The KCA neighborhood will participate in "Haunted Allentown"
on Saturday, October 20, 2007 from Noon to 7 PM
Design by Paul Lachacz

KCA NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE FEATURED IN "HAUNTED ALLENTOWN"
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2007
=============================================================
William G. Fargo, Buffalo's Civil War-era mayor and founder of the American Express Company, was one of the nation's wealthiest men by the end of the 1860s.

Like many monied men of his day, he wanted to build the American equivalent of a European castle, the ancestral Fargo home. He owned two adjacent complete city blocks about a mile north of Buffalo's downtown core, a stone's throw from the mighty Niagara River.

On one of the blocks, he constructed one of the the United States' finest homes in its day. Built of stone and brick, the massive house was over 22,000 square feet in size, three stories high and had a five-story tower with commanding views of Lake Erie, the Niagara River and the Canadian shore. The house was beautiful beyond belief with a grand three-story staircase, rare woods, even rarer art and even had silver doorknobs.

When Fargo moved into the home, about 1872, he developed the block next to his into breath-taking Victorian-era gardens with its own greenhouse.

Many of Buffalo’s finest social events of the 1870s were held at the house. General Grant was entertained there once, and incidents occurred there that were mentioned only in whispers afterwards.

Fargo's plans to have an ancestral home didn't go exactly as he had hoped. Of his eight children, only three lived to adulthood, a son and two daughters. One of the daughters was named Georgia, who was divorced by 1880, a rarity in those days. The other daughter, Pinky, was nicknamed because she used rouge, smoked and gambled. She was very glamorous, but very scandalous. Probably the Paris Hilton of her day. She married, but died young in 1886.

Fargo's son, Wm. Fargo, Jr., fell victim to a particular tragedy. He died suddenly in Dec. 1872, soon after his father moved into the big mansion. His two twin daughters, Anna and Mary, were born a month after he died. Their mother, Libbie, died several months later in October 1873. The young girls moved into the Fargo mansion to be raised by their grandfather, William G. Fargo, but tragedy continued to follow them. When they were two years old, they witnessed their nurse burn to death before them when her clothes accidentally caught fire.

Tragedy continued to follow the twins Mary and Anna. When she was an adult, Mary moved to Italy. Anna and her husband traveled to Florence to visit her. Driving through the heavy mist of an Italian summer twilight, they were stricken with influenza and died.

Mary returned to New York City where she developed a reputation as something of an eccentric. She was known as Aunt Mame whose eccentricities inspired a series of vignettes called "Auntie Mame."

William G. Fargo died in his mansion on the afternoon of Aug. 3, 1881, surrounded by his wife, daughters and other family members. The funeral was conducted in the palatial residence which was transformed into a house of mourning. An estimated 500 mourners filled the spacious ground floor rooms. After a service, Fargo's casket was placed in a hearse and a long funeral cortege of horse-driven carriages wound its way to the family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

After Fargo's death, his widow married again. She died in July 1890 and her second husband, Francis, died a year later. The house was vacant after September 1890 except for the caretaker who had lived on the property since it was first constructed. When the house was being constructed, it was said that it was being built to last for “centuries” as a monument to Fargo and he hoped his family would keep it as their ancestral home. No such luck. After Mrs. Fargo died, the house passed to his grandchildren and some of the descendants of Mrs. Fargo’s second husband. They wanted to sell the house and grounds for building lots.

About 1893, there were plans to demolish the house. Someone began to tear it down but stopped halfway and the house stood for about five years in ruins. Small boys flung stones through the windows and weeds choked the once lovely gardens. Rust coated the iron stag, a symbol of the landscaping genius of the Gay Nineties.

The old place reared liked a dark, ugly mountain above the smaller homes around. It was during the 1890s that the site acquired a reputation for being haunted. Mr. Fargo was spotted - perhaps because he loved his house so much and was upset that it was going to be torn down.

It was reported that old ladies going by on moonlit nights heard the sound of music, laughter floating on the windows and the high treble voices of children. Even after the house was demolished, these reports lingered.

