Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

It's official: The owner of Kabob Kafe in Ellicottville is buying The Option House. Bradford City Council approved a $50,000 loan on Tuesday that completes the funding package he needed to buy the Main Street building from Sam Sylvester. Other money is coming from the McKean County Redevelopment Office and The North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission. Owner Sheikh Iqbal is also investing $40,000 of his own money. Debbie Huston of the Office of Economic and Community Development says the outstanding job Sylvester did in renovating the building is what attracted him to The Option House. In a news release, Huston added that Sylvester is pleased that Iqbal has decided to bring his highly popular restaurant to Bradford's Main Street as "he is a widely experienced restaurateur and caterer." She adds that over the past few months Sylvester and "Icky" -- as Iqbal likes to be called -- have developed a close personal and business relationship. Sh...

Virginia M. Sylvester, 100, of 9 Nookside Lane, passed away, Tuesday, May 15th, at her residence, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Lewis Run, on September 23, 1911, she was a daughter of the late Humbert and Anna (Carrara) Piscitelli. On November 22, 1934 in St. Bernard Church she married Michael Sylvester who died June 18, 1965. Mrs. Sylvester attended Lewis Run Schools. She worked at the Silk Mill in East Bradford and as a housekeeper for 17 years for the J. W. Bird family and several other local families. She had also worked as a waitress at The Johnson Restaurant, Cavallero's, and Suds & Spuds. She was a member of St. Bernard Church, the LaStella Lodge Auxiliary, 50 + Group at St. Francis Church, the Italian American Progressive Club and the Bradford Stroke Group. She had volunteered at the Bradford Regional Medical Center, the Bradford Nursing Pavilion, and the Senior Center. Surviving are two daughters, Phyllis A. Sylvester and Kathleen M. Sylvester, one son, Samu...

Today's Morning Buzz featured an auction to raise money for The ELF Fund, and brought in $380. The prize package included tickets to the premier of "Unstoppble," a meal at The Option House, a private meeting with actor Lew Temple, and a photograph of the meeting by Long Art Photography. While the ELF Fund folks were at the radio station, Chairman Ed Hayden talked to Scott Douglas about just a few of this year's applicants. Listen here . You can learn more about the ELF Fund at ELF Fund.org , and we'll be talking more about it -- and The Festival of Trees -- on next Tuesday's LiveLine. ~~ The Festival of Trees Annual Auction had a remarkable item awarded on WESB/WBRR Morning Buzz with Scott Douglas on Tuesday, November 9. Connie Malone was the winning bidder of the Unstoppable Movie/Dinner package for the Festival of Trees. Her winning prize is comprised of dinner for four at the Option House, four tickets to the premier showing of Unstoppable (as provided f...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Bradford’s newest councilmen agree that code enforcement is the number one priority of city residents. Almost all public comment council has received in the last six months has been about code enforcement, blighted properties and the historic district, said Councilman Fred Proper during Tuesday's council meeting. “The quality of life in our community is being affected by the property in the community – deteriorating property,” he said. As a council, “You got it across to us that it’s probably the number one priority in this community right now. We need to work together to handle that.” “I’ve got the message that it is the number one priority, aside from maybe some financial problems that we’re going to have to face,” he said. “This is the number one issue – blighted properties, code enforcement,” Councilman Jim Evans said. “The only reason it surpasses financial is we’re not building a budget right now.” “That message has come through loud a...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director There is something several people in Bradford don’t think is pretty in pink. The Riddell House. Sam Sylvester of the Historical Architectural Review Board said he was asked to attend Tuesday’s council meeting to talk about "the appropriateness of the recent pink job at the Riddell House.” “Joe (Troutman) is a friend of mine and I appreciate (that) he’s doing what he’s doing. But if the HARB is to be effective, we need to see the request first. We have not seen the request," Sylvester said. He said there are several other incidents in town where people have done work without contacting HARB, but he was just at the meeting to talk about the Riddell House. City Clerk John Peterson said the city received several complaints, so he contacted commercial building inspector Mark Grassi. Grassi was told Tuesday morning the building was being repainted the same colors it had previously been painted. “Photographs from Google Earth show that not to...

The Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the recipients of their 2010 Awards and the nominees honored in each category. The Option House is the first recipient of the BACC Exemplary Business Award. The BACC Exemplary Business Award is given to a for-profit business that demonstrates a well-planned, commendable, and thorough approach to business development. They must also exemplify the unique “hometown” charm of the area in their manner of administration, customer service and quality of product or service. This award covers manufacturing, industrial, tourism, hospitality, retail or service. From the moment Sam Sylvester purchased The Option House, he had a plan, dream and vision of what he could do for the hometown he loves. Through hard work, determination and perseverance, he would give back to Bradford a magnificent, historic building that was on the verge of collapse and ruin. This landmark is restored to its former glory and beyond as ...