person with an annual income of $39,950 up to a family of eight with an income of $75,350.

Maximum owner-occupant buyer income must be 115 percent or less of the Area Median Income, ranging from one person with an annual income of $57,500 up to a family of eight with an income of $108,330.

Since its founding 1990, the CDC has helped 4,000 families in more than 120 Utah communities to become homeowners.

Programs include housing construction and rehabilitation, home-buyer education and housing counseling, foreclosure mitigation help and down-payment assistance.

Salt Lake County also offers assistance through its Home Safe Home program for homeowners to make critical repairs. Low- and moderate income residents in Kearns, Magna, Copperton, White City and East Milcreek may be eligible.

County officials also have home tips to keep dwellings safe and healthy:

Keep it clean • Control the source of dust and contaminates, reduce clutter and use effective wet cleaning.

Keep it dry • Prevent water from entering through leaks in roofing systems and rain water from seeping in because of improper drainage.

Keep it contaminate-free • Reduce lead-related hazards in pre-1978 homes by fixing deteriorated paint. Also, test your home for radon, a naturally occurring gas that enters homes through soil, crawl spaces and foundation cracks.

Keep it pest-free • Seal cracks and openings, store food in pest-resistant containers and if needed, use sticky-traps and baits in containers.

Next Page

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Don’t move — improve

Salt Lake County’s Home Safe Home program assists low- and moderate-income residents to make critical repairs to correct housing code violations and improve living conditions. Residents in Kearns, Magna, Copperton, White City or East Milcreek may be eligible.

For more information, call 385-468-4888.

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More than 100 people attended astronomy day earlier this month in Rivertown. After news of museums closing and staff being laid off, many people at the event were surprised to see Kenner‘s historic district alive, if not well.

View full sizeBrett Duke, The Times-PicayuneKenner is launching a broad initiative to revive Rivertown, its original downtown, with more events, including outdoor movies and a farmers market, to lure people to the area.

“They were all under the impression that everything was closed,” said Gail Yeadon, president of the nonprofit Friends of Rivertown. Not so, she said: “Rivertown is being reinvented.”

Indeed, Kenner is launching a broad initiative to revive its original downtown with more events to lure people to the area. A farmer’s market and outdoor movie nights will start next month, a new company takes over the performing arts theaters in July and a total renovation of the Science Center is set to be finished in a few weeks.

Mayor Mike Yenni‘s vision for the historic area, like those of his predecessors, is for a vibrant area that doesn’t require a government subsidy.

Said Kenner City Council member Gregory Carroll, whose district includes the area: “I think it’s going in the right direction.”

Birth of a city

Rivertown is where Kenner was born. Kenner’s earliest settlers built their homes and businesses by the Mississippi River, the highest, most fertile land around. After World War II, however, Kenner’s population pushed north toward Airline Drive and beyond, leaving Rivertown behind. In the 1980s, Mayor Aaron Broussard tried to inject new life into the area with a line of small museums.

View full size

But the city’s subsidy has reached more than half a million dollars a year, and in the economic downturn of the past decade, museums started closing and businesses floundering.

In 2010, the City Council formed an advisory committee of residents, businesses and public officials to develop ideas for Rivertown. Officials understand how important the local businesses are to the success of the district, so Rivertown business owners are involved in the advisory board and Rivertown’s future for what some members said is the first time.

“We all are part of the new Rivertown,” Carroll said.

On Friday, Kenner will resume the popular Music in the Park series, in which bands play free concerts in Heritage Park, a green space dotted with replicas of old-time buildings.

New events also are coming. Next month, Movies in the Park will show family-friendly films for free on an outdoor screen, and a farmers market could draw crowds seeking fresh, local produce.

Almost 100 years ago, Rivertown served as the largest shipping point of produce in the south, said Kevin Centanni, who chairs the Rivertown Advisory Committee and whose family owned a packing shed there. Farmers from all over the region took their produce to Kenner, which had packing sheds, a box company to make the shipping crates and an ice house to keep the food fresh. “It was the green gold era,” Centanni said.

The idea for the new events is to provide “quality of life” attractions that are self-sustaining through private sponsors or sales of food and drinks and that lure people to Rivertown. Ideally they will return and patronize local businesses.

Master plan suggestions

Many of the ideas now bearing fruit were recommended in a 56-page master plan written in 2008. It suggested consolidating the museums and selling city-owned Williams Boulevard real estate to commercial interests.

Former Mayor Ed Muniz moved the Saints Hall of Fame Museum to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in 2007, closed the Toy Train Museum in 2009 and turned the Wildlife and Fisheries Museum into Heritage Hall, a rental space that officials said consistently turns a profit. Also closed for good are the Mardi Gras and Native American museums.

The remaining museums are among the most popular: the planetarium, the Space Station and the Science Center, which is in the midst of a complete overhaul.

