In preparation for another upcoming Tour de Neglect (Saturday, October 18, 2014), a Buffalo expat currently living in California passed along this article in TheGuardian.com.
As half of Buffalo continues to rise up, there is another half of the city that continues to remain in a state of turmoil. The East Side of the city is a quandary. Even as The City dumps money into a Jefferson Avenue streetscape project (see here), it allows historic buildings located along the same corridor to be destroyed (see here). It’s a mixed message that promotes ribbon cuttings and demolitions, and has urbanists perplexed as to the City’s motivations behind its actions.
For those who would like to take a bike tour of the East Side, and its mixed bag of empty lots, abandoned buildings, and even a few glimmers of hope, join David Torke and his Tour de Neglect – visit this Facebook page to get all of the details, and be sure to check out TheGuardian.com for an in-depth look at the tour, its formations, and its aspirations.
This tour should come with a warning label: “May inspire feelings of civic duty and moral outrage.” The Tour de Neglect will include planned stops at St. Anne’s Church, Wilson Street Farm, Buffalo Central Terminal, William Simon brewery, Sacred Heart Church, and Larkin Power House. An optional lunch will follow at a to-be-disclosed location. The tour is free. Please check that your bicycle is in good working condition and bring water and a snack. – Facebook Tour de Neglect
Lead image: David Torke