Wed. Aug. 21, 2002 6:00 PM
Mark your calendars and hope to see you there!
Symphony Circle's center island restoration began on the week before Memorial Day, 2002.
Symphony Circle Center Island Reconstruction Underway.
Construction began on the restoration of Symphony Circle's center island on Monday May 20, 2002.
On June 12, 2002, Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello, along with members of The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Richmond Neighborhood Community Association and Symphony Circle Steering Committee were on hand to break ground for restoration of the historic Olmsted designed circle at West Ferry and Richmond Avenues. Further down the street at Symphony Circle the restoration of its center island is continuing. This is the culmination of a decade long neighborhood revitalization effort.
The Olmsted Circles on Richmond Ave., (also known as round-a-bouts,) were part of Buffalo’s original 1868 parkway design and built in the 1870s. They were designed as a way to bring an ornamental green space complemented with a 16-foot high lamp standard into an urban area and to guide travelers along the route of Olmsted’s parkway as it twists and turns through the heart of Buffalo. Both the Ferry and Symphony Circle center islands and ornate light fixtures were obliterated in preparation for a proposal to extend Richmond Avenue easterly to the waterfront, negatively impacting existing neighborhoods. While the Richmond Avenue extension plan never took place, the Olmsted Parkway circles on Richmond at Ferry and Symphony Circle were removed in 1938. The groundbreaking ceremony is the culmination of many years of volunteer research into what the roadway looked like over a hundred years ago when first designed by America's greatest landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.
Because the two restoration plans fall under roadway improvement, the federally-funded Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Act is supporting a majority of the work. The money was allocated more than two years ago.
Mayor Masiello said, "Today is a dream come true for a group of dedicated community members. As we break ground for the re-creation of the center islands and their center lights, we will reunite neighborhoods, and enhance an already beautiful and vibrant section of Buffalo." Masiello added, "Many years of research conducted by dedicated volunteers from the Richmond Neighborhood Community Association and the Symphony Circle Steering Committee went into selecting the right design of for restoring these center islands and their four quadrants. Best of all, funding was secured through a federal initiative specifically allocated for this type of roadway work. Other cities are just beginning to build circles and quadrants because they calm traffic and abate pollution. Here in Buffalo, we are rebuilding something we already had and we know is a good thing."
Funding for the ornate center light in both islands came through the Rupp Family Foundation, according to Deborah Ann Trimble, executive director of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. "In May of 2000, William Rupp saw an article in the paper about the Symphony Circle revitalization project and expressed an interest. Ultimately, this led to the Rupp Family Foundation’s commitment to pay for replication of the two light fixtures. Technical drawings of the lights had to be created because only old photographs existed. Colgate Heating Inc., of South Buffalo possessed the expertise to produce the drawings based on the photos and research, and ultimately was commissioned to manufacture the lights. Additionally, by producing the lights in Buffalo, we boost the local economy."
Ann Angelo, facilitator, Symphony Circle Steering Committee said, "This is truly a public private partnership effort. Over a decade ago, the vision to restore Symphony Circle was just a dream, one that is now being fulfilled. We are not only grateful for the outcome for us but also for the restoration and beautification of the other Olmsted circles."
Pat Caldero from the Richmond Neighborhood Community Association said, "In the next few months, after construction of the circles is complete, we know residents and visitors alike will appreciate their connection to the important historic legacy these round-a-bouts will represent to our city for many generations to come."
Restoration of such key elements of an Olmsted-designed parkway system not only add to the quality of life for city residents and visitors, but also builds upon the important legacy of city planners from generation past. Buffalo can claim ownership to dozens of historically significant structures and landscapes, including these restoration projects that are expected to lure tourists and, in turn help support the local economy.
In total, Buffalo's historic Olmsted Park and Parkway system boasts seven circles, Colonial, Gates, Soldiers, Ferry, Symphony, McClellan and McKinley. The eighth, Agassiz Circle was modified and removed when the Scajaquada Expressway was built. Like their counterparts on the west side, six years ago a motivated group of concerned citizens in South Buffalo took the initiative and pushed for the beautification of their neighborhoods with the restoration of McClellan and McKinley Circles. That work is now complete and the circles sparkle with new center luminaries, Red Jacket Parkway also features new benches and lighting.
Friends of the Night People Meets with Community to Address Issues, Provide Better Communication.
A meeting was held on May 9, 2002 at the First Presbyterian Church, One Symphony Circle with Darren Strickland (FONP),
Chris Brown and Dean Curtis (KCA), Bob Fink and Elizabeth Licata (Allentown Association) in attendance.