Yeadon, the Friends of Rivertown president, explained the rationale: “Take the best of what you have and go 100 percent with that.”

Ken Marroccoli, Kenner’s recreation director, started running Rivertown in July when Yenni folded the Community Services Department into his department. Marroccoli said he talked with school groups, the major user of the museums, for suggestions about improvements. He learned that “the Science Museum was exactly the same now as it was 10 to 12 years ago.”

He decided to give it “more of a museum feel” and, without much public money to invest, put his own employees to work renovating the structure and partnered with two local television stations. WWL built a weather station with live weather feeds to show visitors the forecast in different cities and green-screen technology to let visitors put on their own weather forecasts, Marroccoli said. WYES will sponsor a “Sid the Science Kid” exhibit.

After the Science Center is finished, there are plans for renovations at the planetarium and the observatory, which has been closed since Hurricane Katrina.

In its quest to decrease the public subsidy of Rivertown, Kenner contracted with a new group to take over the two theaters on Minor Street, currently helmed by the Rivertown Repertory Theatre Guild. The new group, Theatre 13, headed by Gary Rucker and Kelly Fouchi, will save the city more than $50,000 a year.

Working as partners

Rucker said the group wants to partner with other Rivertown businesses to attract more guests. The plan is to encourage the main theater’s patrons to eat at Rivertown restaurants and to partner the children’s theater with other Rivertown attractions, such as the science museums, so visitors can make a day of it.

“Unless that entire community works together, no one’s going to succeed,” Rucker said. “It’s such a nice area of the city. It’s a shame to just see a show and leave.”

Kenner is seeking proposals for a private group to reinvent and manage the former Children’s Castle. The hope is that the manager will produce a variety of acts, such as comedians or jazz, to bring more pedestrian traffic to the area.

Kevin Centanni, chairman of the Rivertown Advisory Committee

“We’re redeveloping Rivertown into an entertainment and theater district,” Centanni said.

Yenni, like Muniz and Mayor Louis Congemi before him, has sought ways to cut the local public subsidy in Rivertown. “There’s no question government has to be more judicious in its resources,” said Mike Quigley, Yenni’s chief administrative officer.

That means City Hall’s grant administrator, Michael Ince, has been busy. Kenner has received several grants to improve Rivertown’s infrastructure, such as $424,000 from the state Department of Transportation and Development to pay for landscaping, median, lighting and sidewalk improvements. Even the projector and screen for Movies in the Park are being paid for with federal grant money for low-income areas.

Kenner also is on its way to becoming part of the Main Street program, which could open Rivertown to more federal grant money. New Orleans has a half-dozen neighborhoods in the Main Street program, including Oak Street and Old Algiers.

“It’s kind of our little Magazine Street,” Centanni said of Rivertown, “our Oak Street, our French Quarter, our entertainment district.”

. . . . . . .

Mary Sparacello can be reached at msparacello@timespicayune.com or 504.883.7063.

“I’ve wanted to write this book for years,” says Wingate, who gardens in Seattle. “It’s an accumulation of questions I get, when I give talks, when I’m on the radio.”

We threw a few of those privacy-challenged situations at Wingate and got her thoughts.

Trees: Trees can do wonders, but you have to make the right choice.

“I always suggest that people look to their local (Cooperative) Extension Service,” she says. (Go to nifa.usda.gov/extension to find an Extension Service near you.) “I have a very small garden. We’re in the city, on a small lot. I can’t have a pin oak.

“In addition to focusing on small trees, I also recommend that people look at their city’s street trees list. They list them not only for climate, but usually list them by characteristic. Tall trees, narrow trees, what to get if you want a tree for color.”

The hedgerow: People are getting more adventurous and don’t believe they have to look like the house next door, Wingate says. That extends to hedges. She recommends a mixed hedgerow as opposed to a more formal hedge defined by a tidy row of boxwoods.

A mixed hedge, she explains, might include “two or three evergreens, deciduous bushes. It also provides wildlife habitat. They have a place to hide, they have food, they have cover. Birds that come into our garden use our hedgerow as a secondary landing place as they go to and from the feeder.”

Some plant ideas: The book offers several pages of plant lists, broken down into categories (evergreen shrubs, plants for hedgerows, plants for seaside gardens, vines for trellises, etc.). With such an expansive playbook, there’s no reason for dull uniformity. Just do your homework.

“We have a tendency to plant junipers out here,” Wingate explains. “People plant them on an incline. Sadly, they’ll put them someplace and not consider drainage. Junipers need good drainage. If they don’t, they get root rot. I have a lot of junipers listed — they’re useful — but we need to remember what they need before we plant them.”

She’s big on small conifers and yews and choosing plants that are hardy for an area but underused. Ask your Extension Service, botanic garden or local garden club for ideas.