From that day to this, from time to time people report seeing old man Fargo walking around the block, looking for his mansion that he thought would last for hundreds of years. Others report hearing screams, perhaps the screams of the nurse who burned to death in the house. Still others have seen ghosts of twin girls roaming around the block where Fargo's beautiful gardens were located between Plymouth and West Avenues... the girls who lived on the estate from nearly the time they were born until they were seventeen. Perhaps when the moon is full they still wander the neighborhood, in search of their carefree youthful days spent on the palatial Fargo estate...

With homes as old as those found in the Kleinhans neighborhood, there is bound to be folklore associated with many of the area's sites. The folklore associated with the Wm. Fargo home site is one example of the kind of stories that will be shared on the "Haunted Allentown" event, with four properties in the Kleinhans area participating.

After the Civil War, Victorian-era Buffalonians built large Gilded-Age mansions in brick and stone with distinctive architectural features such as deep-set eaves, cupolas, arched windows and carved woodwork that showcased the technology of the age and the wealth of their owners. As the decades went by, the proud craftsmanship and ornamentation that was the signature feature of these homes began to wear with age and went out of fashion. By the mid-twentieth century, Victorian mansions became thought of as the quintessential haunted house, thanks in large part to the cartoons of Charles Addams in the New Yorker magazine, Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House, and of course, Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 movie Psycho.

Besides the media’s association of Victorian architecture with haunted houses, there's good reason why the Victorian-era is associated with Halloween. Queen Victoria was in mourning for decades and death was highly romanticized. Some of the area's residents erected some of the most elaborate monuments in Forest Lawn cemetery. It was the age of Spiritualists and Clairvoyants. The parlor, the most formal room to be found in a Victorian home, often performed double duty - besides hosting formal events, it was also used for wakes and funerals. Many of the Kleinhans neighborhood homes still have their original double "casket doors," so called because they could be opened wide to allow for caskets to be moved in and out of the home. Many larger mansions were converted to funeral homes after the turn of the twentieth century. Last but certainly not least, part of Symphony Circle was built on top of a former cemetery.

The event's sponsor, the Allentown Association, will be capitalizing on these connections to its Victorian Halloween past by sponsoring its first ever “Haunted Allentown,” featuring many different activities to keep attendees entertained. Working with noted author and paranormal expert Mason Winfield, event attendees will be encouraged to welcome the Halloween season with an October visit to Buffalo's Allentown neighborhood. Allentown's Victorian-era homes are authentically spooky, with soaring chimneys, glaring gargoyles, and witch's hat turrets. The many events will include an event headquarters at the “Haunted” Hamlin House, 432 Franklin St. (between Virginia & Allen Sts.) where wine tasting, warm cider, donuts, live music and more await, including the opportunity to have a reading by some of the area’s top psychics incluidng Cassandra Joan (not included in event ticket price).

But the event’s big attraction will be its Self-Guided Haunted Walking Tour where thirteen sites in Allentown will have guides to tell event attendees about each site's haunted history. Many of the sites will be interior tours, while some will be “porch” tours only.

Paranormal lectures will be held each hour with topics such as “Ghosthunting,” given by the Ghosthunters of Rolling Hills, “Buffalo’s Haunted Architecture,” given by Mason Winfield, and “Halloween and Psychic Communication,” given by Ellen Bourn, president of the Lily Dale Association.

The Allentown Association will also be creating a beautiful booklet called The Streets of Allentown that will give a brief description of every street in the Allentown Historic District and some of the notable historic and architecturally significant homes found on each street. Included will also be loads of color photographs celebrating Allentown’s exceptional architecture. The booklets will be used during one of two guided walking tours given during the event. The first will be held at 2:00 PM, a stroll along picturesque Irving Place and Park Street, where tour attendees will see some of Allentown's most interesting streets and discover which homes on Irving Place were built on top of a former cemetery! At 5:00 PM, a second guided walking tour will be given that will highlight Symphony Circle and Days Park sections of Allentown. Tour attendees will explore the western edge of Allentown with its historic pocket parks filled with trees in their full autumn splendor and learn about the location of the Old Black Rock Village cemetery, where some bodies still remain to this day!

If all this is not enough, there is more! Ed Hogel will be hosting the "Steel Crazy" Haunted Courtyard on Allen Street at Elmwood Avenue. The Allentown Association is also working with Allentown merchants to allow tour attendees to have free or discounted access to other Allentown attractions including restaurants and retail stores.

