Gray skies couldn't keep smiles away at the Lower West Side Community Extravaganza. The block party was hosted by Heart of the City Neighborhoods (HOCN), a non-profit community development corporation that aims to stabilize neighborhoods in the Lower West Side. The celebration was held in honor of both the HOCN's tenth anniversary and the end of the Plymouth Avenue Reclamation Project.

Heart of the City Neighborhoods spent the past five years working on Plymouth Avenue in the Lower West Side. Stephanie Simeon, HOCN's energetic executive director explained the process that Plymouth Avenue underwent, and which Hudson Street and others will undergo as well.

"We choose a neighborhood at a tipping point," Simeon said, referring to neighborhoods with market ability that have the foundations for improvement. After choosing a neighborhood, said Simeon, "We purchase dilapidated properties with potential and rehab them." Once the homes are fixed up, HOCN sells them to first-time homebuyers. The goal is to stabilize the neighborhoods and, with each street, improve the Lower West Side.

On Plymouth Avenue, HOCN purchased two houses. In addition to fixing those two properties, HOCN also initiated neighborhood cleanups, working closely with the Kleinhans Community Association. They planted 17 trees in the Lower West Side. Brush Up Buffalo also participated, painting 13 homes in the Lower West Side. These changes have not gone unnoticed to West Side residents. Maria Karyna, who attended the Extravaganza with her son, appreciated fresh coats of paint on neighborhood houses. "[The neighborhood] looks cleaner," Karyna said appreciatively as she enjoyed the family-friendly activities at the party.

At the Lower West Side Community Extravaganza, the homes made a fitting backdrop to what truly was a community event. Neighborhood families prepared food for the block party, while local musicians performed during the celebration. A "Nominate Your Neighbor" award was presented to a member of the community that had been voted for going above and beyond their neighborly duties. Prizes included gift certificates donated from Urban Roots, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra tickets, and Bisons tickets. The award reflected the overall focus of the block party, which showed off the heart of a community in the heart of the city.