Cutting corners: When you live on a corner, people cut across the corner of your lot. Fence or plants? Wingate says a solution depends on your neighborhood and neighbors, and how hard you need to hammer home the point.

“Sometimes you just imply there’s a barrier,” she says. “Sometimes just a few plants, sometimes you have to put something up to keep them from walking.”

UB Law School’s Regional Economic Development class is bringing fresh economic development ideas to neighborhoods that need a boost.  The course lets students attempt to identify a real need in the community, apply the theory learned in the classroom and then design a plan that would address this need.  The following is a summary of a project completed by David Burress, Megan VanWie and Christina Akers with simulations by Troy Joseph.  It is one of five reports completed by the students last semester.

INTRODUCTION
Over the past eight years, Black Rock has emerged as a cultural and social hub for local artisans and musicians.  The neighborhood has attracted a new bakery and a restaurant while renewing local nightlife.  Starting in 2003, Doreen DeBoth opened the Artsphere studio located at 447 Amherst Street.  The arts culture of Black Rock attracted local entrepreneurs Mark Goldman of the Hardware Café on Allen Street and Deborah Clark of Delish, formerly on Elmwood Avenue.   One local business owner observed how “we can feel it in our bones that our neighborhood is really starting to make an impact in becoming a cool place to listen to music and check out the arts.”  Goldman remarked how, “that’s really our future economy — it’s the arts.” “The Rock” neighborhood now boasts several art exhibition spaces, bars featuring local musicians, and the Rediscover Amherst Street Art Festival currently in its thirteenth year.  Arguably, the arts industry has been the root of development in this neighborhood.   Although the area has experienced various types of economic development in recent years, it has made the area ripe for consideration.

Our group chose to consider this area because of its historical nature, mixed-use development and changing demographics, in addition to the recent growth of new businesses along Amherst Street.  It was also chosen because of its dense network of residential streets, abandoned industry, functioning railway, bike path, strong interconnectivity to two thruways, and close proximity to a local state college.

Most critically, Black Rock has the necessary conditions for a successful urban neighborhood as defined by Jane Jacobs in “The Death and Life of Great American Cities.” Jacobs argues that creating diversity requires “effective economic pools of use”.   An effective city must have four conditions: mixed-use buildings, small streets, aged structures, and concentrated public spaces.  These are required for a city district to “realize its best potential.”

This paper attempts to identify these four elements in Black Rock, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, supported by our report findings.  Based on our observations we made recommendations on ways to improve to the neighborhood.

LAND USE
The land use of the area helped attract our group to this region in Buffalo. The area has a diversity of uses including industry, residential, recreation, commercial, community services, and some vacant lots.  The majority of the land use north of Amherst Street and south of Chandler Street is used for residential purposes.  Within that area there are twenty-one vacant lots within the residential area. north of Grote Street the area has the highest level of mixed use because it includes residential, industrial, commercial, recreation, and some vacant lots.  The area around the railroad tracks once had much more industry but now has a lot more vacant lots.
 
The majority of the land use along Amherst Street is mixed-use commercial due to the variety of stores placed directly on the street.  Many storefronts on Amherst Street appear to have living quarters upstairs.  On visits, the individuals living above the storefronts came to our attention because the lights were on in almost all of the upstairs apartments in the evening.

Within the neighborhood, some of the land is used for community services.  One of the most prevalent community services in the neighborhood is Habitat for Humanity Restore which is located on Amherst Street.  There are also recreational uses in Black Rock.  One of the major recreational uses was along the Erie Canal with the bike path. The bike path runs along the Erie Canal above the 198.  On visits to the neighborhood, individuals had been working on the bike path, replanting grass seed.

The variety of uses makes this neighborhood extremely interesting and helps to understand a place which Jane Jacobs referred to. Black Rock is not the caliber of neighborhood as Jane Jacobs described, but has many of the important aspects that Jane stated were needed for a successful neighborhood.

INVENTORY: CONDITIONS FOR DIVERSITY
The first step in our analysis was creating a local inventory of the Black Rock neighborhood. This was developed primarily from observation from visits to the street, conversations with neighborhood stakeholders, and Internet searches. At first blush, the neighborhood has equal part commercial businesses and cultural resources, with two major infrastructure assets: the 198 and railway. Black Rock is fortunate to also have strong community associations in place.

Within our neighborhood there are key anchor businesses that help to draw outside individuals into Black Rock. For example, Wegmans is one of the largest players because it is the only store of its kind throughout Buffalo.   Another is Voelker’s Bowling alley located at the intersection of Amherst Street and Elmwood Avenue.  Voelker’s brings a large amount of different individuals into the neighborhood seeking recreation.  The major weakness of both of these large anchors is their ability to draw individuals into the neighborhood, but not getting the individuals to stay. Part of Voelker’s problem is that it is located at the very corner of the street at a very busy intersection and is isolated from other businesses along Amherst Street by residential housing. The weaknesses could be addressed to try and incorporate these larger players more into the neighborhood to get individuals to do more business on Amherst Street.

