Whenever there is a concert or an event at Kleinhans Music Hall, the architectural gem is a work of magic. Even when there is no programming within the building, and it is essentially asleep, the building is a dynamic presence in the community.
While I was walking my dog past the music hall yesterday, we stopped to take in the brilliance of the setting. And suddenly an idea popped into my head. There is an elevated driveway that runs along the music hall that can be accessed on Pennsylvania Avenue. On weekends, during the day, when the building is essentially shut down, there is an opportunity to create a community asset that would be a bit out of the ordinary, but incredibly powerful at the same time.
What if Kleinhans was to allow a couple of food trucks to park on the elevated driveway and allow visitors to grab a bite to eat, or a coffee, while picnicking on the grounds of the music complex? There is a natural fit here that would work to the benefit of the food trucks, the community and even Kleinhans. If the trucks were to donate partial proceeds to the Buffalo Philharmonic, then the orchestra could actually be making money by merely allowing this collaboration to take place. Plus, this side of the building appears to be only utilized by the orchestra once people start to arrive for the performances. The food trucks would abide by a strict schedule so as not to interfere with the orchestra’s programming.
Once the reflecting pool is re-watered for the spring-summer season, the grounds of The Circle come to life – sort of. As I mentioned, during the day on Saturday and Sunday, you will find a few people walking dogs, and snapping images of the building, and even gazing into the reflecting pool. If there was a reason to attract people, and retain them, this corner would become such a wonderful place to socialize with friends and family. Bring a lawn chair, or a picnic blanket. Kleinhans could even offer an opportunity for some of its musicians to set up on the promenade that runs along the outside of the hall, overlooking the reflecting pool and onto the front lawn of The Circle.
A vision like this is not considered mission creep. First off, it would help to connect the younger community to the musicians and classical music. Second, it could actually raise money for the non-profit. Third, it would utilize assets of the building that are currently underutilized. Lastly, the food trucks could even hand out out a concert schedule with every food item that they sell. This effort would be an extremely easy lift, especially with the advent of food trucks. There are even existing areas near the elevated driveway that could second as small patios… throw out some bistro tables and suddenly you have created a European-style vibe that would rival any other café setting in the world – a natural place to listen to music, eat a panini, soak up some sun, appreciate architecture and even rediscover an urban neighborhood that is on the rebound.
Sometimes these opportunities sit right under our noses, waiting to be acted upon. If something like this were to happen, I could see people frequenting this spot every warm weather weekend of the year.