Buffalo NY - Riverside
 

Riverside is a neighborhood in the far northwestern corner of the City of Buffalo, along the Niagara River, about 5 miles (8 km) from Downtown Buffalo. Riverside developed as a working-class residential community in the late 19th and early 20th Century as residents of the adjacent Black Rock neighborhood sought to escape the growing industrial areas of Black Rock, and new workers for the growing industries of Tonawanda to the north sought housing. Riverside today still maintains a strong integrated working-class population, and has also become a popular destination for recent arrivals from other nations and migrants from the boroughs of NY City due to its inexpensive multi-family housing. While the population of the neighborhood has been slowly increasing due to the new residents, the business district is lagging in the recovery and growth seen in adjacent neighborhoods like Black Rock and North Buffalo, although this may be changing as more new residents seek alternatives from the more expensive neighborhoods nearby.

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The Niagara River is to the west of Riverside, with the Niagara Thruway (Interstate 190) running parallel to the river, built on the bed of the old Erie Canal. Strawberry Island, Grand Island, and Canada are in view. Riverside Park, originally called Germania Park, is an Olmsted Park constructed on the bluff overlooking the river that connects to the neighborhood.
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Strawberry Island Forever by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Riverside Park Lighthouse by bpawlik, on Flickr

At water’s edge, along the former canal towpath, there is a string of parks, bike paths, and marinas. The bike paths are part of a statewide system connecting the river to the Great Lakes and the Erie Canal bikeway.
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3-1/2 Miles by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Rich by bpawlik, on Flickr

Businesses are intermixed with homes throughout much of the neighborhood, with some concentrated business areas running adjacent to the park on Tonawanda Street, and extending along Tonawanda to the Black Rock neighborhood. Other significant concentrations are also along Ontario Street and Niagara Street. Many of the businesses cater to the local immigrant community.
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Riverside Social Distance by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2384 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2388 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2371 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2368 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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+ Falafel by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Market and More by bpawlik, on Flickr

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T Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Ethiopian Orthodox by bpawlik, on Flickr

Multi-family along Tonawanda Street
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IMG_2347 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Engine 26 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2366 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2367 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Munchkinland by bpawlik, on Flickr

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This Must Be by bpawlik, on Flickr

The interior of the neighborhood is a mix of all types of structures, along with many single family homes of varying size, built mainly from the 1890s until the early 1950s. Many of the homes were build with lumber recovered during the disassembly of the Pan-American Exposition of 1901.

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Riverside Homes by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Riverside High by bpawlik, on Flickr

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The Academy by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2392 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Q by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2858 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2920 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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All Saints by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Unknown Club by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_8102 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2365 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2874 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_2850 by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Esser Mini Mart by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Dalmatia by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Urban Cuts by bpawlik, on Flickr

Industry, and the remnants of past industries, ring the edges of Riverside.
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Edge City by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Chase Bag by bpawlik, on Flickr

There are many streets that are affordable hidden gems, with sweeping views of the river nearby.
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Homes Trees Water by bpawlik, on Flickr

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River View by bpawlik, on Flickr

Nice pictures!

My grandfather grew up in this neighborhood. He lived on Ontario Street, and went to Riverside High School.

Riverside, or Black Rock or the West Side, would be where I would live if I lived in Buffalo. I'd love to be close to the river, and have views of Canada.

My father and most of his side of the family grew up in Black Rock and Riverside, and my mother and 2 of my siblings graduated from Riverside High School. Although we lived in North Buffalo, we still had close ties in these neighborhoods. Both my parents worked there. I grew up visiting grandmother and aunts there, going to family parties at Polish Cadets Hall or at the family owned tavern on Ontario Street, and every 4th of July meant the going to parade on Tonawanda Street, followed by the carnival and fireworks at Riverside Park. My kids even got to go a couple of years with my father when they were little.

Nice!

I remember driving through the neighborhood with my grandparents, and my grandfather gave a little tour. There was a Catholic church somewhere near Military Road that was the "Hunky" (Hungarian) church. His family went to the Irish church, closer to the river. There was a Polish church or other ethnic Catholic church also in the area. This was during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

St Monicas was the Hungarian Church. It was on Hampshire and Congress. Its a Spanish Church now. The rectory is the UB Outreach Center and a Soup Kitchen. Our Lady of Hope is on Grant and Hampshire. I am assuming that was the Irish Church. As I went there for my first Holy Communion. I grew up at 181 Bird Ave until I was 8 or 9.

There is also St. Elizabeth of Hungary R.C. Church on Grant Street in Black Rock. I don't have a good picture of it, but here you can see it in the background:

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IMG_1053 by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Irish Church (if they didn't go to All Saints) was likely St. John the Baptist on Hertel, also in Black Rock. Here is a picture from the Black Rock thread:

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St. John by bpawlik, on Flickr

Riverside for a time was almost a "suburb" of Black Rock.

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Assumption church my friend... Black Rock was the terminus of the Erie canal and a Town onto its own. The City of Buffalo annexed it in 1853.

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Assumption by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_1039 by bpawlik, on Flickr

The first ship to sail on the Upper Great Lakes was built in the area that became Black Rock in 1679 (the "Griffon" by the French), and later was the site of the Black Rock shipyards which built many of the US Great Lakes warships for the War of 1812, and the first steamboat on the Great Lakes in 1818. Black Rock harbor was bypassed to make Buffalo the terminus of the canal. Likely a good thing as the geography of the Black Rock harbor limited its expansion capability.

Wow, I've spent a lot of time in this neighborhood and you make it look great!

I always thought that there were some great parts of Riverside that are most definitely under appreciated. It will be interesting to see if the current high demand for homes in the city will bring about more owner-occupied residences there. Sales have been brisk and prices are up.

Better pic of St. Elizabeth's I snapped today.

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St. Elizabeth of Hungary by bpawlik, on Flickr