Here, we will analyze the neighborhood inventory against Jacob’s elements of what makes a strong city neighborhood, and by extension, local economy. First, we will look at the conditions for generating diversity; second, analyze how the neighborhood sidewalks lend to safety, human contact, and assimilating children; and finally, the role of neighborhood parks.

First Condition: Mixed-Uses
Black Rock is a mixed-use neighborhood. According to Jacobs, the first condition for creating diversity in a city neighborhood is having mixed primary uses. 

In Black Rock, mixed use is most evident between Grant Street and Bridgeman Street and includes Graser’s Florist, Spars European Sausage Meats, Delish!, American Legion Post 1041, Assumption of the Blessed Church, and Salon Daneen. This part of the neighborhood demonstrates successful mixed-use development.

We also observed this mixed-use development during our visits to the neighborhood. In particular, one evening while walking on Amherst Street we observed many second floors lights on, indicating residential and after-hour commercial uses.

Part of the neighborhood between Bridgeman Street and Elmwood Avenue, however, has weak mixed-use development along the southern boundary. Specifically, Wegmans is a large, “big box” styled development and is set back from Amherst Street. A large parking lot separates the store from the street with a significant elevated green space between the sidewalk and parking lot. This space is largely empty with some landscaping, and during our visits we did not witness people using this space in any capacity. Across the street are small, mixed-use buildings including a law office and residential homes.

Also, between Reservation Street and Bridgeman along the southern boundary is weak mixed-use development. Here, an approximately sixty-car parking lot for the American Legion Post 1041 runs along the sidewalk. Between this parking lot and the large, empty green space in front of Wegmans, this section of the neighborhood has low mixed-use.

Second Condition: Small Blocks
According to Jacobs, “most blocks must be short; that is, streets and opportunities to turn corners must be frequent.”  Unlike New York City where Jacobs lived and developed her economic theories, Buffalo does not have large neighborhood blocks especially outside of downtown.  This neighborhood in Black Rock has a small commercial bock between Grant and Bridgeman Streets, and also many small residential blocks that follow a mostly grid-like pattern. Our neighborhood is approximately 0.61 miles from Grant Street to Elmwood Avenue.  From Bridgeman Street to Grant Street is the densest section of the street and is approximately 0.38 miles long and lined with mixed-use commercial and residential buildings.
 
When walking in this neighborhood we observed how the “frequent streets and short blocks” contribute to the “fabric of intricate cross-use that they permit among the users of a city neighborhood.”  Here, residents have quick access to the services provided by the business on Amherst Street. The short streets in this neighborhood prevent economic isolation between the residents and businesses

Third Condition: Aged Buildings
According to Jacobs, the third condition for generating diversity is variety in the age of buildings. Jacobs describes this condition as “The district must mingle buildings that vary in age and condition, including a good proportion of old ones.”  She argued for “a good lot of plain, ordinary, low-value old buildings, including some rundown old buildings.”  This is because unlike new construction, old buildings value increase over a period of time.  This economic value is “created by time.”  In the case of Black Rock, old, mixed-use commercial, industrial and residential buildings dominate the neighborhood.

The availability of aged mixed-use and industrial buildings provides ample opportunity here for smaller business to open up.  However, the neighborhood is challenged by the lack of diversity in the age of neighborhood buildings. This is particularly noticeable in the neighborhood housing stock. The majority of homes in the neighborhood are small split-level, multi-family homes built in the early 1900s.  Although there are some vacancies in the neighborhood, the majority of residential units are occupied. Many of the residents have occupied their homes for a number of years.  However, the small layout of the houses and the small lots size make these houses unpopular with individuals seeking to return to cities from the suburbs. 

The disincentive for young people to buy starter homes in the neighborhood can be demonstrated by the slow appreciation rate of homes values. For example, two real estate listings from the early 1950s, uncovered at the Buffalo Historical Society show buildings at 197 and 128 Howell St listing for $10,600 and $9,200, respectively.  Today, the estimated value of these buildings are $27,200 and $28,700.  After more than 50 years, the values of both homes are still very low.

Fourth Condition: Concentration
Finally, Jacobs calls for the need for concentration to generate neighborhood diversity. She describes this condition as “The district must have a sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whatever purpose they may be there. This includes people there because of residence.”  Black Rock is a dense urban neighborhood. For example, 2,915 residents live in the immediate neighborhood.

