Total currently more than $4 million above limit that will be funded by state

Photos by Tom Rivers: The north end of Main Street in Medina is pictured earlier this month.

MEDINA – A committee in Medina faces a difficult challenge of trying to narrow $8.7 million from 22 potential projects for Medina’s NY Forward grant of $4.5 million.

The state will ultimately decide which projects are awarded funding. The Medina committee could just send the $8.7 million in projects to the state, and let state officials decide. But the local group, which met on Tuesday evening, wants to try to get the number down to $6 to $6.5 million. The state would then make the final cuts. (There is also a chance some projects may pull out of the process after the list is submitted to the state. That is why Medina is willing to send a list over $4.5 million.)

“We’re not doing our job if we don’t whittle it down,” said Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, a member of the local planning committee.

The group is working to finalize a list and prepare detailed project descriptions to send to the state. The draft of the plan should be complete by mid-November with the final document sent to the state by mid-December. The state is then expected to announce which projects are approved for funding and at what amount possibly by February or perhaps in the spring.

The committee and the state will give greater priority to projects that are transformative to the downtown, that can catalyze other investments and benefit other businesses. They will also determine if the property owner is “ready” and can make the project a reality, said Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm. She is assisting the Medina committee in putting together the plan to submit to the state.

The committee said all of the projects submitted are very worthwhile and meet the goal of the NY Forward program of making the downtown more live-able and attractive.

The committee put out a survey to the community and the responses tended to put public projects as higher priority than privately owned initiatives.

A $500,000 request from Lee-Whedon Library to help with an addition was the top choice in the community survey.

A request from the owners of Avanti Pizza for $600,000 to help develop the second and third floors of their building received the least support among the community.

But that doesn’t mean the Avanti project should be dismissed from consideration. That building is on the main corner in downtown Medina. Avanti’s has been a key part of the downtown for nearly 20 years.

Avanti’s is among several projects that would add residential and office space on the upper floors in the downtown, spaces that are currently underutilized.

The committee agreed on Tuesday it should be the one to help narrow the projects, rather than sending all 22 at projects at $8.7 million in requested  funding for the state. The committee debated whether some projects should be considered higher priority if they are on Main Street, rather than a block or two away. And should projects be ranked higher if they are facing the Erie Canal waterfront?

The group will try to determine a rationale for eliminating some projects to get the total down in the $6 million to $6.5 million range.

“I’d like to see us trim it down, rather than the state trim it down,” said committee member Tim Elliott, who is also a member of the Medina Village Board.

These are the 22 projects with their requested funding from NY Forward in parentheses.

Canal Basin Parking Lot (Multiple Options)