A subsequent meeting was held on May 15, 2002 at the Coit House with the same people in attendance, in addition, FONP president Jeff Hirschberg and two other board members were present.
It was the first time that such a meeting has taken place in many years.
A discussion of implementing security and an putting up an awning to move clients away from the street ensued.
More meetings will take place in the next few months.
Community Expresses Concerns in Meeting with Ellicott District Council Member Brian Davis.
A community meeting was held on April 24, 2002 at the Waterfront School. Chris Brown represented the KCA area and discussed neighborhoods concerns such as housing and drug dealing. Council member Davis pledged his support to work with the community to combat negative neighborhood issues in any way he could.
Neighborhood Signs To Welcome Visitors.
Thanks to a 2001 Mayor Masiello's neighborhood matching fund grant, the Kleinhans Community Association (your block club serving the neighborhood around Kleinhans Music Hall), has obtained neighborhood welcome signs. There has been one sign created for each block in the Kleinhans neighborhood. These attractive 18" x 24" metal signs will be mounted on light poles to welcome residents or visitors to the area and to promote a safer, cleaner neighborhood. The block club web site address will also be posted on each sign. The signs will be positioned low enough for visibility, but high enough to deter vandalism by graffiti.
These signs are the same as those installed in the neighborhood about five years ago. The signs currently installed are located in: 1.) the block of Orton Place between Pennsylvania Street and St. John's Place, 2.) St. John's Place between Wadsworth Street and Orton Place, 3.) Plymouth Avenue between Pennsylvania Street and Jersey Street, and 4.) Hudson Street at Cottage Street. I encourage you to view the signs at those locations so you can see their attractive appearance.
To expand upon the success of the previously installed signs, it is planned to install one new sign per block. There are two different sign variations - "Promoting Safer, Cleaner Neighborhoods" and "Welcome - Historic Symphony Circle Neighborhood." The two types will be randomly distributed in the blocks around Kleinhans, encompassing the boundaries of the current Kleinhans Community Association. The timeframe for installation will be the summer of 2002.
Verdi Survives Car Crash.
In early April, 2002, the Verdi bust on Symphony Circle was crashed into by a car, but fortunately the damage was insignificant and city crews reconstructed the statue quickly.
Verdi suffered an automobile crash in April, 2002.
Garden Walk Again Will Attract Neighborhood Visitors in July.
The Annual Garden Walk will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, 2002. It is expected that the KCA area will draw a large number of visitors to the neighborhood.
Preservation Coalition of Erie County Sponsors Symphony Circle and Arlington Park Walking Tour to Educate Public on Historic Neighborhood Architecture.
A walking tour, with snack, will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2002 from 9:30-11:30.
The two-hour walking tour will showcase the neighborhood to architecture fans and preservationists. The cost is $12 to the general public and $10 for Preservation Coalition members. Meet at Kleinhans Music Hall reflecting pool, rain or shine.
Beautiful buildings on prominent sites are the happy result where a practical decision was made 150 years ago to cut Porter Avenue across the modified hexagonal spider web laid down by Holland Land Company surveyor Joseph Ellicott in 1804. The streets met at 45° angles, yielding numerous promising perspectives. The pivot point of this section of the city was named simply The Circle.
The radials of the Circle were exploited to maximum advantage by the architects and planners of First Presbyterian, Holy Angels, and Plymouth Methodist churches, Kleinhans Music Hall, and the State Normal School (today,Grover Cleveland High School) as the city spread northward.
See one-of-a-kind Kleinhans Music Hall up close. Its just-restored reflecting pool is the greatest gift to the city in decades. Built in the 1930s by the Finnish father-son team of Eliel and Eero Saarinen, this national historic landmark has not looked this good since the day it opened. Proof that modernism needn't be cold and distant, but can be warm and humane.
Next door is the architecturally romantic pile of First Presbyterian Church, designed by E.B. Green to balance HH. Richardson's towers at the other end of Richmond Avenue. The Circle's northern quadrants contain imposing examples of domestic architecture of the late 1800s.
You'll also see charming Arlington Park, a quiet enclave of historic houses around a small green. Styles range from Gothic Revival cottages to Queen Anne, with a late Colonial Revival thrown in for good measure.
Finally, you'll see the scheduled-to completed reconstruction of the long-lost "circle in Symphony Circle" with its ornate light standard. Maybe the best modern "traffic-calming" features are our old street designs!
Community Residents Undertake Neighborhood Infrastructure Inventory.