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
The only park that currently exists in the neighborhood is a green space and bike path running along the Scajaquada Creek at the southern border of the neighborhood between McKinley High School at Elmwood Avenue and Grant Street.  The paved path is a continuation of the paths which begin at Delaware Park. However, travel from the Delaware Park is a relatively long journey, at just over 1.25 miles.  Travelers must also cross a busy intersection at Elmwood Avenue if taking the path from the Park.  From Elmwood Avenue to Howell Street is approximately 0.4 miles along the path.  Although the park exhibits several dysfunctional attributes in its current state, there are some examples of use that help generate diversity, such as the play area adjacent to the Assumption Parish school. There are also several areas where the park may be more integrated into the neighborhood, providing additional opportunities to use the park in ways that encourage diversity.

The principle affliction of the Scajaquada bike bath is underuse.  For example, the basketball court near Wegmans is a typical “demand good.”  Although “demand goods” specialized use should help draw visitors to the park, the park edges do not contain enough diversity of uses to permit the demand goods to enhance a “general” use of the park.  Because of the limitations of heavy traffic roads blocking the ends of the park, and fences and lack of diversity along its northern edge, the expense put into “demand goods” cannot counter the absence of users that plagues the park for most of the day. This creates a vacuum effect that makes the park even less attractive for the limited potential number of users of the demand goods.  This is evident by the graffiti on the court’s playing surface. Rather than being used for competitive play between visitors to the park, the court is used to mark turf.  Notably absent is any kind of seating for spectators.

In order for a general park to function successfully (and not as a vacuum) the uses adjacent to the park must provide a reservoir of users who enter the park at different times of the day.

However, the Scajaquada park is plagued by borders, cutting it off from its potential reservoir of users. For example, not one, but two, fences separate the basketball court from Wegmans.  Players seeking refreshment from the café on the western side of Wegmans, or café patrons seeking a place to eat their lunch in summertime are completely blocked, except for a narrow, overgrown opening in the fence.  At the southern end of Howell Street, an attempt to create a seam between the park and the neighborhood has been created.  Here, though, the closest bordering use is the abandoned Terminal Petroleum building, itself surrounded by layers of fences (which seem to be only symbolic boundaries, as the building is covered with graffiti within them).  There are no parking spaces near the entrance, and it is located several blocks from any foot traffic along Amherst Street.

Despite its problems, the Scajaquada path has the potential for greater integration with the neighborhood with very minimal cost implications.  General parks “mean nothing divorced from their practical, tangible uses…[or] of the city districts and uses touching them.”  In other words, the success of a general park as a place of vitality comes with the enrichment of what is around it, not within it.  An example of the park being enriched and revitalized by its border use can be seen near the Assumption Parish Parochial School. Here, a playground has been extended behind the school and into the park.  The park has been supplemented by small “demand goods” such as play equipment and benches for parents to supervise children, all of which remain in good repair.

RECOMMENDATIONS

STREETSCAPES
 Streetscape improvements on Amherst Street should build upon the existing assets and minimize the current weaknesses. As mentioned, Amherst Street has mixed-use commercial and residential uses, few vacant lots, and is a two-lane street. Currently, metered and unmetered parking is on both sides of the street.  Bi-modal transportation is at least considered by city planners, as multiple bus stops are plotted along the street.  However, public benches, flower planters, trees, and public art; and adequate street light at night are lacking in this neighborhood. By incorporating these amenities, we believe more people would be drawn to and remain on the street.

Public Benches
Public benches are not along Amherst Street. When walking along the street, people were sitting on steps leading up to businesses or at the bus stop in front of Wegmans.  During a conversation with one shop owner, it was mentioned there is advocacy among street stakeholders install public benches along the street.  We recommend more public benches to help increase presence of neighbors and strangers alike on the street.

BEAUTIFICATION
We recommend an increase of beautification efforts along Amherst Street to draw both visitors and neighbors to the street. Hanging planters are not along utility poles on Amherst Street, and ground planters were not noticed to be consistent on the block. In some cases, private shop owners had their own ground planters outside of their shops.  In other cases, flower gardens were planted around trees on the street but not well maintained.  Trees were small to medium sized, and there generally could have been more shade on the street.  Also, more public art could be incorporated in the neighborhood.  While the public mural on Grant and Amherst Streets recently was painted on the side of a commercial building, examples of public art would help draw more artists and attention to this emerging arts district.

STREET LIGHTS
On October 20th, our group members walked along Amherst Street and noticed the need for more light during evening hours.  According to one shop owner, the street was widened and highway-style streetlamps were installed to accommodate freight trucks when Wegmans opened.  There is a movement among stakeholders to replace these streetlights with more historically-styled designed streetlights.  We agree with this neighborhood recommendation, and further recommend adding more streetlights to improve evening visibility.

FENCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND RAIL
As mentioned, on the northern boundary of our neighborhood is a functioning railroad. Currently it borders and runs parallel to Chandler Street, which has multiple vacant and functioning industrial sites and is also immediately adjacent to a residential neighborhood. During our trips to the neighborhood we observed there was very little blocking the residential areas from the railroad besides piles of dirt, debris, and high grass on elevated ground.  We also observed many children in the neighborhood, and thought a fence could be built to block the railway from the sightline of the residential neighborhood.  This would not only help protect neighborhood children from this hazard but also contribute to the visual experience of being in the neighborhood.

