Tue. Sept. 9, 2003 7:00 PM
Mark your calendars and hope to see you there!
Several area homes headed for City Foreclosure
several homes will be auctioned in the beginning of Oct. due to non-payment of taxes. The
properties are:
AUCTION NUMBER ADDRESS OWNER LOT SIZE HOUSE TYPE
============== ================ ====================== ======== ===================
194 147002 318 HUDSON VEGA,JOHN;VEGA,ELBA I 30 X 90 TWO FAMILY DWELLING
195 147002 366 HUDSON EVANS,TARA S. 35 X 125 APARTMENT
210 147002 293 PENNSYLVANIA JOHNSON,ERIC C 40 X 130 APARTMENT
211 147002 35 PLYMOUTH DIAZ VIVIAN 28 X 127 ONE FAMILY DWELLING
213 147002 112 PLYMOUTH BODAMI,ANTHONY JR. 40 X 149 TWO FAMILY DWELLING
226 147002 18 ST JOHNS PL OBERSHEIMER,CHARLES G 35 X 127 APARTMENT
For more information, contact the City of Buffalo.
Community Mourns Loss of Candace Church
Candace Church, who has been an anchor of the KCA neighborhood for nearly two decades,
passed away unexpectedly on 6/13/03.
Candace, along with her partner Dinah Gamin, lived at the lovely home at 335 Pennsylvania for a
number of years and restored
the circa 1865 house to its original grandeur. In 1994, Candace and Dinah bought the nearby
home at 42 Orton Place and took
on the project to restore the house and its barn. She even made sure that the former house she
left behind at 335 Pennsylvania
was well cared-for until a new caring owner could be found. In 2000, Candace and Dinah
purchased an abandoned home behind theirs at 43 Plymouth
Avenue and demolished the house and created a beautiful garden in its place.
Most recently, Candace became involved in Heart of the City Neighborhoods and started a
project to convert 42 Plymouth Avenue
from a drug-infested two family home into a stable contributor of the neighborhood. Candace
was involved in too many KCA projects
to list. She participated in the creation of the community garden at 20 Orton Place, providing
funding for the wooden fencing
in the rear of the garden. She also hosted many community get-togethers in her back yard. She
opened her house and gardens on the
Annual Garden Walk and neighborhood historic walking tours. She provided her personal
equipment to give water to weary Garden
Walk attendees during the Annual Garden Walk held at the end of July.
Candace can never be replaced but her love for her community and her resilient spirit will
continue to motivate the KCA neighborhood.
Community Responds to Wild Cats Terrorizing Neighborhood
Many residents have noticed an increase in the stray feline population in the neighborhood.
These cats have been causing
much destruction in the neighborhood including "spraying" of people's homes, destruction of
gardens, etc. There have even
been reports of cats breaking into people's homes through first floor window screens.
In response to the problem, area residents have obtained Have-A-Heart cat traps and will place
them in various sites around
the neighborhood where cats are known to frequent. When caught, the cats will be surrendered
to the appropriate authority. An informational
flyer was distributed throughout the neighborhood by Ann Angelo and David Hand.
In addition, a woman has been spotted driving in the neighborhood leaving food on paper plates
at various spots. While the food
may be intended for a cat, it often becomes rodent refreshments. The woman has been
investigated and reported to the Erie
County Department of Health and contacted by the KCA for her illegal and unhealthy behavior.
Housing Improvements Spruce Up Neighborhood
Many housing improvements have been accomplished recently and have helped to improve the
neighborhood:
-
500 Porter - Michelle and Gary Sczerbaniewicz recently removed a second story
"picture" window which marred the architectural
integrity of their Victorian home and replaced it with two traditional double-hung windows
comparable with the original window installation
of the home.
-
23 and 45 Wadsworth - Cornerstone Associates purchased both of these abandoned
homes at auction in October 2002 and
have worked to rehabilitate them. They both have been restored and wear new attractive paint
jobs.
-
367 Hudson Street - Donald Stewart is doing a wonderful job restoring a vacant
Victorian cottage. A new roof was recently installed on
the home.
-
10 Orton Place - Dr. Susan Persico is painting the exterior of the detailed Queen Anne
home with tower several shades of green with orange and red trim.
-
330 Hudson Street - Dawn Drummer continues her astounding restoration of her late
1870s Italianate home.
-
Karpeles Document Manuscript Museum, 453 Porter Ave. - Lovely new gardens were
installed on the exterior grounds of the museum.
-
287 Jersey - A lovely new fence was erected on the front lawn.
-
300 Jersey - A new paint job was recently completed.
10 Orton Place received a lovely new paint treatment in 2003
Sue Byron Memorial Planned
Sue Byron, community activist formerly of 332 Pennsylvania Street who passed away in the
autumn of 2002 will be honored in a memorial event sponsored by Sue Byron's family on
Tuesday, July
15th at 4:00 PM at Symphony Circle. It will feature the
planting of
memorial trees on the Grace Manor quadrant of Symphony Circle,
followed by a
reception in the First Presbyterian Church. Please save the
date and plan
on attending if you can.