• ALTERNATIVE A ($2 million) – This alternative is the most transformative, with significantly expanded green space, pedestrian pathways, and gathering areas. This alternative includes 53 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE B ($1.5 million) – This alternative expands the green space area along the canal and enhances pedestrian connections to the waterfront. This alternative includes 71 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE C ($1 million) – This creates a multi-functional pedestrian promenade space at the rear of the Main Street buildings that can be used for seating, outdoor dining, and temporary events. This space can also accommodate loading and deliveries. This alternative includes 45 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE D ($500,000) – This alternative creates a small pedestrian plaza area at the north end of the East Center Street alleyway which can accommodate gathering and outdoor dining. The rest of the basin is kept as is. This alternative includes 83 parking spaces.
• Canal Village Farmers Market at 127 West Center St. ($300,000) – This project will renovate the existing building at 127 West Center Street to create a year-round space for the Canal Village Farmers Market. Expanded vendor space, public restrooms, a visitor center, and green space will also be included on the site.
• Canal View Bar/Tasting Area at 135 East Center St. ($100,000) – This project will create a bar/serving area with an exterior patio overlooking the Canal Basin in the rear of the Modern Mercantile building.
• 409-413 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 409-413 Main Street into 3 new one-bedroom apartments and 1 new two-bedroom apartment.
• Knights of Columbus Building Accessible Community Space ($150,000) – This project will make facade improvements to the Knights of Columbus building and install a lift at the rear entrance to make the 200-person community event space on the second floor ADA accessible for public use.
• 424 Main Street ($250,000) – This project will create 4 new apartments on the upper floors of the building at 424 Main Street. The commercial units on the ground floor will also be renovated.
• 433 Main Street ($300,000) – This project will create a new two-bedroom apartment on the upper floors of the building at 433 Main Street.
• Community Arts Workshop and Gift Store at 509 Main St. ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 509 Main St. to create a community arts and crafts workshop and gift store.
• Bunkhaus Apartments at 511 West Ave. ($100,000) – This project will renovate the Bunkhaus Hostel to create 4 one-bedroom apartments targeted for short- and long-term rental housing for professionals, snowboards, and/or tourists.
• Author’s Note Bookstore at 519 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will create a two-bedroom apartment unit on the second floor for short- or medium-term rental, targeted at artists. The basement of the building will also be renovated to create an event space to be used for book clubs, workshops, etc., or by other community groups.
• 521 Main Street ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 521 Main Street into a new one-bedroom apartment and two Airbnb units.
• Walsh Hotel Redevelopment at 525 West Ave. ($550,000) – This project will complete renovations to the upper floors of the Walsh Hotel as part of a larger project to create 22 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
• Arenite Brewing Company at 339 Main St. ($400,000) – This project will create a microbrewery and tasting room with outdoor seating overlooking the canal at 339 Main Street.
• Avanti Pizza Upper Floors Renovation at 500 Main St. ($600,000) – This project will renovate the upper floors of the Avanti Pizza building into a mix of residential and office space.
• Hart House Hotel Renovations at 113 West Center St. ($500,000) – This project is the last phase of a larger project to upgrade the Hart House Hotel with a formal lobby, café, spa, outdoor event space and gastropub.
• Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at 620 West Ave. ($500,000) – This project will create an addition on the library with new tutoring rooms, meeting rooms, and quiet rooms for community use. The existing library building will also be renovated to create an expanded children’s area and new entry.
• Medina Theatre Renovations at 601-611 Main St. ($150,000) – This project is the first phase of a larger project to upgrade the Medina Theatre. This project will renovate the existing marquee and facade, make cosmetic improvements to the theatre, and prep the building for a future restaurant and conference space.
• Downtown Wayfinding Signage ($250,000) – This project will install a system of directional, informational, and interpretive signage at key locations and destinations to guide visitors throughout downtown.
• Public Lot Connectivity Improvements Description ($1 million) – This project will improve the public parking lot at the southeast corner of Main and Center Streets with better circulation, shade trees, and improved connectivity to the Canal Basin and Main Street businesses.
• East Center Street Alleyway Improvements ($400,000) –This project will enhance the alleyway that connects the Canal Basin across East Center Street to the public parking lot. The alley will have landscaping, lighting, seating and signage.
• Canal Basin Park Gateway Signage ($150,000) – This project will install two large, gateway signs at the Mill Street entrance to the Canal Basin (off Main Street) and at the East Center Street alleyway entrance to the basin.
• Small Project Grant Fund ($300,000) – The Small Project Grant Fund would provide support to downtown business and property owners to implement smaller-scale projects like façade improvements, window replacement and other repairs.

The committee met Tuesday at the Medina district office boardroom and reviewed the survey findings from the community. About 200 people took the survey in-person or online, giving their opinion on how to prioritize the funding. Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm led the committee in reviewing the results.

With the survey from community members (taken by 180 online and 35 in person), high priority was given, in descending order, to the library, farmer’s market, Knights of Columbus, small grants for multiple businesses, East Center Street alley, public parking lot, Canal basin signage, arts workshop at 509 Main and Medina Theatre.

