This may be a bit controversial but I wrote it anyway. I think it is worth sharing how messed up sometimes it can be to save an old house and how airbnb can be a place to raise funds to bring it back to life! You can read it here.
Thank you to Strong Towns for letting me write on this topic!
This was our first renovation project! We had our friends show up and help us clean out the house we purchased at the City auction. What a mess! The junk was piled 6 feet high. Mike found this photo and texted it to me.. I knew I had to put it up here. We were babies!
-Bernice
Do you want to learn more about how you can become a small real estate developer for a project in your neighborhood? Are you an advocate or local leader looking to encourage better buildings in your community?
Join us for a free virtual lecture by Bernice Radle, owner and operator of Buffalove Development and Little Wheel Restoration Co.
You can sign up for the event here.
Between October 15th - the first week of November is the perfect time to get the spring bulbs into the ground! Daffodils, crocus, tulips… how could you go wrong!?
Are you ready? Remember… always make time to plant the flowers!
Proud Places brings you an article about how to help your Main Street using football lingo. GO BILLS!
“The future is now, and the devastation to our Main Streets is obvious. Conservative experts believe the Covid 19 pandemic will result in a loss of at least 20 to 30 percent of small businesses, while others suggest it will be as bad as 60 percent.
Our main streets that were barely hanging on in good times are now losing businesses at an unprecedented rate. While we all grieve the loss of our favorite dining establishment or boutique, we need to start planning for the rebuilding of America’s great main streets once again.
So let’s apply some tried and true football metaphors to our favorite strategies to attract businesses to commercial storefronts. We’ll also consider a few problematic ones so we can win our game! “
We love this little cottage. Every time we have a turn over, we add a little more sweetness to it. This time we added Delicate White paint on the walls, a pop of color on the cabinets with this purple / grey color and a butcher block countertop to add some warmth. We love it! Not visible: a combo washer / dryer unit that fits right into the countertop! (Yes, European style!)
Sometimes you just have to take a leap and say yes to large blue pendant lights for your kitchen. They’re so Scandinavian! And you all know…we love a good minimal Scandinavian look. [Found on Wayfair!]
We love seeing how our apartments look when people put their belongings in them! This one is quite minimal - you cannot go wrong with a mid century inspired table and chairs. When we renovated this space, we restored the floors, added “shark grey” paint with white trim and kept the ceiling the yellow / gold color it is because we liked the way it contrasted with the floors and walls. We love it!
White Dove by Benjamin Moore on the walls with bright white semi gloss on the trim. Yes, there are differences with white paint and yes, they can be used together. We like it because it is sophisticated and lets residents use their furniture and decorations as the pop of color that you need. You can learn about white paint colors here!
It’s rumored that Louise Bethune, America’s first female architect, bought the first women’s bicycle in Buffalo. She designed this beautiful space in 1888 at the age of 33! She must have been a badass. Sometimes I just can’t even imagine what she had to do to make it work. It’s hard for us in 2020! Can I get a YOU GO GIRL! for Louise Bethune?!
Just wait until this space is done. I know she’ll be proud. 💖
#femalearchitects #womenarchitects #louisebethune #architecture #tinceilings #pinkglass #womeninconstruction
We explored this historic mansion last week. We didn’t end up moving forward with it… for various reasons… but it was still a gem. Part of our job is analyzing risk and project scope instantly so we can make sure we don’t get in over our heads! This project had a lot of work to do and while I believe we can do anything we put our minds to, I also am a realist. Anyhow, I am sure someone will come to rescue it!
Quarantine has kept us busy on daily needs but we have been focusing on a couple of really important extras. One of them launches today, it’s called Proud Places.
"Our places shapes our lives, and every single person deserves to live in a place that fosters community, promotes dignity and makes them feel proud. Join us today at 5:30pm edt as we announce a new endeavor aimed at reshaping our places to be worthy of the people that inhabit them."
Buffalove Development is excited (dare we say, proud?) to be a contributing partner to this organization along with people from around the world who are moving and shaking in their communities.
You can check out Proud Places here.
Join us for the launch today at 5:30pm! https://www.facebook.com/groups/217779022781533/
One of our new residents, Sarah, sent this text to us… along with this photo. She was excited to have a chair that matches the countertop. As a team, we all cheered!
“I've had my life in boxes for years because of living in small spaces Brooklyn. I literally moved back home to Buffalo to have a space to finally unpack and make feel like home. Glad to put down some roots in such a beautiful spot with an amazing community and fantastic management team. Thank you. Sincerely. “
Right before Valentine’s day, we asked the community to make calls to save this little cottage - it was going to be demolished by the City of Buffalo because the front house was a huge health and safety issue. The front building was ultimately demolished but the City of Buffalo gave us some time to find a solution for the rear little cottage that dates back to 1870 or so. Phew!
We are currently trying to track down the owner. This is the vacancy vortex in a nutshell.
The good news is:
It is boarded up - thanks to Jeff and Yoav from our team who got some boards on the windows.
We have support from Preservation Buffalo Niagara - they helped immensely with the discussions at City Hall for us. (Thanks PBN!)
We also have loads of interest from people who want to buy it as well, which is a great thing.
Thank you to everyone who made calls to City Hall! We appreciate it so much. We are keeping an eye out as best as we can. (Our office is right across the street!) It will be saved - we just have to get it unstuck.
Stay tuned.
Why a bus stop doesn’t have benches is beyond us. People get their groceries and need to wait for the bus - they can at least have a seat while they wait. It breaks our hearts to see families sit on the ground. Anyhow, we fixed the problem. It isn’t perfect but it does the trick. Inspired by this super cute bench with a planter (bottom left photo) we saw in Berlin! Small and incremental changes really matter.
Hi Friends!
A mentor of mine always says - you’ve got to sow the seeds behind you. When Arvi asked me if she could shadow me for a day, I was thrilled to say yes. Arvi is a 23 year old who already has two properties! She’s TWENTY THREE. She’s really working hard to figure out her way and I hope I can help her out as she develops her skills and voice. She was lucky enough to go to City Hall with me to attend the City of Buffalo Zoning Board meeting… and didn’t find it boring. We had a full day of meetings, interviews, project discussions, zoning and drinks afterwards. Here we are - two tiny titans inside the beautiful City of Buffalo City Hall.
If you’re in a position to share your wisdom, do it. Only together can we make our communities stronger!
xoxo,
Bernice
I am now officially the Vice Chair of the City of Buffalo Zoning Board of Appeals. (First female, I think!) I would like to celebrate this new position with this quote…“Every increment of construction must be done in a way as to heal the City." - Christopher Alexander.
You may think zoning is boring but let me be clear - zoning is the DNA of your city. If you had crappy anti urban development in the city, it is likely that you have a garbage zoning code. Cities across the country had bad zoning codes that allow all kinds of stuff that strips away the necessary urban fabric of our cities. Here in Buffalo, we are lucky to have a strong comprehensive plan and brand new zoning code that celebrates our walkable urban fabric and is easy to understand.
If you want to know more about the Buffalo Zoning Code, check out buffalogreencode.com
Thankful to own and spend our days inside a mixed use building with a 30 year mural dedicated to the Hispanic Community.
Buffalove Development LLC
Bernice Radle
Bernice Radle - CEO / Founder of Buffalove Development LLC & Managing Member of Buffalove Management LLC.
Office: 716.235.5563
bernice@buffalovedevelopment.com
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