An inventory of damaged sidewalks, missing trees and graffiti was taken by neighborhood residents. The results of this inventory will be submitted to the appropriate agencies to rectify.
Illegal Dumping at 294 Hudson Street Reported to Appropriate Agencies.
Trash has been dumped at 294 Hudson Street and the city is attempting to identify who is doing this damage and how to stop it. Meanwhile, the lot will be cleaned by the city.
The city owned lot was formerly the site of a large apartment building which burned in autumn, 2001.
Mayor Masiello Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant Used to Purchase Flower Planters
Since 2000 we have lost a number of planters placed on neighborhood street corners due to severe winter storms in November 2000 and December 2001. When the planters were initially purchased, the plan was that each planter would be adopted by one or more individuals who would be willing to provide flowers for them annually and maintain them during the summer by providing water.
Through a matching fund grant, our KCA block club will replace the planters which were damaged or missing. We have heard from a number of community residents who want to continue caring for the planters.
24" diameter faux terra-cotta flower planters have been ordered and will be received in late June or early July 2002. Each adopber will:
1.) provide flowers for the planter, 2.) water and take care of the flowers, and 3.) take the planters off the street corners in the winter.
We look forward to the planters helping in continuing to beautify the neighborhood.
Terra cotta planters on area street corners will help to make the neighborhood a better place to live.
Orton Gardens Continue to Thrive.
In May, five yards of topsoil was delivered to Orton Gardens. John Allen constructed three new vegetable beds in the back of the garden. Volunteers filled the beds by moving the topsoil. Orton Gardens received donated annual flowers from Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo and they will be planted soon. In total, we now have 16 area gardeners who raise crops and help care for Orton Gardens. A compost bin will be constructed in the rear of the garden. Orton Gardens will again be part of the Annual Garden Walk.
Orton Gardens looked wonderful this spring with the daffodils in full bloom.
Erie County Proposes to Take On Ownership and Management of Kleinhans Music Hall.
It was announced in early May 2002 that the County of Erie could be taking over ownership of Kleinhans Music Hall from the city. A letter was written from the block club to Erie County and City of Buffalo outlining concerns by the community. A meeting was held on June 5, 2002 with Bruce Fisher, Chief of Staff for Erie County. At that meeting, the community was given assurances that the County will perpetually support Kleinhans Music Hall as being the home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
This is the letter which was distributed from the Block Club:
Kleinhans Community Association
c/o 34 Orton Place
Buffalo, NY 14201
May 23, 2002
Hon. Anthony M. Masiello
Mayor
65 Niagara Square, Room 201
Buffalo, New York 14202
Hon. Joel A. Giambra
Erie County Executive
95 Franklin Street
Buffalo, New York 14202
Hon. Dominic Bonifacio
Niagara District Councilmember
65 Niagara Square, Room 1405
Buffalo, New York 14202
Hon. Judith P. Fisher
Erie County Legislator
25 Delaware Avenue, 7th Floor
Buffalo, New York 14202
RE: Kleinhans Music Hall Proposed Funding and Change of Ownership
Gentlemen and Ms. Fisher,
As the block club representing the community around Kleinhans Music Hall, we applaud the proposal for Erie County to provide financial support toward the ongoing operations and maintenance costs for one of the region’s most important buildings, Kleinhans Music Hall.
Among Buffalo’s most important assets are its artistic/cultural institutions and the architecturally significant buildings that house them. Because of our region’s history, Buffalo has an enormous legacy of visual and performing art venues and heritage tourism sites within a relatively small geographic area.
Buffalo’s sporting events, parks, theaters, restaurants and Kleinhans draw visitors from throughout the region. While our community agrees that Kleinhans is a regional asset and deserves support from Erie County’s tax base, we also would like to recommend that any proposal put forth has covenants in place to protect Buffalo’s status as the cultural hub for Erie County. While we believe that it is the intent of the current County and City administration to protect and preserve these regional assets, any legislation to transfer ownership should also take into consideration Kleinhans’ future protection.
Besides being the home of the beloved Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kleinhans Music Hall is a significant building in its own right. Built through a gift from Edward L. Kleinhans, with assistance from WPA funds and bolstered by the generosity of the Truman Avery family for the site, Kleinhans Music Hall is a testament to the generosity of Buffalonians who gave back to the city they loved. In addition, the building takes on national importance because the Governing Committee of The Buffalo Foundation headed by George F. Rand was forward thinking enough to select world-class architects Eliel and Eero Saarinen to design the hall. Designed in the International Style, its acoustic excellence has elevated the building to serve as a model for other such structures. The building is a National Historic Landmark (only one of a handful of such buildings in Erie County). Citing the building’s prominence, a 1998 article published in the New York Times said: “Of all the buildings that have gone up in Buffalo in the last 75 years, the most influential by far is the Kleinhans Music Hall.”