The Allentown Association is encouraging the entire Allentown neighborhood to get in the “spirit” by sponsoring Allentown's Spookiest House Contest. Allentowners are being asked to decorate their house for Halloween and make it look as spooky as they can! Houses will be judged by the Association's beautification committee and winners announced on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 4:30 PM at the Hamlin House, 432 Franklin Street, but the resident must submit an application to be considered. Prizes are: 1st Prize = $150; 2nd Prize = $75; and 3rd Price = $50. There is no cost to enter; applications are available on the Association’s website at www.allentown.org or by calling the Association’s offices at (716) 881-1024.

Tickets for the event are available now. Tickets are a bargain at only $10 (pre-sale) or $13 (day of event, with a $2 discount for children under 12 or Allentown Association members on the day of the event only). Tickets may be purchased in advance at Positively Main Street (773 Elmwood Ave.); Quaker Bonnet Eatery (175 Allen St.); Steel Crazy (Allen St. at Elmwood Ave.), by mail at the Allentown Association, or online at www.tickets.com or in person at Tickets.com outlets in all Tops Friendly Markets locations (Additional convenience fee applies). On the day of the event, tickets may be purchased at the Hamlin House, 432 Franklin Street.

For those who would like to volunteer to help with the event, the Allentown Association needs people to help distribute promotional posters, decorate the Hamlin House, work at the Hamlin House during the event and work as tour guides. If you are interested in volunteering, please call the Association’s offices at 881-1024 or send an Email to allentown@bfn.org.

U.S. MARINE BAND TO PLAY AT KLEINHANS MUSIC HALL ON SUN. 10/7
TICKETS ARE FREE; SAMANTHA ANGELO TO PLAY
============================================================
The U.S. Marine band that has played for every U.S. president since Thomas Jefferson is scheduled to perform in Kleinhans Music Hall.

The concert, featuring “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, is set for 3 p.m. Sunday Oct. 7. Composers whose works will be played during the concert include John Philip Sousa, Harold Arlen, Aaron Copland and John Williams.

Staff Sgt. Samantha L. Angelo, the niece of long-time area resident and community activist Ann Angelo of 312 Pennsylvania St., is a clarinetist with the band.

Tickets can be obtained by mail by going to the BPO website.

Free tickets are also available for remaining seats by going directly to the Kleinhans Music Hall box office at 2:45 PM the day of the concert.

The KCA worked to plant trees in the area in the spring and summer
of 2007, like this crabapple tree planted at 55 Plymouth Ave.
The house was painted on June 16 as part of "Brush Up Buffalo."

KLEINHANS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION WORKS TO RE-FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD
FALL PLANTING SCHEDULED FOR SAT. NOVEMBER 3, 2007
========================================================================
While the Kleinhans neighborhood lost several trees in 2006's October "surprise" storm, the effects were offset in 2007 with planting of new trees.

In the spring of 2007, the community worked to plant trees at the following locations:

• 15 Plymouth Ave.
• 17 Plymouth Ave.
• 30 Plymouth Ave.
• 47 Plymouth Ave.
• 55 Plymouth Ave.
• 56 Plymouth Ave.
• 96 Plymouth Ave.
• 11 Orton Place
• 13 Orton Place

Many of the trees were planted by KCA volunteers including: Chris Brown, Ralph Delmont and Rich Maklary.

Another planting will take place on Saturday, November 3, 2007. The tree locations are tentatively scheduled for:

• Wadsworth, side of 3 St. John’s Place
• 51 St. John’s Place, corner of Orton Place
• 278 Pennsylvania Street
• 302 Pennsylvania Street
• 346 Pennsylvania Street
• 303 Jersey Street
• 315 Jersey Street
• 325 Jersey Street
• 100 Plymouth Avenue
• 95 Plymouth Avenue
• 113 Plymouth Avenue
• 117 Plymouth Avenue
• 348 Hudson St.
• 356 Hudson St.
• 364 Hudson St.
• 371 Hudson St.
• 375 Hudson St.