NEW PARK IN FRONT OF WEGMANS
One of the challenges to this neighborhood, as described above, is lack of mixed-use and concentration between Bridgeman Street and the eastern boundary line of Wegmans along the southern side of Amherst Street. Another challenge to the neighborhood is a traditional recreational space. While the large green space in front of Wegmans presents a challenge, it was suggested by M.U.P. candidate Troy Joseph to consider recommending a new park in this location.

Several aspects to this park would include benches, landscaping, and gardens.  The eastern side of the park would have places where neighborhood kids could stake board but also serve as a location for open concerts and a farmer’s market. A section of this market could be dedicated for Wegmans in order to draw stronger pedestrian connections between the store and its surrounding neighborhood.
 
On neighborhood parks, Jacobs stated how “in cities, liveliness and variety attract more liveliness; deadness and monotony repel life. And this is a principle vital not only to the ways cities behave socially, but also to the ways they behave economically.”

Here, a new park would help connect the neighborhood to Wegmans, which now is isolated by parking lots and a far setback from the street.  It would also convert an unused space into a functional space drawing neighbors and visitors to the street.  It would help the street economically by bringing liveliness to the street in a location where no activity occurs.

PHASE II

Phase II projects would require massive amounts of time, economic spending, and grants to successfully complete the projects. These would be projects may or may not take place due to the components and acceptance that the large scale projects would require. There would be three proposed phase II projects that include; a pedestrian bridge linking Buffalo State College and the bike path along the Scajaquada Creek and cleaning up environmental contamination associated with the Chandler Street industrial fire.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE LINKING AMHERST STREET TO BUFFALO STATE
Buffalo State College is located about one and a half miles from the Wegmans on Amherst Street. Based on trips to the neighborhood it seems that many college students are not utilizing the things that Amherst Street has to offer.  Due to the close proximity of Buffalo State, the students and Black Rock could better utilize Amherst Street to increase commerce in the area.  The Scajaquada Creek and the 198 are the things currently separating Buffalo State College and Amherst Street.  There are bridges over the canal and 198 for driving, but there is nothing for individuals to walk.  The recommendation would include a pedestrian bridge that would like the resource that Buffalo State College could be to Black Rock.  The pedestrian bridge would be enclosed to allow the students to utilize the bridge throughout the year.  Specifically noting the amounts of snow and cold weather, the bridge would most likely not be used otherwise.

This bridge could also be used to supplement the park proposed in Phase I.  Wegmans may have an issue with transforming the front of their store and utilizing some of their parking lot.  This pedestrian bridge may help with that proposal because it would increase the foot traffic into the Wegmans store Buffalo State University students.  The pedestrian bridge could actually help the proposed project in phase I, which would help the pedestrian foot bridge.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION
On July 13, 2011 the Niagara Lubricant industrial site caught on fire.  The company manufactured industrial oils, greases, lubricating oils, and tire care products.  The fire burned for twenty-three hours and caused severe pollution to be emitted into the air.  The company started to tear down the site on October 11, 2011, but the remnants of eighty-eight years of industrial manufacturing will play a toll on the quality of the environment.  The exact costs for cleaning up such a site are unknown at this time. Individuals estimate the costs would range between $6 and $8 million dollars.

There would be obvious benefits to cleaning up the contamination site. It would benefit the local community to have the soil contamination cleaned.  Then such a site could be re-utilized for similar or the same purpose.  This project would be extremely costly and time consuming, but could be extremely beneficial to Black Rock for future growth and prosperity.

The Phase II projects require more time for approval and require large amounts of money.  These projects are most likely not going to occur in the near future in Black Rock.  These projects if approved could have a positive effect on the local community and economy.  They would be extremely beneficial to Black Rock and to help continue its growing successes.

CONCLUSION

As demonstrated, Black Rock has the potential to become a powerhouse in Buffalo.  There are already aspects of Black Rock that make the community strong.  The new business growth helps illustrate the potential economic prosperity that Black Rock could offer the community and surrounding areas.  Black Rock contains many elements that Jane Jacobs stated was required for a community to be strong and prosper. 

There are ways that the Black Rock neighborhood can be improved.  After many visits, discussions, and research, we proposed improvements that would help better the neighborhood.  The improvements would help increase the appearance, alluring more visitors, as well as increasing economic growth.  The proposed improvements would build on current community anchors to further strengthen the area.    

In the past five years, many businesses have been drawn to Amherst Street which has brought more people to the neighborhood.  Delish offers cooking classes to individuals within Buffalo.  During a visit we discussed the success of the café and determined that the classes were full into January.  This illustrates that the neighborhood is luring outsiders, getting more community involvement, and promoting new businesses.