With the planned restoration of F. L. Olmsted’s Symphony Circle and its ornamental light standard to be completed in 2002, Kleinhans Music Hall is well positioned to take advantage of Buffalo’s rise to become a premier architectural and heritage tourism destination. The Saarinen designed music hall is similar in stature to the H. H. Richardson designed New York State Psychiatric Hospital Complex and the F. L. Wright designed Darwin Martin House.
While Kleinhans Music Hall is indeed a regional asset, it is also a jewel to the Lower West Side and Allentown, as it sits at the nexus of the two neighborhoods. The community surrounding Kleinhans Music Hall has spent countless thousands of hours volunteering to beautify Kleinhans’ environment and to keep the surrounding neighborhood safe and attractive for visitors of the famed music hall.
For all these reasons, we ask City of Buffalo and County of Erie legislators to please consider the following requests to ensure that Kleinhans Music Hall remains a viable building that can be enjoyed by future generations of Western New Yorkers:
- A commitment should be put in place that Erie County, as owner of Kleinhans Music Hall will perpetually support the concept of Kleinhans being the home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. While the BPO is a regional asset, its home is, and should perpetually be, Kleinhans Music Hall.
- It should be required that the building’s Board should include Directors from the City of Buffalo. We would encourage neighborhood representation on the Board if the opportunity presented itself in the future.
- Increased access should be granted to the building for the purpose of educational tours. While untold thousands of Western New Yorkers have frequented Kleinhans Music Hall, most of them attend an event and quickly leave afterward. There are no regularly scheduled interior tours of the site for the general public focusing on its architectural significance and role as home of the BPO. Such tours would help to educate the public on the building’s significance and could be a potential income source to assist with building maintenance. Docents from the community would be willing to volunteer their time for this purpose.
- Appropriate rules should be put in place to prohibit uses detrimental to the building’s architecture, e.g. parking cars on the just-restored sidewalks flanking the Mary Seaton Room and reflecting pool. The special concrete is already oil-stained, and the vehicles grossly affect the enjoyment of the pool and the architecture.
In conclusion, while the community is very supportive and grateful for the proposed funding for Kleinhans Music Hall, we want to protect the building’s status at this historic moment. Through the collaborative efforts of government, foundations and concerned citizens, Kleinhans Music Hall and Symphony Circle are in pristine condition. Community residents who make up the neighborhood around Kleinhans Music Hall are committed to using their resources to support Kleinhans and its role as home to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. We hope that you will give these requests serious consideration as you draft the legislative changes required to transfer ownership from the City of Buffalo to the County of Erie.
I would appreciate acknowledgment of this letter and would welcome a meeting to discuss these requests. I will follow-up with a call to meet with whoever is designated to respond to these concerns. Thank you in advance for your support for our community.
Sincerely,
KLEINHANS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Christopher N. Brown
President
c: Allentown Association Inc., Elizabeth Licata
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Deborah Ann Trimble
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Lawrence A. Ribits/James D. Newman
First Presbyterian Church, David Bond
Hamilton, Houston & Lownie, Theodore Lownie
Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Richard Morrisroe
Kleinhans Music Hall Management Inc., Wayne D. Wisbaum
Community Outreaches to Neighborhood Stakeholders.
The KCA is trying to create ongoing dialogue between stakeholders in the community in an attempt to address issues and create strength in the common interests held by those organizations in our neighborhood. A meeting was held on June 11, 2002 with the Outreach Committee of the First Presbyterian Church and a meeting will be attempted soon with the BPO/Kleinhans Music Hall management.
KCA Leads First Presbyterian Church on Neighborhood Tour.
On Sunday August 25, 2002 the Kleinhans Community Association will be leading a tour of the neighborhood to members of the First Presbyterian Church who are interested in learning more about the community.
KCA is Represented in Neighborhood Exchange Program with Pittsburgh, Penn.
The Kleinhans Community was represented in a prestigious trip to Pittsburgh funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Chris Brown attended the three day exchange program to learn how Pittsburgh revitalized its struggling urban neighborhoods. Through the generosity of city hall, a neighborhood overview was printed and distributed to all city of Buffalo leaders in attendance.
Housing Issues
-
3 St. John’s Place - The house which is now vacant was detailed in a May 5, 2002 Buffalo News article. It is currently listed and for sale.
