Elmwood Restoration

Converting a four unit Elmwood Village Victorian into a 5,300 square foot single family home is worth every penny for this Buffalo bound family of six.

STORY BY CHRIS HILL     PHOTOS BY MATT BROWN

At a time when many young professionals have chosen to move from Buffalo to pursue house, home, and employment out-of-state, a core of Buffalo folk have decided, unquestionably, that they are here to stay--a friendly regime with blood type “Go-Buffalo,” and a tie so strong to their city that they will take risks, get creative, and have patience beyond belief in order to stay.  Such are Peter and Lisa Sauer, born and raised on Buffalo’s east and west sides, respectively.  The story of their homestead is  interesting from the perspective of smart realty and eclectic home decor, but it is most inspiring to the young Buffalonian professional who might somehow defer their dream of finding the “perfect house” just long enough to realize they may already be living in it. 

     The Sauers purchased their Highland Avenue Victorian in the fall of 2001. Lisa was raised in a similar Auburn Avenue double, and was naturally drawn to the large wooden front porch, and ornate wooden foyer and staircase, while Peter was impressed by the home’s intangible benefits: off-street parking, backyard green space, a family-friendly neighborhood, and the income potential that a multi-family property could afford the couple early in their careers.  Built in 1907, the home had many of its original features such as light fixtures and woodwork intact. Yet the family had no idea what beauty would lie beneath the wood and plaster that had been covered when the home took on a two-story addition and became four apartments in the 1940s. READ MORE...

University Heights

By Ryan Kozey, PhD

As one navigates the geography of the city of Buffalo, there are a dearth of different expressions and views of the city. One that is perhaps the most intriguing to me, because of my proximity to it, is the University Heights area of Northeast Buffalo. Through my myopic set of lenses, I see a great community in this area of Buffalo. Granted, a look at this area is a representative microcosm of what is happening as a whole in Western New York. The population in this area is decreasing (approximately 8,100 people, down 5.0% from the prior US census, with expected negative loss projected for 2015) . The household concerns of most residents include the much of the entry level to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs - affordable housing, employment opportunity, parenting skills, help with educational objectives, to name a few. The median household income in this neighborhood is just a smidge over $35,000; with the likelihood ratio of family units having two workers in the home (this to point out the living wage is low in this context in many situations). Sixty-six percent of households make $50,000 or less in this geography . Like any urban context, these things present themselves as challenges in many places.

     However, it’s not all bad news- quite the contrary, in my opinion. In many situations, dynamics such as gentrification (not exclusively racial; socio-economic as well) can assert itself. Given the influx of young professionals and the higher levels of education in this context, this idea must not be ruled out. Within this context, diversification is present and does serve as a potential impetus to stave off a full blown onset of said gentrification. The fastest growing minority group in this area is African American (32.7%), and there is a significant increase in the presence of an Asian Indian population in this context as well . One also must consider the infrastructure makeup of the area. There is a very good “set of bones” to this community. The influence of block clubs and things like the University Heights Community Blog are open places of communication for those who have a vested, neighborhood interest in the area . Awareness to problems with rental property, crime, etc., can be dialoged about and are very much an open part of discussion in a number of forums. Along those lines is the reality of relatively affordable housing (own or rent) within this context. For instance,the median level of rent is $580 and the median price of a home in that area is $75,185 . Comparatively, these levels are higher than in other portions of the city (excluding Elmwood Village), but they are still a manageable ask for those inhabiting such a context (as reflected in median income earning). I drive through this area extensively, and have quite enjoyed the options available. From LaSalle to Kenmore and over to Bailey, there really appears to be a respectable infrastructure to choose from.

     In terms of transportation and logistics, the metro rail and bus have a very nice hub right at the South Campus of The University at Buffalo (UB). As someone who has taken both rail and bus in that context, I’ve personally enjoyed the mass transit in that area and to other parts of the city. Obviously, it is not without its problems, but I see this community as a great place to live in the city.

      The anchor in the community, without question, would be UB. There is a significant presence of employment and residential living in the area, and the geography of the campus serves as a veritable sort of economic stalwart for the community. As someone who has focused research in the areas of organizational communication, sociology and social psychology, having an educational hub and presence like this is something that likely helps residents in the area to have a sort of confidence that the neighborhood will not radically dissipate or face neglect.

     Likely my favorite part of University Heights is the food. The Steer, Lake Effect Diner, Amy’s Place, Sal’s, Zetti’s, Famous   Donuts—if you live in this area, you likely have partaken in one of these places. If you haven’t, I recommend them highly. Granted, we’re not talking bourgeois eateries, but we are talking about a good representation of mom and pop food in this great city. One is also not far from the Hertel strip of restaurants as well.