Arturo Freyre, Naples

Our own term limits

It’s time for voters in Collier County to remember we are in charge of term limits. We don’t need more laws about term limits; we already have the power to enact them every election cycle.

It’s time for some fresh ideas on the Collier County Commission.

If you don’t agree, let’s review what we have to show for the last 12 years:

n A countywide debt to near $1 billion.

n Beautiful landscaping to make sure you can’t see where you are going.

n Big Brother watching us with red-light cameras.

n Corporate welfare and crony capitalism (Some business owners are given tax dollars by the county while others are left out).

n County ordinances that stifle businesses and make Collier an unwelcome place to work or live.

n The same dirt roads in Golden Gate Estates we had 12 years ago.

n Millions spent but still no Economic Development Plan (Lee County laughs at us).

n No bridges for safety, waste of taxpayer money everywhere, no ATV park, no voice on the commission!

I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve had enough. Time to enact term limits in Collier County, folks!

Make sure you are registered as a Republican by July 16 and vote for Tim Nance and Steve Cosgrove!

Chris Geier / cgeier@chronline.com

Get Home Tips at Home Show

Home builder David Danton of Lexar Homes in Centralia points to an interior wall in a Lexar model home where he says sealed sheetrock will stop the “stack effect,” or cold air flowing into your home through the attic and walls.

More Information

Show Schedule

2012 Lewis County Home Remodel Show

SWW Fairgrounds

April 28 and 29

Hours:

• Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more details about the show, contact the OMB office at 360-754-0912 or visit www.omb.org

Olympia Master Builders is a professional trade association representing nearly 600 member companies in Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Mason Counties.

Tips On Making Your Home Green

Even if a new home isn’t on the immediate horizon, Danton had a few tips for existing homeowners to use when upgrading their own home.

Air Leakage Electrical Outlets

“Most energy is lost through air leaks in the home, such as around the outlets in the house. Your (electric) outlet boxes. Take the electrical plates off and caulk around them. It will take about two hours to do and save energy immediately.”

Air Leakage Ceiling Fixtures

Another tip is to fix the air leaks around ceiling fixtures.

“There is a lot of energy lost in air leakage around light fixtures. By pulling down the fixture and sealing around it, you will instantly save money.”

Danton will have a handout at the seminar for homeowners looking to retrofit their existing homes to save dollars and make the home green. All of these tips, he said, are included standard in the Lexar new home construction.

Attending the Home Show will give visitors lots of opportunities to preview products, win door prizes and learn more.

“It’s an opportunity to first of all, do business with your local people and support your local community,” said Worf. “These are the people who are experts in your area. You can also find out about the latest updates. Lots of times, people will just live with a situation in their home or postpone having work done because they think ‘I can’t make this happen.’ If they come out to the show, they will see how pricing might be different than their perception might have been, or be able to talk to someone and see how best to meet their needs.”

“If you are interested in finding out how to accomplish your building related dreams, come on out an we’ll help you make it a reality,” she said.

Posted: Saturday, April 21, 2012 6:00 am

Show to Offer Latest in Home Improvement Ideas

By Victoria Stewart
For The Chronicle

The Chronicle

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0 comments

The wind is blowing coldly through your home, electric bills are rising, the roof is leaking and the front lawn is looking straggly.

A visit to the 15th annual Lewis County Home and Remodel Show at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, might be just the opportunity you need to learn about all of the services and new products offered by professionals in the building and landscaping industry.

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Saturday, April 21, 2012 6:00 am.

Over the past decade, the Richmond Region has spent tens of millions of dollars on transportation projects designed to enhance the gateway to the region. Improvements to Richmond International Airport and Old Main Street Station have not only contributed to enhancing the travel experience for visitors arriving by plane and train, but they also have gone a long way toward creating the image of Richmond as a modern, progressive city.

And yet, what do the tens of thousands of motorists speeding up and down Interstate 95 think of our city? Actually, I’m not sure I want to know the answer.

Notwithstanding an impressive skyline as you approach Richmond from the south, there is not much that is particularly inviting by way of this major thoroughfare. Besides a smattering of signs denoting some historical attractions — squeezed together so closely that they are virtually impossible to read at 60 mph — there is little along the way that tells the Richmond story: no real sense of our rich history and culture, no celebration of the James River, no branding of our region as a hub of innovation, an image we have laid claim to through such initiatives as RVA Creates and i.e*.

Why would anyone stop here? Heck, we don’t even have a “Welcome to Richmond” sign — although the commonwealth, the city of Richmond and Henrico County are taking some first steps in the right direction, as described by Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton in his Commentary column today.

* * * * *

According to VDOT, more than 160,000 cars bypass Richmond on I-95 each day, many of which are from outside the region. Their impression of Richmond — as a prospective place to stop and eat, take a tour, do business, relocate to — is formed by what they see motoring down what is our de facto Main Street. And let’s be honest, what they are seeing is not pretty.

