I would like to begin by thanking the Chippewa Alliance for electing me to serve as your 2019 President. A special thank you to our out-going President, Justin Azzarella, for his years of leadership and dedication.

While 2019 marks four years for the Chippewa Alliance and it’s role in keeping this district safe, vibrant and growing, my history in the Chippewa area dates back a bit further. Take a walk down memory lane with me if you will. Close your eyes and see if you can remember The Coliseum Entertainment Complex, The Crocodile, and Utopia just to name a few…how far back does that take you? That’s how far back my memories of the neighborhood reach.

I’ve worked, played, and dined in the Chippewa District for 20+ years and like you – and all those establishments from the past – we all want to see the area continue to evolve by bringing businesses and the neighboring community together while ensuring our voices heard.

With the unique and diverse mix of businesses and residential options, along with education and community organizations – we have so much more potential! In our last meeting we talked about the opportunities available to the Alliance and how to bring them to fruition. These outcomes will require us to be engaged with our eye on the prize, and I will be front and center with my support and leadership as your President. Know that I am working hard to keep things moving and to capitalize on the opportunities that make support our mission.

I want to thank the Mayor, the Buffalo Police, the DPW, Buffalo Place, BUDC and those groups and individuals that have partnered with us in the past. Your support and dedication is necessary for the continued vitality of our district. I’ve already begun meetings with City officials including the Mayor to establish rapport and strengthen our current relationships with a goal of establishing new pathways for partnership in the future.

I look forward to working with all of you as new opportunities arise, knowing together we can making amazing things happen for our community!

Congratulations to our very own Chippewa Alliance Board Member Conor Hawkins, who received the 2018 Belfast Homecoming Ambassador Medal, on November 30h. 

The award recognizes 50 outstanding individuals who are going the extra mile for Belfast and local heroes who are building international bridges to the diaspora.

We are also proud to announce that on January 17, Conor Hawkins officially became a U.S. Citizen!

Sitting in the Auditorium on the 8^th floor of the Delaware North building overlooking Chippewa was the perfect spot for our last Alliance Community meeting. Thank you to Delaware North, Tim Stone, and all who attended – great turnout!

The topics on the table were parking concerns in and around Chippewa as well as the streetscape improvement efforts the City of Buffalo is planning.

Parking Commissioner Kevin Helfer addressed areas that have been impacted by the recent changes in parking regulations as well as cost saving options such as late afternoon/early evening monthly parking passes for civic parking ramps throughout the city.

Council President Darius Pridgen stopped by to address the group and respond to any questions we might have for him.

We then transitioned into a discussion regarding the City’s streetscape renovation efforts and the role that the Chippewa Alliance is playing in the design and execution.

We were taken through the project by:

• Mike Finn, the City’s Acting Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets.

• Julie Fetzer, Engineer, Department of Public Works, Parks, and Streets

• Brandye Merriweather, Vice President for Downtown Development at BUDC

• Peter McCarthy, Secretary of the Board for the Alliance & Vice President at CannonDesign

• Justin Azzarella, former President of the Alliance & Vice President of Community Development at Evergreen Health

Discussions included new sidewalks, curbs, paving and lighting, as well as some artistic and wayfinding elements that would make a significant impact on how people perceive the neighborhood. The goal of the project is to make the area more inviting for residents, visitors and businesses. Consultants from Watts Engineering were also present.

It was a full agenda with a lot of next steps. The Chippewa Alliance in conjunction with the Dept. of Public Works, Parks, and Streets will be inviting all property owners and business owners to join them for a meeting to discuss the future project in greater detail.

Buffalo Place Rangers

No one enjoys working late. But, it’s even worse when you find yourself feeling uneasy or unsafe walking to your car at night. That’s why we’re here to remind you about the Buffalo Place Rangers, a free service that provides walking and riding escorts, courtesy of Buffalo Place Inc.

The escort service, which is based on availability, operates Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Those in need of a ride are asked to call 716-854-RIDE.

The Buffalo Place Rangers provide a variety of services, including:

• After-hour escorts to vehicles, train stations and bus stops for Downtown employees.
• Directions and information about Downtown restaurants, theaters, parking and more.
• Easily identifiable personnel in case of an emergency.

This initiative strives to improve the daily safety of the Chippewa District and all of Downtown’s streets, parking ramps and lots for employees, residents and visitors, by placing additional eyes and ears on the ground to identify criminal activity, public safety concerns and service needs.

Next time you’re stuck working late and don’t feel comfortable walking to your vehicle, remember the Buffalo Place Rangers. For more information, visit www.buffaloplace.com.

$30 Parking Pass

We would like to remind you that the Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps, a non-profit entity independent of the City of Buffalo, provides evening parking for a reduced rate of $30 per month. This is a great option for those who frequent the Chippewa District regularly and don’t want to deal with the hassle of looking for parking.

For an application and a complete list of rules/regulations, click this monthly parking application. When you apply, be sure to make a note at the top of the application that you’re applying for a night monthly pass. Then, bring the application and payment to the BCAR offices, located at 221 Pearl Street, where BCAR will provide you with an “AVI” card. This will allow you to access the ramp during the appropriate hours.

 If you’ve had the pleasure of spending time in the Chippewa District in the last several weeks you may have noticed that once again the Chippewa Alliance has had the opportunity to brighten the sideways with summer plantings.

The Chippewa Alliance would like to thank the Garden Walk Buffalo for their generous contribution to the project. The Alliance was chosen to receive a Marvin Lunenfeld Beautification Grant for the second year in a row.

The Garden Walk Buffalo hosted a gathering for all grant recipients at the West Side Community Center. We were all asked to share a bit about their organization and the specific project the funds would be used for.