If you are interested in volunteering to help plant these trees or are interested in having a tree planted in front of your home, please contact the Kleinhans Community Association at (716) 884-1914 or send an Email to cbrown4884@aol.com

KCA RECEIVES GRANT TO HONOR WAR OF 1812 HERO
================================================
The KCA has been awarded a Mayor's Livable Community grant that will be used to erect a historical marker at the intersection of Porter and Plymouth Avenues.

Called the "Kleinhans Community Cultural Tourism Historic Marker Investment Project," the creation of the marker will tap into Buffalo's emphasis on investments associated with cultural tourism. City wide, this includes the Historic Nash House, the Darwin Martin Complex, the Richardson State Psychiatric Complex and Erie Canal Terminus/Bass Pro and others.

There are many other notable areas closer to the KCA area including Kleinhans Music Hall, Karples Document Manuscript Library Museum and the Buffalo Olmsted Park System. The city recognizes that by showcasing its assets, it can emerge as a cultural tourism destination and reap the rewards of its investment with jobs and revenues from restaurants, hotels and support organizations.

An emerging opportunity is to capitalize on the bicentennial of Buffalo’s participation in the War of 1812.

This project will install an historical marker, in cooperation with the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and consistent with other markers in Buffalo that will highlight a specific important historic event that took place at the intersection of Plymouth Avenue and Porter Avenues (battle of Job Hoisington).

Besides commemorating this important event, installation will build community pride and will serve as a model and catalyst for other such signage through the city. The KCA has already reached out to the owners of "Lafayette Court" (Ciminelli) and 460 Main St. (Ellicott Development) and encouraged them to install historic markers on their buildings, the site of the Lovejoy House and St. John House, respectively.

The KCA’s project is to start a program of historic markers commemorating Buffalo's role in the War of 1812 supported by the West Side Good Neighbors Planning Alliance. The KCA believes that these historic markers will be a great tourism booster over the next several years and could be a tool for economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Markers installed in various sites along Buffalo’s west side and then different types of guided or self-guided tours and/or other multi/mass media (MP3 clips, maps, books, CDs, etc.) will be developed to exploit the markers. As an example, Mason Winfield is writing a book on "haunted" War of 1812 sites; his work always attracts attention.

Another example is the use of the already built bicycle trail along the Niagara River and Scajacquada Creek that would be perfect for hosting War of 1812 guided and/or self-guided bicycle tours with the various markers tied together with maps.

Below is the draft text of the marker:

JOB HOISINGTON AND THE WAR OF 1812

Near the intersection of Porter and Plymouth Aves. a War of 1812 battle was fought by the Buffalo militia under the direction of Capt. Hull who attempted in vain to hold the British and their allies from burning Buffalo and Black Rock. None was more brave than "Gallant" Job Hoisington (1762-1813), a Buffalo citizen and veteran militiaman. On the fateful day of Dec. 30, 1813, Hoisington allowed his fellow militiamen to escape as he valiantly tried to single-handedly hold back the enemy. A hero who sacrificed his own life so that his fellow Buffalonians might live, his lifeless body was found in the spring of 1814 near this site.

The KCA will need help with the project, volunteers to help installing the marker and arranging for the dedication and reception. If you are interested, call or Email the KCA.

The KCA has written a case study about the preservation of several houses in the neighborhood.
The most dramatic example is 32 St. John's Place
(L-R), before and after its renovation, as pictured above.
The case study will be presented to the Buffalo Preservation Board.

KCA NEIGHBORHOOD USED AS A CASE STUDY FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
===================================================================
The KCA has been approached by the Buffalo Preservation Board to use the KCA's efforts in historic preservation as a model for the rest of the city of Buffalo. While there are many properties that could be used as examples, the two that were selected were 34 Plymouth Avenue and 32 St. John's Place as they are so similar in their backgrounds; houses that would have been written-off in most parts of Buffalo. Both buildings are large Shingle style wood-frame houses built in the late 1880s, both suffered from a fire, both were abandoned by their owners and both were identified by the city of Buffalo as candidates for demolition and both were identified by the KCA as houses worthy of preservation.

While the end results are very different for both properties, in both cases, the beautiful and historic houses were saved when most people predicted they would be demolished.

A case study was written about how the buildings were saved, along with a previous structure at 32 Plymouth Avenue. The results will be presented to the Buffalo Preservation Board.