Projects given medium priority from the survey respondents (in descending order) include way finding, Author’s Note, Arenite Brewing, Canal View Bar, Hart House Hotel, Canal Basin lot ($1.5 million option), Canal Basin lot ($2 million option), 521 Main and 409 Main.

The projects ranked as low priority in the community survey (in descending order) include the Walsh Hotel, 424 Main, Basin lot ($500,000 option), Bunkhaus, Basin lot ($1 million option), 433 Main and Avanti Pizza.

The two parking lots – at Canal Basin and behind Main Street on East Center, would total $3 million of the $4.5 million grant if pursued at the full proposal, Baptiste, the planning consultant, said scaling those plans back to just repaving the lots likely wouldn’t get funding from the state. The NY Forward program wants to add beautification and other elements to make the parking lots better.

During last Tuesday’s meeting, Joe Cardone attended and make a pitch for the Medina Theatre, one of the first buildings seen on Main Street when people enter from the south. He wants to add a modern digital marquee with LED lighting. He said it would be a vast improvement at a gateway into the business district. However, the current village code doesn’t allow digital signage in the historic district. Mayor Sidari said the village is looking to modify the code for signage.

Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, the top vote getter in the community survey, also isn’t currently in the target area for the NY Forward grant. It is adjacent to the area. The boundaries can be changed to include the library, Baptiste advised the committee.

Provided photos: Rob Robinson, center, listens to a pair of buskers including Alex Feig at left playing next to Modern Mercantile on East Center Street during last year’s Ale in Autumn/Busker Festival.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Rob Robinson poses in his busker T-shirt from last year’s Busker Festival during Ale in Autumn. The Busker Festival will again compliment Ale in Autumn on Saturday in Medina.

MEDINA – Medina Area Partnership will roll out the red carpet for 700 visitors on Saturday who have purchased tickets for Ale in Autumn and the second annual Busker Festival.

The Busker Festival was an idea of Rob Robinson, who said he has been trying for several years to bring the event to Medina. Last year during Ale in Autumn, 17 entertainers from all across the area came to Medina and were a big hit with participants of Ale in Autumn, he said.

Robinson explained a busker is someone who entertains in doorways or stairwells, hoping for tips. They are not necessarily all musicians, he said. Some are jugglers, dancers, street performers and magicians.

Busker performances will coincide with Ale in Autumn from 1 to 6 p.m. Twenty-one performers from throughout Western New York have committed to attend. They are from Medina, Lyndonville, Lockport and Niagara Falls.

Robinson has mapped out the appropriate sites for the buskers to entertain and said they are spaced far enough apart so one’s performance doesn’t interfere with the next one.

Robinson was a busker himself in Toronto during the 1970s and early 1980s, where he said it is more common than in the States. A pianist and guitar player, he comes by his musical talent naturally, as his mother Virginia Bishop was organist at the old Apple Grove for 30 years.

It was the Apple Grove that brought the family to Medina. He said his mother was playing organ throughout southern Ontario and Western New York, when her agent told her she needed to contact Walt Hilger at the Apple Grove. He told her if she did that, it would be the only gig she would ever need. Turns out, he was right.

The driving motivation for a busker is not making money, Robinson said. It’s being part of a festival and the hope of getting a gig out of it.

“The bottom line is, it’s fun,” he said.

A trio of buskers entertains on Main Street during last year’s Busker Festival, which coincided with Ale in Autumn.

MEDINA – Oak Orchard Assembly of God is embarking on a new mission this year to ensure no school child is cold this winter.

Paster Bryan McDowell has announced the church wants to help schools prepare for cold weather with their first coat drive.

“We are hoping to make this an annual event,” McDowell said. “Anyone can drop off new or lightly used coats at the church office from 9 a.m. to noon during the rest of this week or during the Sunday service.”

They are also collecting hats and mittens.

The donations will be given to Lyndonville and Medina schools to be distributed to students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

The church is located at 12111 Ridge Rd., Medina.

