10 Reasons I LOVE Parkside!

1. Neighbors

I just came home from a walk in my neighborhood.  My "walk" turned into a porch crawl.  I absolutely love that I have a close friend at every turn.  Buffalo is known as the "city of good neighbors" but I never truly understood the extent of the meaning until I moved to Parkside. I regularly have meals dropped at my porch,"just because."  People getting together to paint the house of a terminally ill neighbor, receiving a phone call of sincere sympathy when your dog is hit by a car, or running out to lend a helping hand when your hands are full.  It is an amazing community here in Parkside that I could never express in words...you just have to live here and experience it.

2. House character

There is no such thing as a "cookie cutter" home here in Parkside.  Every home is unique.  Come to Parkside's Annual Tour of Homes in May and see for yourself.  You will see beautiful woodwork, ornate fireplaces, large front porches (where neighbors actually sit and converse with each other), staircases that serve as a work of art, stained glass windows, original tile floors from 100 years ago, and more.  

3. Parkside Communnity Association (PCA)

A community association that works to maintain the beauty and historical significance of our neighborhood.  They host neighborhood events from a chili cook off to a gala.  They host community events such as the home tour, garden tour, a 5k, and a holiday craft fair.  Children get to attend a summer arts program or a Halloween party. Families can view free movies in the park or borrow a book from the numerous "Little Libraries" throughout the neighborhood.  The elderly have an aging in place program.  This is all because of the numerous volunteers that serve on the PCA board.

4. Diversity

True diversity - income, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age, abilities.  

There are people living in Parkside that originated from different countries or states.  I have a Greek woman next door in her 90s.  I have multiple young families around me. There are single families and multi-family units.  Owners and tenants. On one end of my block is a Roman Catholic church and on the other end is an Episcopal church.  There are people practicing their Jewish faith, Methodist, orthodox, and many more. 

There are professors, lawyers, painters, teachers, doctors, students, homemakers, therapists, business owners, personal trainers, hair stylists, and more.  And believe me, the connections come in handy! 

It is this diverse setting I lacked growing up in the suburbs and am grateful my children will know as "the norm."

5.) Attractions in Walking Proximity

Darwin Martin House - a Frank Lloyd Wright  masterpiece that generates tourists from all over the world is right here in my neighborhood.  As is another privately owned Frank Lloyd Wright home.

The Buffalo Zoo - We get great use out of our annual membership. We see the transformation it is making on a daily basis.  We say hello to the giraffes and bisons as we take our walks.

Delaware Park - a beautiful setting for a walk, a picnic, or to play. With playgrounds for the kids, a golf course, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, bocce ball courts.....it is a childhood dream park!

Parkside Avenue - the commercial properties are on the rise - a cupcakery, a coffee shop, a photography studio, and a restaurant opening that has involved the community in every step of the way!  

Hertel and Elmwood are a stone throw away.  Close enough to enjoy on a regular basis, but far enough away to still feel the security of a neighborhood setting without excessive traffic or parking issues.

6.) WOW

Wine on Wednesdays, aka WOW was started by neighbors as a way to get together with one another in a social setting.  Every Wednesday from May to September, a different neighbor hosts a wine party.  Each neighbor brings a bottle to share and their own glassware.  No obligation to come - just join when you feel like it.  There are probably 50-60 regular WOW attendees, but over 300+ involved.

7.) History

We are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Buffalo's first suburb and a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.  There are homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright, E.B. Green, H.H. Richardson, William Sydney Wicks, and Sears catalog homes. Many of the homes still have outlines of the 3rd floor servants quarters. Some have turn tables in their garages that predates the car's ability to safely go in reverse.  Upon remodeling projects, neighbors find remnants of items from the early 1900s.  We have found a newspaper from 1920 in our walls and a number of other neat items.

8.)Schools

Now, I am not going to lie....the schools pose a problem to young families in Parkside.  Buffalo city school district is suffering but there is always hope it will strengthen.  On the plus side...we have amazing private schools in the neighborhood, or nearby.  St. Mark's for elementary is literally across the street from me.  Elmwood Franklin School and Nichols are within walking distance.  There are charter schools that are great.  We can't allow a struggling school district to prevent families from moving to the city.  The amount you save in taxes can be put towards private education if need be.  But, I am optimistic that Buffalo schools will see some positive change.

9.) Work commute

We are right off the 198 with quick access to the 33.  For those needing to work downtown, its minutes away.  In the big picture, we are truly close to everything.  Lucky for me...I work remotely.  So I get to enjoy working from my front porch swing on the days I am not traveling!

10.) Landscape

We live in the city but are surrounded by greenery.  That's no mistake...Thank you Mr. Olmsted!  While I have a black thumb, I appreciate that many of my neighbors have 2 green thumbs. There are beautiful gardens everywhere - floral, stone, vegetable, ponds, trees.  It is truly a beautiful setting.  We finally invested in some landscaping this year so we aren't the outcasts.

I wake up everyday feeling I am so lucky to be living here!