6/15/2009

Walk Score - Lockport

Posted by Anonymous


Came across on interesting site today: Walk Score.
Typed in 5 Main St Lockport NY as a test and was surprised with the score of 97/100 points. (the location of my house drops to an 88/100).
Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.
The site goes in to the limitations of their algorithm (street width/length, crime, bodies of water, etc) but is an interesting measure nonetheless. I feel it goes to show that the area immediate of DT has the infrastructure and amenities to lay the foundation for better things ahead. Figuring a way to get more bodies (and income) to live in this immediate area would only go to fuel more amenities. Market the area to those who desire to have the option of walking.

It does list the amenities that are used in the calculation to the right and maps them. It makes for a nice city directory overview. Places can be added or removed to update the results.

The city's strength is in it's walkability. It is the trait that must be reinforced to fuel future reinvestment and growth. Cars need to be accounted for but should not have a higher priority than us, the users. One can go spend a nice afternoon at Shimer and Transit for that experience.

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6/12/2009

Wintergarden Lockport

Posted by Anonymous

NF Winter garden superimposed over current parking ramp/park location on Main St.


The old Wintergarden is being dismantled with an initial goal of allowing reuse elsewhere.

Buffalo News Article

What about a Wintergarden Lockport? Keep this pseudo-historic structure in Niagara County. Tie it into the parking ramp project and create a year round park with views of the canal lower locks below. Fill in one of the missing teeth on Main St? Use green geo-thermal etc to get state grants? Perhaps a preservation grant?
Does the H.S have a horticulture program. NCCC? Maybe they could take part in this type of structure. Maybe even have a location in it for a small tree farm to re-tree our streets? Get residents vested in it.
Any other ideas?

Just thinking.....

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6/03/2009

Chet's Festival Fundraiser: 7-25

Posted by Anonymous


LUSJ has an article about the fundraising activities for Chet Secrist, owner of Chet’s Dog House on Main Street. It was heartening to hear of the initial vision for a fundraiser but it is amazing to see how big of an event is planned. Goes to show the value of an active community to help out in a time of need.
Located a short walk from me, I am sad to say that I have yet to stop in, usually due to the hours of operation not matching up to my hours of hunger. I pray for his recovery and the resulting chance to stop in for a celebration dog.
Activities form the article:
Confirmed aspects include:
• A 5K Dog Race and 1-mile Dog Walk. The route is still being worked out,
according to Martin.
• Live music from the city stage in front of City Hall, from roughly 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Lockport Federation of Musicians will kick off the festival with the National Anthem, sung by Buffalo Sabres’ anthem singer Doug Allen, and a 90-minute concert, then yield the stage to roughly 10 local rock bands.
• A “dog biscuit” eating contest featuring a favored Chet’s menu item, the bacon/sausage-and-egg on English muffin sandwich. This one’s set for noon in
front of the Dog House.
• A kids’ carnival at Ida Fritz Park with a bounce house, pony rides, a dunk tank, a duck pond, water and sack races, face painting, balloons, magicians, a clown, a storyteller and live kids music.
• Lotsa food — The day will kick off with the race/walk and a pancake breakfast served inside and outside the Dog House. Lockport-based Lake Effect Ice Cream is creating a special “Chet’s” ice cream for the event; and food booths will be set up by a variety of restaurants. Commitments already have been made by Papa Leo’s, Danny Sheehan’s, the Fieldstone, Pour Boyz and One Eyed Jack’s. Beer, soda and water will be sold.
• Raffles and commemorative product sales.

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5/26/2009

Another "Urban" Chain Drug Store

Posted by Anonymous


Image - Google Maps Image of CVS near Twinsburg OH

I saw this CVS while on a work trip SE of Cleveland last week. Another example of what can be done with these types of business sites. Surprisingly this urban site plan was located out in the suburbs. The 2 story building does not do much to help frame in the 5-lane roads that surround it but would work beautifully at a corner like Transit and West, or Washburn and East here in Lockport.

The entrance to the CVS is at the rear near the parking and the drive-thru pharmacy is also accounted for. The smaller store fronts along the street are all accessed from the street. The corner entrance most likely leads to the CVS but is unfortunately not used.

This image is a little dated. The store fronts had open windows and the ones near the corner were for the CVS and while blocked off, had some interesting window appliques.

It appears this may be a retro fit/expansion to an older building, especially since most modern zoning codes actually make new developments like this illegal. Either way, everywhere the city of Lockport has a Rite Aid, Walgreen's, etc we could instead have a urban pedestrian friendly building such as this while still providing parking. We just need to code for it.



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5/21/2009

2009 Molson Canal Concert Series

Posted by Anonymous

Main St Entrance to Venue. 34th Annual Arts And Crafts Festival Shown (Weekend of First Concert this Year 27th/28th)


A list of the 2009 Molson Canal Concert Series in Lockport NY is here. Artists were added as they were leaked/found up to the announcment date at which point they were completely updated. There will be 9 Friday night concerts.

All shows are held outdoors at the Ulrich City Center downtown on Main St and are free. Visiting Lockport and looking for other things to do? Look here: "Lockport on the Erie Canal"

6/26 - RUSTED ROOT, Steve Johnson (from Big Leg Emma), Bearhunter, New Clear Fusion
7/03 - OUR LADY PEACE, with Inland Eyes and the Incurables
7/10 - THE CULT, with Ours and Chylde
7/17 - KIM MITCHELL, with the Jeremy Hoyle Band and Friendly Fire
7/24 - LITA FORD WITH SAS JORDAN and Flyin' Blind.
7/31 - QUEENSRYCHE, with Dave Constantino and Billy Draws Two.
8/07 - EDDIE MONEY, with A Potter's Field and Johnny Nobody.
8/14 - CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, with Her & Kings County and Ransomville.
8/21 - RANDY BACHMAN, with Alison Pipitone, Son of the Sun and Scott Celani

Official series website: http://www.canalconcerts.com/
Other WNY large free outdoor concert series:
Tuesdays at the Park (Lewiston)
Wednesdays on the Gorge (Lewiston)
Thursdays in the Square (Buffalo)

Originally posted 3/9/2009 with continual updates

Concert Venue Aerial - Click on for Larger Size - Let me know if I should add something

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5/14/2009

"Three-minute film makes the humorous-but-convincing case that "cul-de-sacs" threaten life on Earth"

Posted by Anonymous

From CNU 17:

“Built to Last made me laugh out loud,” said John Norquist, president and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism, which offered the submitter of the winning entry a complimentary registration to this year's leading gathering of urbanists,CNU 17, which runs June 10-14th in Denver. “But this video is serious too. First + Main and Paget Films show how New Urbanism is the convenient remedy, providing quality of life and economic value while protecting the environment.”

Luckily we in the city still have the bones intact. We just to make sure our developments work toward fleshing it back out instead of holding it back.

Thanks to fixbuffalo for being my source.

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5/13/2009

Parking Ramp Public Input Meeting

Posted by Anonymous




From the LUSJ:

Public input is sought on the city’s tentative plans for a new mixed-use
parking facility at Main and Pine streets.A meeting will be held at 6 p.m. May
21 in Common Council chambers, City Hall, to summarize project goals, the
construction schedule and cost. Residents will be asked to provide input and
comments on a comment sheet during the meeting.The city is pursuing a plan to
have the existing parking garage demolished and replaced with a new multi-level
structure and “gateway” park showing off the Erie Canal.Presentation boards
showing the concept will be available for public review at City Hall beginning
MondayMay 18.


The boards from last fall are posted here: Parking Ramp Replacement. I'm not sure if they will be the same for this meeting or not.

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