Provided photo

MEDINA – The Medina Area Partnership last week celebrated a ribbon cutting with Rollin Hellner, owner of The Walsh at 525 West Ave. Hellner, third from left in front row, acquired the site in the spring and has expanded the menu and is working to add studio and one-bedroom apartments to the upper floors.

He is joined by local officials, family and friends in the ribbon-cutting, including the front row, from left: County Legislator Skip Draper, Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson, Hellner, Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, Barry Flansburg (representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley) and County Legislator Bill Eick.

Photos by Tom Rivers

Hellner is shown with a 24-foot-long shuffleboard table from 1937 that was added to the bar. It was a challenge to get it inside and had to be brought through a window.

The Walsh is open seven days a week. Hellner has been active in real estate development.

He acquired The Walsh from Tim Cooper, following extensive renovations from Cooper. (He is being honored with a preservation award on Oct. 20 from the Cobblestone Museum.) Cooper was able to bring the first floor back, including a banquet hall. He said Hellner brings new energy to The Walsh’s continued renovation with the apartments upstairs.

Rollin Hellner said customers are enjoying the food and drinks at The Walsh, which is managed by Alex Purnell. Emily Plumb, a bartender, is shown in back in this photo.

The Walsh has other specials, including the “Walsh Wednesday” where people can spin a wheel and if it lands on their zodiac sign, they get $5 off.

Hellner said he has made the banquet hall available to local organizations for their meetings, including the Lions Club, Rotary Club and the Medina Sandstone Society. He is working to have the lottery added soon, while also trying to get the apartments ready in 2024.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – “Peaches” greets the public on Sunday in Medina at the FFA Model Farm by the high school. The FFA was among five local alpaca farms featured for National Alpaca Days on Saturday and Sunday.

The other four farms included:

• Stoney Meadows Alpacas at 16038 Glidden Rd., Holley
• MayFields Equestrian and Alpaca Farm at 3263 Allens Bridge Rd., Albion
• SanGer-La Alpacas at 2845 Colby St., Brockport
• Ladue Alpacas at 1186 Ladue Rd., Brockport

Alex Drum, a Medina freshman, feeds two alpacas and a llama at the FFA Model Farm.

 These animals include, from left: Simba, an alpaca; Peaches, an alpaca; and Echo, a llama.

Kaylin Mickey, a junior, weaves using a continuous strand of fabric. The Medina FFA had alpaca products for sale.

Alpacas are primarily raised for their fleece in North America. Alpaca fleece has a variety of natural colors: pure white, several shades of fawn and brown, several shades of gray and true black.

Camden Fike, a freshman, plays cornhole. The FFA had several activities to the public to try in addition to visiting the alpacas and llamas.

Renee Lama worked 11 years on 390-page publication

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Medina native Renee Lama poses with her new book, which she will discuss and sign at 7 p.m. today at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library and from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Author’s Note.

MEDINA – Renee Lama has worked 11 years chronicling hotels, restaurants and bars in Medina. The 390-page book – “Last Call: Hotels, Restaurants and Bars. A History of the Service Industry in Medina” – includes 150 years of Medina history.

Lama will discuss the book and sign copies at 7 p.m. this evening in an event with the Medina Historical Society at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. She will also sign copies from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Author’s Note in Medina.

Lama, who currently lives in Hilton with her husband George, said she never intended to write a book.

A daughter of Kathy and the late Tony “Vic” Vicknair of Medina, Lama graduated from Medina High School in 1992 and then Niagara County Community College, where she studied art.

“I wanted to be a fashion designer,” she said.

Lama ended up in Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida and applied to get into the advertising course schedule. She was required to take (and pass) a typing test. I never took typing in high school so I could not type fast or properly and failed several times – it cost $35 each time to retake it.

“Not being able to pass the test to get into the advertising courses, I took a semester off to figure out what I wanted to do,” she said.

Lama got a job at Regal Cinemas and shortly after became Head of Promotions for that location.

