Welcome to Painting for Preservation!

Welcome to Painting for Preservation! This initiative, founded by artist Sara M. Zak, is aimed at drawing attention to distressed, at-risk, and under-utilized historic locations through on site art making.

Mission: To bring together artists of all media in support of historic distressed properties and communities. To create artwork on-site related to the location as a means of raising positive awareness of the space.

My hope is that we can continue this effort in Buffalo and expand the concept to other architecturally rich cities. Please e-mail Sara M. Zak if you are interested in starting a Painting for Preservation initiative in your city at info@paintingforpreservation.org

Our goals:
1. Raise awareness of at-risk, distressed and under-utilized locations and their neighborhoods

2. Create a record of historically rich locations through art

3. Create a community of artists invested in the urban landscape

4. Bring exposure and provide assistance to artists interested in documenting at-risk historic neighborhoods while also collaborating with members of those same neighborhoods.

5. Involve communities in sharing their stories of local historic architectural and their neighborhoods.



Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Update: Blacksmith Shop, site of our First Art-In

Originally published on Buffalo Rising, by wcperspective.

Judge to Blacksmith Shop Owner Carr: Fix or Go to Jail

Housing Court Judge Patrick Carney today told an attorney representing the owner of the blacksmith shop at 118 South Park Avenue that the building must be fixed in two weeks or the owner, Darryl Carr, will be jailed. Carr, who unsuccessfully tried to get the 19th-Century building demolished earlier this year, will now be hard-pressed to complete the necessary repairs on the property to bring the property up to code. An unhappy Judge Carney suggested to attorney James Milbrand that he have Carr "bring a toothbrush and some clean underwear" to the next scheduled court date in two weeks.

Carr had been ordered by the court to stabilize the building and correct code violations. Minor work has been done to the property in recent weeks including the boarding of several windows. It was not enough to please the court as adjacent property owners and City Inspector Michael Muscarella testified that conditions have only gotten worse. Many fear the building may not last the winter unless corrective actions are not taken either by Carr or by the City.

Among the violations at the property are additional open and broken windows, significantly degraded and missing brick causing water damage, a deteriorated roof, and a rat/rodent problem. Carr's other buildings along Illinois Street are also in disrepair including missing foundation stones, a partial collapse of one of the walls , damaged roofs, water damaged bricks and open/broken windows.

Carr, owner of Cobblestone Bar that is adjacent to the properties at South Park and Mississippi Street, is said to have reuse plans for the property. Most say his only goal is additional parking. At least two capable developers have tried to purchase and redevelop the buildings without success. The Buffalo Sabres organization is also said to have inquired about the availability of the building.

Read about the Painting for Preservation Art-In at the Black Smith Shop:
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)