Cleanup Success

The partnership between Hackett Middle School and the Lark Street BID to clean up Lark Street on Saturday, June 4th 2011 was a huge success! Around 20 people including; students, staff, teachers and parents from Hackett and Lark Street BID staff participated in this effort.  Clean up took place in the Lark Street neighborhood between Washington and Madison avenues from Noon - 2pm. Participants helped clean the streets by sweeping, picking up litter, and weeding the tree beds. The City of Albany Department of General Services generously provided all the essential cleaning materials; brooms, shovels, garbage bags and green waste bags, etc. 

After a hard day's work, popular ice-cream maker; Ben and Jerry's, were kind enough to treat all those involved to ice-cream cones.

Many of the Hackett Middle School volunteers are part of the Time Dollar Program which encourages student and family volunteerism, empowers the community and makes schools and neighborhoods stronger. Time Dollar participants give their personal time to help others. For every hour that a Hackett student or their parent volunteers in the school or on a community project, they will receive a Time Dollar. Time Dollars can then be used to receive a variety of goods and services from the Time Dollar store located on the main floor at Hackett Middle School. The store contains various items such as school supplies, backpacks, DVD players, basketballs, skateboards, and gift cards to local businesses. The Time Dollar program is based on a national model developed by Edgar Cahn, founder of the Time Dollar Institute.  .

The Cleanup was organized in order to create positive relations between students and their families and the Lark Street business community.

YNN news station was present to cover this event. Follow link to watch a clip: YNN Hackette Middle School and Lark Street BID Cleanup coverage

Underground Arts Exhibition, Chefs Consortium & Youth FX Film Series

If you have been on Lark Street in the past week you may have noticed people coming in & out of the old Planned Parenthood space, open windows, and other signs of life. All the bustling in the space is in preparation for the Albany Underground Arts Exhibition & Chefs Consortium and the Youth FX Film Series taking place during Art on Lark on June 11th.

The Underground Arts Exhibition was planned & executed with Underground Artists co-founder Chip Fasciana & will feature over 20 artists. Some of the artists showing in the now unused space are: Abe Ferraro, Bob Gullie, and Lark Street BID executive director, Mary Spinelli. Noah Sheetz, the Govenor's Chef will be on-hand from the Chefs Consortium preparing local, seasonable, and organic foods. You can get a sneak peek of the Exhibition this 1st Friday, June 3rd from 5-9pm!











Additionally, the Grand Street Community Arts Youth FX intensive summer film program for teens will be screening their films on the 11th. Six films, which were conceived, written, directed, shot, starred in, and edited by the teens will be showing in the Planned Parenthood second floor conference room at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. The 1pm screening will be followed by a Question and Answer session with the filmmakers.

Art on Lark
June 11 10am-5pm

Albany Underground Arts Exhibition & Chef's Consortium
June 3rd, 1st Friday 5-9pm
June 11th, 10am-5pm
Art is free, food is $10

Youth FX Film Series
June 11th, 11am, 1pm with Filmmaker Q&A, 3pm

Hackett Middle School & Lark Street BID Partner Up to Clean Up Lark Street

On Saturday, June 4th from 12-3pm the Lark Street Business Improvement District will be working with a group of student volunteers, parents, and teachers from Hackett Middle School to clean up Lark Street from Madison Avenue to Washington Avenue. 

Volunteers will be picking up garbage, weeding, removing graffiti, and number of other tasks in order to make Lark Street sparkle. 

Many of the Hackett Middle School volunteers are part of the Time Dollar Program which encourages student and family volunteerism, empowers the community and makes schools and neighborhoods stronger. Time Dollar participants give their personal time to help others. For every hour that a Hackett student or their parent volunteers in the school or on a community project, they will receive a Time Dollar. Time Dollars can then be used to receive a variety of goods and services from the Time Dollar store located on the main floor at Hackett Middle School. The store contains various items such as school supplies, backpacks, DVD players, basketballs, skateboards, and gift cards to local businesses. The Time Dollar program is based on a national model developed by Edgar Cahn, founder of the Time Dollar Institute.  

This successful collaborative effort has been coordinated by Ms. Zena Dorsey, Parent Partner in the resource center, the Lark Street BID, and in partnership with School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany, as well as with support from Albany’s Department of General Services, JB Lodge, and CDTA.  The School District and the School of Social Welfare have been involved for several years in a collaborative effort to develop and expand the Time Dollar programs and family resources in the Albany schools.

