The Near Westside Neighborhood Association had a busy winter. Our Holiday Home Tour was a great success, many thanks to all of the generous homeowners who opened their doors to us, and to all the volunteers who spent their afternoons greeting our guests. It is so inspiring to see the beautiful homes of the area from the inside as well as the outside, and very exciting to see some of the works-in-progress. We hope to see you all again next year!
The Near Westside Neighborhood Association's One House at a Time project on West Henry Street is finally complete. We hosted an open house on April 17th that was well attended. We are receiving applications for the purchase of the home and are very encouraged for its eminent sale.
Our fundraiser in conjunction with the Elmira Jackals finished up in March, after a long and fun-filled season. Again, we relied on the generous time and energy of our tireless volunteers to man the concession stand for every game, and their efforts had fantastic results for our organization! Thank you to all of the Jackal's fans who made an effort to patronize our booth at every event.
This winter the Near Westside Neighborhood Association was able to obtain a sizeable grant to restore 355 Davis Street, adjacent to our office building. This project will be ongoing throughout 2013 so stay tuned for more information as our vision unfolds.
On the subject of "vision", our members with horticultural vision are invited to join us as we continue to cultivate our Victorian Row Park on the 300 block of Church Street. Thanks in no small part to the boundless dedication of board member Shane Searfos, VRP has come so far. From an empty lot at the site of a burned-down home, the beginnings of a beautiful garden have begun to spring. Fruit trees and berry bushes have been planted, spring-time upkeep has begun in earnest, and the warmer weather will offer ample opportunities to get our hands dirty creating a blooming oasis on our city streets. Gardening enthusiasts, feel free to join us! And bring your green thumb!
Across the street from Victorian Row Park our most exciting project, in conjunction with Historic Elmira, is the restoration of the Richardson-Kennedy House (formerly known as "The Ritz"). A gem of a building, the Richardson-Kennedy house has endured a storied history, one interwoven with the lives of some of Elmira's greatest citizens. In its final years as a residence, the home had been converted into several apartments and suffered a near devastating fire, resulting in its closure. Both the Near Westside Neighborhood Association and Historic Elmira aim to restore this handsome structure to it's former glory. Walter Sedovic Architects, an architectural firm based in Irvington, NY dedicated to historical preservation, visited the site on May 7th to conduct a building survey. As we knew they would be, the architects were smitten with the home and were positively effusive about the "eye-popping building" that is certain to be a "highlight of the community" --a "jewel that will surprise even those of you with great vision" once the restoration is complete, according to Mr. Sedovic. We were encouraged to have met with a group who understands both the value of historic preservation, as well as the crucial need to look to the future in our efforts. We look forward to reading his formal conclusions and recommendations in the coming months and sharing them with the community once we know more. In the meantime, our organization has planned a community clean-up of the Richardson-Kennedy property for Saturday May 18th. We plan to clean and brighten up the lawn parking area around the home, as well as clean up any debris left over from the removal of 160 feet of the deteriorated, non-historic additions of either side of the building. Community support means everything when working on something this big, so please consider joining us as we kick-off this amazing project!
Lastly, our biggest outdoor event of the year, River Fest, will be held at the Grove Street boat launch on June 8th, starting at noon. This is our ninth year hosting River Fest, and the attendance and participation increases every year! We are excited to be able to offer this community event once again, featuring live music, great food as well as a “beer garden”, vendors, activities, exhibits, the Cornell Raptor Program, a bounce house, on-water demonstrations with Route 96 Power & Paddle, water safety and beginner kayak rides with Friends of the Chemung River Watershed & Ahwaga Canoe & Kayak Club, as well as a self-guided paddle from the Grove Street launch to Rorick's Glen and back. Bring your canoe or kayak and enjoy the scenery! There will even be an opportunity for students and interested members of the community to identify specimens and conduct chemical and biological tests which will be used to create a water study for the Chemung River. With their teacher’s permission, students may receive lab credit for their participation. The program is open to all ages. Younger students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All participants must sign and agree to follow directions provided by NYSDEC License #51. For more information, call Rich Hurley at 607-368-6292 or e-mail rhurley@richardkevinhurley.com. We will hold a raffle for a kayak as well, and tickets can be purchased for $5 or 5 for $20 at River Fest or the NWNA building at 353 Davis Street in Elmira. We look forward to this event every year as an opportunity to enjoy and showcase our beautiful surroundings and our fantastic community. Can't wait to see you all there!
Be sure to follow the NWNA, the progress of the Richardson-Kennedy house, and River Fest on Facebook!