Like RIC and Main Street Station, I-95 presents an opportunity. The interstate — along with its bridges and exit ramps, lighting and signage — can be the tableaux on which we portray all that is wonderful and unique about Richmond.

And so here is an idea: let’s dedicate at least two or three miles of I-95 — from the James River to the I-64 east exit — as the “Creativity Corridor.” And let’s make it spectacular, so spectacular that when unsuspecting motorists come upon it, they say, “Wow, Richmond has really got it going on.”

* * * * *

What would motorists encounter as they entered Richmond’s Creativity Corridor?

• Archways. Imagine entering and exiting the Corridor under a glistening arch that welcomed you to Richmond and set the stage for what you are about to encounter.

• Landscaping. Turn the grassy areas beyond the shoulders as well as the exit cloverleafs into beautiful gardens – miniature Maymonts and Lewis Ginters – with large trees shielding motorists from less attractive sight lines.

• Signage. Create a consistent visual identity for signage up and down the Corridor, and dedicate signs that promote our best assets. Work with outdoor advertisers on turning the billboards into giant frames of art and dedicate electronic billboards to showcasing pieces of art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts or the best artwork of local school children.

• Public art. Commission large public art pieces, such as sculptures, topiary and mobiles and place them prominently along the route. Consider large-scale fountains whose mists compel drivers to turn on their windshield wipers, or waterfalls that cascade down to the shoulder.

• Lighting. Immerse the Corridor in a subtle blue light that projects from either side of the roadway — and carry that light onto the buildings, signage and artwork.

• Bridges and overpasses. Use the bridges spanning over the Corridor as templates for conveying electronic messages about Richmond news and events. (Think Times Square.)

• Multimedia. Create a 10-minute audio program about Richmond and broadcast it on a loop on a dedicated radio station. Invite travelers to tune in 10 miles before they get here so they are already excited about Richmond before they even reach the Creativity Corridor. (Wonder if we could get the Geico gecko to narrate?)

* * * * *

I’m just scratching the surface, and given the incredible creative resources we have at our disposal — from our fantastic advertising agencies and the VCU BrandCenter to architectural and landscaping firms to museum curators and historians and many, many others — we have the potential to create three miles of extraordinary excitement, three miles unlike any other of the highway’s 1,919.74 miles.

During President Kennedy’s inaugural parade in January 1961, he was struck by the dilapidated condition of the buildings along the route, and so he formed the President’s Council on Pennsylvania Avenue, a federal body that eventually oversaw the rehabilitation of one of our nation’s most beloved boulevards.

Let’s create an equivalent entity here in Richmond, a group that can harness our creative resources and put a plan of action together that transforms the interstate into an artery that carries the lifeblood of our future.

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TIFFIN — The proposed design for greenspace where the 1884 Seneca County courthouse once stood put one county commissioner on the defensive at Thursday’s meeting.

After Commissioner Jeff Wagner announced that Tiffin City Councilman Brian Bilger, owner of Bilger’s Lawn Landscape, offered to submit a landscape design at no charge to the county, one citizen questioned the ethics of the commissioners’ willingness to accept it.

“I would like to suggest the idea of landscaping be open to more than just one local landscaping company in case any others are interested in submitting a suggested plan,” Seneca County resident Loretta Miller said. “Otherwise, it sounds like a back-door deal, a good-old-boys network.”

Ms. Miller’s comment riled Commissioner Dave Sauber.

“Back-door deals go on in a backroom, and this was all done in board session,” Mr. Sauber said. “I haven’t coaxed or urged anybody to do anything like that, so when you comment about back-door deals and we’re discussing this in open board session, I’m sorry, but I sort of take offense to that.”

County Administrator Stacy Wilson explained that three or four other local landscape companies had expressed an interest in submitting a design, but she said the owners “didn’t know if they wanted to put the effort into it until we knew what we wanted.”

“I was just wondering if everything has really been explored,” Ms. Miller said.

Contacted after the meeting, Mr. Bilger said he offered to draft the landscape plan for free because “I love Tiffin. I just want to help keep the ball rolling. I offered to do it for free because I want to see something done.”

He added that drafting the design does not mean his company will be hired to implement the project. Mr. Bilger stressed the plan — which will be completed in one or two weeks — will not be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

His proposed green space will be minimal, particularly since a new courthouse might be built on that site in the future. At this point, he’s welcoming ideas from local residents.

“I don’t feel like this is just my design. It’s everybody’s,” he said. “There are a lot of people who are hurting because the courthouse was taken down. We can’t bring that building back, so let’s try to make a good situation out of this and do something nice for the community.”

41.1145
-83.17797

Greenspace suggested for area formerly occupied by Seneca Co. courthouse.

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