Art On Lark

The Lark Street Business Improvement District is proud to present the 15th Annual Art on Lark 2011 on Saturday, June 11th from 10 am to 5 pm. Art on Lark is Albany’s Premier Arts Festival drawing over 25,000 attendees in 2009 and named “Best Arts Event” in the  Times Union Readers Poll in 2009 and 2010. It is the 2nd largest street festival in upstate New York, second only to LarkFEST! This event will host hundreds of artists, musicians, dance and theatre performances, one-day installations, and many more special events that will showcase Lark Street as Albany's Arts District.

New for 2011

Several local Arts Organizations will be contributing to the festivities at Art on Lark 2011 including the addition of an Art Mecca presented by the Marketplace Gallery and Living Walls on Hudson Avenue between Lark and Willett. Come and Watch several artists create an enormous “living walls” mural right in front of your eyes and check out booths representing a number of New York City Galleries and Artists. Additionally, the buildings formerly occupied by Planned Parenthood will be transformed into a one-day “Pop-Up Gallery” packed with Art and Artists. The Pop-Up Gallery is being presented in conjunction with Albany Underground Artists co-founder Chip Fasciana. This space will also play host to the Youth FX Film series by the Grand Street Community Arts Youth Film program with several showings throughout the day. 

We are proud to partner with WEXT 97.7 FM for the 2nd year at Art on Lark 2011!

EVENT LINE UP   

Madison Stage           11am      Spaceland      12pm      Bryan Thomas         1pm        Olivia Quillio         2pm       Alta Mira       3:10pm   The Red Lions         4:15pm   Erin Harkes

Washington Stage              11am   The El Dorados      11:45am   Zack Cohen         12:45pm   Albany Poets      1:30 pm    NeedleGun         2:30 pm    Mike Poulopoulos         3:45pm     Disposable Rocket Band

Dana Park Beautification

On Thursday, May 5th, in conjunction with Champagne on the Park, the Lark Street Business Improvement District and representatives from Scotts Miracle-Gro Company announced the completion of a beautification project of Dana Park.

Sitting at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Lark Street, Dana Park was selected to be the exclusive recipient within the Capital District of a Scotts Miracle-Gro Company beautification project which included the installation of four new elm trees, shrubbery, flower beds, and new sod. George Gellar, from the Scott’s Miracle-Gro Company, commented on the joint effort: “The City of Albany’s Department of General Services and the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company teamed up in March of 2011 to beautify Dana Park in downtown Albany. The level of cooperation and collaboration has been tremendously effective in getting the park together in such a short period of time. Without the cooperation and selfless efforts of many, the beautifying of this wonderful piece of Albany history would never have been accomplished.”

The Dana Park beautification project will further the BID’s efforts to utilize the park to bring neighbors and visitors together while appreciating the splendor and importance of nature.

Lark U Free Legal Clinics

Following the successful Lark U Business Resource Forum that was held in February, the Lark Street BID would like to now offer free one on one consultations with an attorney to our neighborhood businesses. If you are a small business owner or manager of a business located on or near Lark Street you are eligible to take advantage of the Lark U Legal Clinic.

Attorneys will be able to answer your business questions relating to contracts, intellectual property, commercial leases, incorporating your business, protecting your assets, and other legal matters.

The first legal clinic will be held Wednesday, March 16th at the Lark Street BID office at 245 Lark Street. Appointments to see an attorney can be made by calling the Legal Project at 435.1770. There are a limited number of appointments so be sure to reserve your space! Appointments start at 5:30.

Additional clinics will be held on June 23, September 22, & December 22.

Beat Cop Meet & Greet

Just recently community policing officers have started making their rounds around Albany neighborhoods. Here in the Lark Street neighborhood we are luck enough to have two police zones converge offering us additional coverage.

The Lark Street BID and the Public Safety Committee would like to invite you to meet the officers serving the Lark Street community.

Join us on Tuesday, March 8th from 5-7pm in welcoming Officers Kevin Reedy, Tracy Condon, Dan Condon, and Dan Meehan to the neighborhood!

When: Tuesday, March 8 5-7pm
Where: The Lark Street BID office at 245 Lark Street, across the street from Ben & Jerry's.