     In sum, I truly am drawn to the University Heights Community. It is a place that has its challenges, as is the case with many areas in an urban context. However, with a draw like the education center of UB South Campus, I see this community as something that has much to offer for the resident, and for the suburban folk who would like to perhaps partake in something more local.!

_______________________________________________________________________

Percept Report: Ministry Area Profile, 2010- Polygon Report of University Heights, Buffalo, NY (retrieved 12/21/11).

Abraham Maslow, Motivation and Personality (New York: Harper, 1954).

Percept Report: Ministry Area Profile, 2010.

University Heights Community Blog; www.buffalouniversityheights.blogspot.com; (Information retrieved and examined on 12/21/11).

Percept Report: Ministry Area Profile, 2010.

Senseless

By Jerry Gillis

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!'........So he got up and went to his father."  Luke 15:17,20

You know the story - the parable of the prodigal son as some call it.  I like to call it "The Portrait of the Father's Love."  Either way, you know the story.

     Young man gets itchy for his coming inheritance.  Dad gives it to him.  Young man goes out partying, in the words of Prince, like it's 1999.  Young man blows everything and is living on the bottom side of life (don't know if it gets much worse than the pig pen).  Young man comes to his senses and decides to return home just to work like a slave.  Young man is blown away that Dad runs to him, kisses him, puts a robe on him, gives him a ring, and throws a huge barbeque for him.  Older brother gets hacked off.  Dad shows him love too.  End of story.

     Ok, so I condensed it and did no justice to the narrative itself.  Go back and read the whole story and live in it (Luke 15:11-32), then look closely to see where YOU are in the story.  My guess is that you can find yourself there (and don't say that you are the father).

     This story raised some questions for me, like:

     How much good can I handle?  Can I get to a place that I have more available to me than my character can sustain?  Do I ever ask for more than I am prepared for?

     But this story also gave me some incredible truth, even hope.  I learned that I have available to me more than I realize from the Father, and I have the potential to squander it if independent of the Father, but to know and receive the Father's indescribable love alleviates the fear of both.

     Maybe the core thing that I learned is that it is senseless not to get up and go to the Father (note v.17,20).  When the Father offers that kind of love, that kind of forgiveness, that kind of restoration...it lacks all the sense I have to stay wallowing in the mud.  In fact, when we stay in the mud, we dull our senses.  Coming to Father makes our senses live again. 

Think of the senses mentioned in this creative piece:

"Touching the Father's love is a sweet embrace,  a big ole bear hug, a kiss on the face

Hearing the Father's love is a symphony of soul, it's music enough to make me whole

Seeing the Father's love is an irrational treat, a ring on my finger?  shoes on my feet?

Tasting the Father's love is the choicest of fare, the swine are forgotten with a feast in the air

But Knowing the Father's love, ah, that stands alone;  Yes, knowing the Father's love - that's what brings me home."

It's senseless not to come to the Father.!   

—Jerry Gillis is Lead Pastor of The Chapel at Crosspoint in Getzville.

John Paget: Inspiring Buffalo Creatives Since 2005

By Vanessa Oswald

Buffalo is the empire state’s best kept secret. Sometimes our city gets a bad rap for the way the media portrays us in the news or because we’re not at the top of everyone’s vacation destination list because of the whole winter perception. Despite the fact that we have this reputation, the people who inhabit the Queen City know different, and people like John Paget set the example by shining a positive light on Buffalo and showing the rest of the country what we as a city have to offer.

     “When I first got here people would ask me, ‘Why did you come here, did you lose a bet?’” said 41-year-old Paget.

     Paget who is originally from Olympia, Washington moved to Buffalo in 2005. He says it was like the city had some sort of gravitational pull on him, and since moving here a lot of his documentaries seem to portray themes that sort of align with the essence of Buffalo.

     “If you look at the themes of a lot of my work it has to do with telling the stories of people or things that have been misunderstood or forgotten or neglected or undervalued,” said Paget.

     From Elvis impersonators to Alcatraz to Route 66 to his newest venture, “Believe,” which takes a look at the lives of real-bearded Santa Clauses; Paget’s subjects are all pretty much out of the ordinary.

     How he stumbled upon filmmaking though wasn’t unusual, through working for his high school’s student-run news station.

     “Our high school had a news service,” he said. “They would shoot and produce their own news program. I got involved with that and sort of enjoyed doing that. I didn’t know then that I necessarily wanted to do that for a living or anything. I didn’t have any plans for that, but that’s kind of why I started doing it.”

     Since his high school days, Paget has accrued a cabinet full of documentary ideas. His inspiration stems from several different places, such as photo essays, coffee tables books and The New Yorker. Basically, he spends a lot of time in used bookstores.

     “My ideas come from stuff I read,” said Paget. “I read a lot of non-fiction, like the New York Times, New York Times Magazine or The New Yorker. I use human interest stories, like the odd stories that you read about.” READ MORE...