Orton Place Direction Change Planned to Take Effect During Week of 7/7/03
The change in direction of Orton Place is planned to be completed in early July, 2003. After the
change, Orton Place will
only be accessible from St. John's Place; Orton Place will be one-way south from St. John's Place
to Hudson Street and Orton Place will be one-way north from St. John's Place to Pennsylvania
Street.
The implementation will be managed by Joe Poltorak of the City's Traffic Division.
The purpose of this change is to reduce the amount of speeding traffic cutting from Normal
Avenue after the block
of Normal Avenue between Pennsylvania Street and Porter Avenue was recently made two-ways
for the convenience of those
people parking in the Normal Avenue parking lot when they visit Kleinhans Music Hall.
Symphony Circle Restoration Project Wins Several Recognition Awards
The restoration of Symphony Circle was honored by the Allentown Association when it gave the
Symphony Circle
Steering Committee its annual Beautification Award.
The Circle restoration was also honored by the Buffalo Preservation Board when the Board gave
the Symphony Circle
Steering Committee its 2003 Annual Preservation Award. The Board wrote that they recognize
"the enormous community undertaking in the
restorations of both the Ferry Circle and the Symphony Circle. This effort is an exceptional
example of what Buffalonians can do when they work together, and we the citizens are the
beneficiaries of this cooperative venture between government, residents and a generous
foundation."
"The Board is appreciative of both the vision and the tenacity of the residents who saw
beauty and value in the restoration of Frederick Law Olmsted's original design for Richmond
Avenue. Without this vision, the circles would remain a memory of past times."
The award was presented by Mayor Anthony Masiello on June 18, 2003. For more information
about Symphony
Circle, visit our Symphony Circle page.
Recent Improvements on Hudson Street Improve Neighborhood
Several improvements on Hudson Street recently have taken place. A clean-up scheduled for
Saturday, May 3, 2003
was a great success. Many residents from the neighborhood pitched in to help clean up Hudson
street. Shortly after that,
a trash barrel was placed on Hudson Street in front of the School 36 playground/parking lot. The
KCA funded the purchase
of trash liners for the barrel and Dawn Drummer has volunteered to change the bags when they
become full.
The City of Buffalo Forestry Division planted a new tree on the site of the playground on Hudson
Street, replacing a diseased
tree that was cut down in 2002.
Neighborhood Residents Clean Up Hudson St.
Clearing trash from around abandoned house at 359 Hudson are:
Dawn Drummer, Beth Kauffman, Joyce Berg and Chris Brown (L-R)
KCA Partners with Non-Profit West Side NHS to Market Victorian Single Family Home.
15 Plymouth Ave., a lovely single family house is looking for a new owner. The house is a
4-bedroom single family
home constructed in 1879 and maintains much of its original character. There are several
incentives available for purchase.
For more information, click here.
KCA Participates in 2003 Annual Garden Walk
Many KCA residents are set to once again participate in the Annual Garden Walk. In addition,
the KCA will sponsor
an information table located at 350 Pennsylvania Street where T-shirts will be sold and water will
be given out. The walk is held on Saturday and Sunday,
July 26-27, 2003. Several new gardens in the KCA area will be shown for the first time. For
more information and a map, contact the Garden
Walk web site.
KCA Resident Wins Allentown Art Festival Poster Contest for Second Year
Paul Lachacz, an artist who lives at 36 Orton Place, won the coveted Allentown Art Festival
poster contest for the second
year in a row. Paul had his poster reproduced on T-shirts and hundreds of posters distributed at
the festival held in the
second weekend of June. Paul's posters in 2002 and 2003 are probably hanging in hundreds of
homes and businesses as many people
collect the Art Festival poster year after year. Congratulations Paul!
Area Residents Open New Restaurant
Mary Beth and David Bartlett of 334 Hudson Street were considering moving away from the
KCA neighborhood, but chose to stay instead.
They opened a new restaurant on Pearl Street known as the Century Grill. Be sure to patronize
the new restaurant. A few years ago Pat
and Mike Heaverlo of 29 St. John's Place opened a restaurant called "Morning Glory," on Porter
Avenue near West Ave.
PUMP UP PLYMOUTH! Becomes New Tagline for Plymouth Avenue
Reclamation Project
Neighborhood residents have been working hard to reclaim the first block of Plymouth Avenue.
Please visit the Plymouth Avenue Reclaimation Page for more information.
Private KCA Area Home to Receive Landmark Status
On Thursday, June 12 2003, the Buffalo Preservation Board approved local landmark
designation for a brick Queen-Anne style home built in 1887. The designation will become
official when approved by Buffalo's Common Council in early July. 11 Plymouth, owned by
Chris Brown, will join dozens of other designated landmarks with historic significance.
The designation uses existing laws and processes and applies them to a residential
building. Many Buffalo historic homes are at-risk because they are in struggling neighborhoods.
Besides being a positive change for a neighborhood, historic property designation helps to protect
investments made in the property, increases the value of surrounding properties and ensures the
integrity and value of the property in perpetuity.
Most applications to date have been focused on public buildings such as churches,
firehouses, etc. and individual houses are rarely landmarked unless they are part of a larger
district.
