PUSH’s West Side Homes project delayed to 2024

           Pandemic-related delays have pushed the timeline for PUSH Buffalo’s West Side Homes project to fall 2024. 

        Leaders anticipated the 49-unit housing project would be complete in August 2023 when it began five years ago, PUSH Deputy Director Dawn Wells-Clyburn said.

“Right now, the construction schedule says that we will be done by 2024 with all of the sites,” she said.

The project consists of rehabilitation of two vacant buildings and the construction of 10 buildings that are designed to fit into the neighborhood fabric and have sustainable features including rooftop solar.

The sites are along Massachusetts, West, Parkdale and West Delavan avenues and Rhode Island, Hampshire, Congress and 14th streets.

“Some will roll out as early as spring of 2023,” she said, “and some will roll out, at the latest, by fall 2024.”

Applications for West Side Homes units are available on the PUSH website. By Jason Guth and Kyle Wekenmann

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There's still time to hit farmers markets

The summer has come to an end and so will your favorite West Side farmers markets.

At the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bidwell Parkway, the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers’ Market will be open until Nov. 29.  Lisa Brocato, a farmer at Rooted Locally and a market board member, said while the majority of vendors will be closed, some will be there until Thanksgiving weekend.

The West Side Tilth Farm, 246 Normal Ave., will run until Oct. 29. Hours on Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

 Providence Farm Collective,  finishing its market’s first year, will be open Saturdays from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. until Oct. 15. It is located at 130 Grant St.

 5 Loaves Farm can be found at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market while supplies last.

Each of these Markets will be accepting new farmer applications for 2023 on their websites. By Grace Blackwell and Alessia Gervasi

For West Side vegans, two new options

 

Strong Hearts Buffalo vegan cupcakes

By Amnah Mohsin and Otisha James

Donisha Gant was amazed at the “wonderland” of vegan options she said she saw while visiting California, and she realized what was missing in her neighborhood, the West Side.

Using this as an inspiration, Gant this summer opened her own vegan grocery store, Plantae Market, 212 Grant St.

Around the same time, Strong Hearts, vegan restaurant originating in Syracuse, expanded to Buffalo with a location at  295 Niagara St.

As part of its efforts to promote healthy eating, the West Side, a community blending many different cultures, has taken a new path toward veganism, a diet consisting of plant-based foods that are not derived from animals.

Increasingly more people are turning to vegan options as veganism becomes more mainstream.

Gant offers options from as low as $2.99 to $17.99 at her vegan supermarket, which serves 100% vegan items, such as date syrup, vegan pasta, and pickled pink garlic dill pickles can all be found in her store.

Gant said she appreciated the reception the store has gotten.

“I have a lot of people who are constantly telling me thank you for putting this here, and we don't have these kinds of products here and thank you for choosing this community, ” Gant said.

 

Gant, on what inspired her to open Plantae Market:

https://soundcloud.com/otisha-james/donish-gant-on-path-to-veganism?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

 

Strong Hearts was built upon the vegan ethics of animal, earth, and human liberation and serves foods including Buffalo blue fried chicken, mac n’ cheese, and specialty milkshakes.

 Rachel Laster, director of nutrition empowerment at D’Youville University, said  veganism becoming the most popular diet now and can be adjusted to an individual’s tastes.

 “Culturally, we are not used to eating high vegan diets, however, I think it can be modified,” Laster said.  

According to Yale researchers, many low-income residents shop in small neighborhood stores that lack healthy items, so improving access to healthy foods in these neighborhoods is crucial. Plantea Market is helping to bring healthy options to the West Side.

Locals who have second-guessed the vegan lifestyle, have started adapting to the manner of healthy eating in their community. On average, Plantae Market sees about 50 customers a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-owned pizza shop opens on W. Utica

Bridget Murphy boxes a pizza for a waiting customer.

 

Co-owner Joey Pucciarelli checks on a pizza in the oven.

A first-of-its-kind restaurant has opened at 549 W. Utica St., though it’s serving up a familiar dish: pizza pies and slices. So, what makes Extra Extra Pizza unique, then? Not only does it have a wine bar and is cooperatively owned by Joey Pucciarelli, Bridget Murphy, and Soon Ho Sim – it is tipless. That’s right, tips are not asked of the customer as the ownership group decided to buck the trend of the American restaurant business, in order to ensure its workers a steady wage. “In our minds, the people should be the focus – we should center the experience around the workers, because if we’re happy, then we will be able to create a better experience (for the customer),” Murphy said. The ownership group also feels that incentivizing its workers is key, otherwise they will have little to work toward and have less respect for their job. That is why there is a path to co-ownership for those who work at the restaurant for 18 months, if they so desire. “There are milestones to hit along the way. All of us have completed Cooperation Buffalo’s Cooperative Academy, and since we are a co-op, everyone here will have to take that course,” Pucciarelli said.The restaurant is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5-10 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from noon-10 p.m. By Jason Guth and Kyle Wekenmann

Greenlight installing high-speed broadband

 Internet service provider Greenlight Networks is expanding high speed broadband access on the West Side. Casey Henninger, market development manager, says the company is undertaking construction in the Elmwood Village to install fiber-optic wire and plans to continue this in the upper West Side throughout the year. The company is also getting involved with community organizations such as 716 Ministries and West Side Community Services to introduce and further expand its services to West Side residents. The company will be participating in various community events throughout the month including Buffalo Porchfest on May 21, Muti-Cultural Night at Buffalo Public School 30 and at Garret Club both on May 25.  “We are really working on getting that brand recognition on the West Side to gain the trust and the interest of the residents there,” Henninger said. By Elijah Robinson and Thomas Tedesco

Baramee returns with Tiny Thai food truck

Tiny Thai Chef and Owner Kae Baramee

Tiny Thai, a Thai food truck, celebrated its reopening the weekend of April 30 after a failed attempt in October 2021 during the pandemic. Owner Kae Baramee, former chef of 100 Acres at Hotel Henry, said after six long months she was happy to be able to finally live out her dream. Baramee parks at Five Points, 450 Rhode Island St., on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., serving mama drunken noodles, chicken dumplings, Thai tea and other specialties.  “When I have enough money I want to open a restaurant,” Baramee said. Tiny Thai will be bouncing around Buffalo throughout the week and upcoming events will be posted on its website. By: Peyton Fletcher and Valerie Ryan

4 farmers markets announce opening days

            As the weather begins to warm up, farmers markets around the West Side are preparing for their opening day.

            The first to open was the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers’ Market, at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bidwell Parkway. It opened on May 7 and will continue Saturdays from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. until the end of November.

            “This year we will have 40 vendors,” said Elmwood Village Farmers’ Market Association board member Lisa Brocato. “All of our products are grown or made, we don’t resell.”

            Next will be the West Side Tilth Farm, 246 Normal Ave., which will open its market June 4. The market will run Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. until Oct. 29. Owner Carrie Nader said in addition to fresh produce the market will sell handmade brick oven pizzas starting opening day.

            There will also be a new market on the block. After a year of preparation, market Manager Hamadi Ali said Providence Farm Collective will be bringing fresh produce from its Orchard Park farm to its West Side location, 130 Grant St. The grand opening will be June 25, and continue Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

            Lastly, 5 Loaves Farm, 70 W. Delavan Ave., will reopen its farmstand on Friday July 1, and will run Thursday afternoons until October. 5 Loaves also will be one of the vendors at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers’ Market for its seventh year in a row, founder Matt Kauffman said. By Natalie Gravino and Cait Malilay