-
12 St. John’s Place
- The house which is also vacant and discussed in the May 5, 2002 Buffalo News article has been supposedly sold.
The community has done a super job securing the property and watching out for it to protect it from thieves. Click here for more details.
-
32 St. John’s Place - This fire damaged property has generated lots of interest. It has been highlighted on the Preservation Coalition of Erie County’s web site.
A survey was also taken which generated significant community interest in the property. Prish Moran, a neighborhood renovator, has expressed interest in the property and the community is hopeful that she will be able to purchase it from the city and rehabilitate the structure.
-
359 Hudson Street - The house was up for auction at Erie County tax sale on June 3, 2002, but no one bid on it. The property is still in the ownership of the previous owner. It is on the city demolition list but may take a while for it to come down.
- 45 Wadsworth - The house is abandoned and vacant. Difficulty in contacting the owner is making any action on the property challenging.
- 322 Pennsylvania Street - Aurora Lending has foreclosed on the property and it is in the process of being turned over to HUD. As soon as the property is turned over to HUD, the property will be offered for sale.
- 34 Plymouth Ave. - The city is still pushing for repairs to this fire-damaged house.
- 257 West Ave. - The property is on the demo list, adjoins 289 Pennsylvania St.
- 282 Jersey - This property recently changed hands and is now owned by John McFarland Jr. The KCA is working with housing inspections to ensure that the house, which has been poorly maintained for years, is compliant with current housing code.
Housing Improvements.
Congratulations to Isabel Hartenberg and Tim Wilkinson, who recently purchased 33 St. John’s Place and is in the process of completing renovations began by Pat and Mike Heaverlo of 29 St. John’s Place.
Paul Lachacz and Michael Rooney recently completed a complete restoration of their front verandah, and it was done in a way to replicate the detail from its original design.
Michael Miano of 287 Jersey is continuing the amazing rehab of his property at 287 Jersey Street by putting on a new architectural roof.
Neighborhood Resident Wins First Place in Allentown Village Society Annual Art Festival Poster Competition.
Congratulations to Paul Lachacz of 36 Orton Place for winning first place in the poster competition for the 2002 Allentown Art Festival held on June 8 and 9, 2002. Paul’s winning design was reproduced on thousands of posters, T-shirts and other promotional items.
Please Join the KCA - Your Membership Keeps the Neighborhood Strong!
We urge all residents to become involved in the block club. Dues are $12 per year, renewable in June. Please come to the next block club meeting. Join and be part of your community. If you cannot attend a meeting, you can also send your dues to: Kleinhans Community Association, c/o 34 Orton Place, Buffalo, NY 14201. All dues are reinvested in neighborhood projects.
Neighborhood Residents Tackle Graffiti Removal.
Carlos Benetiz has been working with various entities to remove graffiti in the neighborhood. Carlos recently conducted a workshop at D'Youville College. The KCA is working on applying for a grant to help with graffiti removal. Pam Beale from Buff State has been contacted and has also offered to help with graffiti removal. We are currently drafting a proposal with the details: dates, times, and locations so that city resources can properly digest all the information and provide assistance. The city, Dr. Beale and Mr. Jim Pavel (city of Buffalo) have identified and profiled some of the worst graffiti culprits. Currently targeted are ATAK, MERCK and SPADE. Two other smaller gang related perhaps are CAC and CBS. The group did a lot of brain storming and came up with various courses of action. We will soon have an implementation schedule for cleaning up graffiti in the KCA neighborhood.
Pennsylvania/Plymouth Revitalization Project Scores Big With New Bus Shelters.
The PPRP was able to pull a rabbit out of a hat with its building of new bus shelters
on Plymouth Ave. at Pennsylvania Street and on Porter Ave. at Symphony Circle. Working with UB, the PPRP
was able to get these shelters constructed. The project was featured on the May 23, 2002
front page
article of Artvoice.
The community will have another opportunity to be part of these
great shelter projects by helping with the planting of greenery meant to enhance the space.
Plymouth Ave. at Pennsylvania Street bus shelter
Symphony Circle (Porter Ave.) bus shelter
Plymouth Reclaimation Project.
The KCA continues to work closely with Heart of the City Neighborhoods to attract homeowners to the first block of Plymouth, our KCA target redevelopment area.
32 St. John's Place may be purchased by neighborhood restoration advocate Prish Moran.
32 St. John's Place Opinion Survey Completed
A survey of neighborhood residents was completed regarding the abandoned house at 32 St. John's Place. To read
it, click here.