To be landmarked, a structure must meet certain historical or cultural criteria defined by a
municipality's Preservation Board. Many Buffalo homes meet the criteria and dozens of
pre-1850 structures dating to Buffalo's early canal era can be found in at-risk communities such
as Black Rock, Riverside, the First Ward and the Lower West Side.
"I'm thrilled that this intact Victorian home will be protected for generations to come,"
says owner Chris Brown. "The block of Plymouth Avenue between Hudson Street and
Pennsylvania Street is an historic block adjacent to Allentown but not protected in any way. The
designation will help increase awareness of the historic nature of the block's housing stock as
neighborhood redevelopment occurs with strategic partnerships formed with Heart of the City
Neighborhoods, Inc. and West Side Neighborhood Housing Services," says Brown.
David Granville, Allentown Association member and co-founder of the Association's
Buffalo Architectural Salvage Committee, participated in the preparation of the application.
"With so many historic houses threatened with demolition, the use of existing laws to protect
historic Buffalo homes in at-risk neighborhoods is revolutionary. I hope that this can serve as a
model for other Buffalo homeowners," says Granville.
Cyndy Allen, Officer of the neighborhood block club Kleinhans Community Association,
is happy to have important elements of the neighborhood protected. "About half of our block
club's boundaries are located within the Allentown Preservation District and other significant
buildings which contribute to the neighborhood's historic character should be protected," says
Allen. Besides 11 Plymouth Avenue, the Karpeles Manuscript Museum at 453 Porter and Fire
House #2 at 310 Jersey are individually landmarked within the block club boundaries.
Bill Harmon, Executive Director of the Allentown Association is also pleased with the
designation. "Protecting historic homes at the edges of the Allentown Preservation District helps
to place the District in an historic context instead of a vacuum," adds Harmon.
For Buffalo homeowners who want to take advantage of this law to protect their historic
houses, The Campaign for Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture will be sponsoring a
seminar on writing landmark applications later this summer. "It's important for Buffalo
homeowners to understand the criteria necessary and process required to protect Buffalo's
historic homes," says Tim Tielman, Executive Director of The Campaign for Buffalo. "There are
so many historically and architecturally important homes which are at-risk to insensitive
alterations - or demolition. This is the most critical time in the City's history to protect our
neighborhoods' architectural legacy for future generations," says Tielman. "While interest in
Buffalo's historic neighborhood housing stock has been growing, more education must be done to
make Buffalonians aware of the special houses built in the City of Buffalo. Not only is this
important for the preservation of neighborhoods, it's an investment in the future of Buffalo's
growing cultural tourism business" he adds. The date and time for the seminar will be
announced soon. To view complete application, click here.
The landmarking status was covered in a Buffalo News Article published on 6/30/03.
11 Plymouth Avenue Received Local Historic Landmark Status
Several Area Houses Change Owners With Proven Track Records of Restorations
Michelle and Gary Sczerbaniewicz of 500 Porter Avenue recently purchased the house next to
theirs at 496 Porter Avenue. They plan
to rehab and rent out the building.
Dinah Gamin and Candace Church purchased the 2-unit apartment building at 42
Plymouth and were planning on rehabbing the
building. Ms. Gamin plans to go ahead with the renovation as Candace was passionate about
saving the block of Plymouth between
Hudson Street and Pennsylvania Street.
322 Pennsylvania Street, which has long been vacant, was recently purchased by Louis
Asandrov, an attorney from Rochester
and Orchard Park who will begin renovations on the building in the summer.
Ronald Scott, a Tupper Street resident, who has nicely renovated a building on Pennsylvania
Street, recently acquired a property at 92 Plymouth which
we feel confident will be an asset to the neighborhood.
The Millonzi House at Richmond Avenue and Symphony Circle, also recently sold to
someone who will convert it back to a 2-unit building, consistent with
its original design. For the last several decades, the property has been home to the Buffalo
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Orton Gardens Continues To Thrive
Orton Gardens, which will be open on the Annual Garden Walk, continues to do well.
Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo
donated about 10 flats of annual flowers and vegetables which were planted in the garden. Two
new gardeners have joined
the team and are maintaining their beds. The gardens have been an important asset to the
neighborhood over the last several
years.
Symphony Circle Becomes Site for Art On Wheels Installation
The pyramid like sculpture installed on the Kleinhans quadrant of Symphony Circle has
encouraged much conversation. The artwork is by Catherine Linder Spencer & Brian Spencer. If you
would like more information, visit the Art On Wheels official website.
281 Jersey Street Is Cause of Neighborhood Concern
Several Jersey Street residents have complained of crime and nuisance related problems at 281
Jersey Street. Nick
Bonifacio, Niagara District Councilman, has written letters to the owner encouraging him to be
more responsive to
neighborhood concerns.
Preservation Coalition Offers Symphony Circle Walking Tour
The Preservation Coalition is once again sponsoring a walking tour of Symphony Circle. The
tour will be held on July 26, 2003 at 9:30AM. Cost is $6 for members and $8 for nonmembers. Meet
on the east side of Kleinhans Music Hall. For more information, click here.