“This was right when Disney’s Tarzan came out and I started drawing the characters for a promotion we had to do,” she said. “I quickly found that I loved that and applied to be in the animation department at the University of Central Florida and graduated with a degree in Animation.”

Before she graduated, she worked for Disney World by making candy, hoping to make her way into their animation department.

“But then 9/11 happened and so much shut down,” she recalled. “The animation department at Hollywood Studios closed. It took a very long time for Disney to recover. I remember it was so slow for months and months.”

Animation studios were not as plentiful then as they are now. “It was tough to find a job in animation unless I moved to California.”

By this time, she had met her future husband George and they moved to Medina. Renee started a job as a graphic designer at Lake Country Pennysaver in Albion. Renee and George married in 2004 and had their son in 2008.

Renee went out on her own in 2011 and what first started as George Lama Photography morphed into RG Lama Studios, which is mainly graphic design now.

Lama said she had always been fascinated with prohibition and wondered how it affected people, especially in her home town.

“I looked for speakeasy stories, but there were not a lot in Medina,” Lama said. “Most of them were in Holley and Albion.”

Lama has spent 11 years putting this book together. She found the first documented hotel in the area was the Ridgeway Hotel, built in 1811.

“For a long time, I had all these pieces of information, and I wondered how I was ever going to piece them all together,” she said. “I was becoming overwhelmed.”

Numerous times she thought the book was finished, and then she’d discover something new.

“Last Call” is packed with more than 150 years of stories, newspaper articles, scandals, fires, murders, mysteries and photos. The book focuses on Shelby, Ridgeway and Medina. Lama said she sought information from Alice Zacher, Shelby historian, among others. Marissa Olles did a wonderful job of editing, Lama said.

Not surprisingly, when asked if she might write another book, Lama replied, “I’ve already started it – about the history of the street names in Medina.”

MEDINA – Medina Mustang Sports Boosters will celebrate homecoming this week, beginning Monday and concluding on Friday when Medina’s hosts Barker/Roy-Hart’s football team.

“To us, homecoming is a community event, a time to celebrate not just Mustang athletics, but who we are as a community,” said Mustang Sports Boosters president Melissa Valley. “Mustang Sports Boosters are always incredibly appreciative of the support the Medina business community provides us, and now we want to celebrate you.”

Their goal for homecoming week is for the whole community to be involved and get into the Mustang spirit. Valley said they hope to get Medina businesses involved in two ways – first, for downtown to show its Mustang spirit with their second annual window decorating contest. Second, the Mustang Boosters want to promote businesses by adding their homecoming specials of the week to the school’s Mustang Menu.

“We will promote your Mustang Special for the week and expect nothing in return,” Valley said.

Businesses have been encouraged to decorate their store front to show Mustang spirit. The community will be invited to vote via the Boosters’ Twitter and Facebook pages to determine the best decorated window. The winner will be announced at halftime during the Homecoming game.

Last year’s winner was the Coffee Pot Café.

The Print Shop has made banners which will be displayed this week on Main Street and in Vets Park.

“This is something that unites the community in a positive way,” Valley added.

Mustangs 2^nd best score among small schools

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Webster Marching Band posted the top score among 12 field bands in medina on Saturday for the Fall Festival of Bands.

Webster performed a show entitled “Our Voices Carry – You are strong. You are worthy. You are enough. You are not alone.”

Webster competes in the Large School II Division and scored 80.75, followed by Orchard Park at 79.50, Jamestown at 78.30 and West Seneca  at 76.55.

In Large School Division III, Greece led with 75.35 followed by Hilton with 70.50.

In the National Class, Lancaster was the lone band and scored 78.60.

Medina’s band enters the field at Vets Park.

Medina was second in Small School I with 74.75, behind Central Square with 77.35.

In Small School Division II, Northwestern led with 73.20, followed by Oswego at 72.60.

Alex Balaban, Medina’s drum major, signals to the judges the band is ready to perform its show, “Confined.”