People flock to the Kleinhans neighborhood as part of the annual GardenWalk.

GARDEN WALK BIG SUCCESS AGAIN FOR KLEINHANS NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2007
====================================================================
On July 28-29, 2007, the annual GardenWalk was held and many people participated in the Kleinhans neighborhood.

The following people participated in this year's walk:

• 289 Pennsylvania St. - Patrick Thomas & Steven Osterstrom
• Pennsylvania St. at Wadsworth St. - First Presbyterian Church
• 42 Plymouth Ave. (Heart of the City Neighborhoods) - Dinah Gamin & Lynn James
• 43 Plymouth Ave. - Dinah Gamin & Lynn James
• 107 Plymouth Ave. - Dot Brown
• 152 Plymouth Ave. - Tom Ribits
• 54 Normal Ave. - Tom & Jen Hurley
• 11 Orton Pl. - Ray Sharrer & David Zawistowski
• 20 Orton Pl. (Orton Gardens) - Kleinhans Community Association
• 28 Orton Pl. - John & Cyndy Allen
• 34 Orton Pl. - Joe Gerace
• 36 Orton Pl. - Paul Lachacz & Michael Rooney
• 42 Orton Pl - Dinah Gamin & Lynn James
• 38 Orton Pl. - Carl Schade & Terry
• 49 Orton Pl. - Joyce DiChristina
• 321 Hudson St. - Kim Weber
• Hudson St. at West Ave. - Nickel City Co-Op Community Garden

Many volunteers participated in the cleanup and maintenance of Orton Gardens, a community garden located at 20 Orton Place. Besides getting several new people to adopt vegetable beds in the garden, community members banded together to weed, put down new mulch and plant flowers. Volunteers included Cyndy Allen, John Allen, Joyce Berg, Chris Brown and Paul Lachacz. Flowers were provided by Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo. Funding for mulch was provided by a grant received by the KCA from Urban Roots.

The next GardenWalk will be held on Sat. July 26 and Sun. July 27, 2008. The KCA encourages you to consider putting your garden on the 2008 walk. It's a wonderful event and is good for the neighborhood and city of Buffalo.

This was the first GardenWalk since the lovely GardenWalk book was published in Dec. 2006. The KCA neighborhood was featured prominently in the profusely illustrated book. For more information on GardenWalk or the book, visit their official website.

NEW GRAFFITI REMOVAL PRODUCT TESTED BY KCA HOMEOWNER
==========================================================
Thanks to Bruce Adams, owner of 485 Porter Avenue, he has shared and tested a graffiti removal product that even works on vinyl surfaces!

It is called Mosenbocker's Lift Off. For more information, visit their website.

A check is presented to the Allentown Association by National Fuel Gas Co. Foundation
at 26 Orton Pl. The funds will be used to disguise unsightly gas meters in front of historic homes.
(L-R)Andrew Eisenhardt, Allentown Association; Rich Tobe, City of Buffalo, Antoine Thompson, State of NY;
Chris Brown, Allentown/KCA; National Fuel rep.

26 ORTON PLACE IS POSTER CHILD FOR GAS METER BEAUTIFICATION
=============================================================
On August 2, Commissioner Rich Tobe from the City of Buffalo, State Senator Antoine Thompson, officials from National Fuel Gas, the Buffalo Preservation board and the Allentown Association were at 26 Orton Place, the home of Ray & Melissa Klein, to accept a check for $25,000 from National Fuel Gas Association to the Allentown Association.

National Fuel is replacing century-old, low-pressure gas lines with medium-pressure lines and maintains that safety considerations require meters to be moved from basements to the exterior. Outside meters are being installed on the sides of houses in cases where the company finds the side location suitable. But the meter must be placed in front if houses are hemmed in by neighboring structures or driveways which make it unsafe to locate a meter on the side, the gas company insists. The grants are available only for properties where meters are placed in front of a structure, or in case of a corner building, on the side between the structure and the curb.

26 Orton Place was chosen because it was the basis of a lawsuit instituted by the Buffalo Preservation Board/City of Buffalo against National Fuel, charging that the exterior of the house was under the jurisdiction of the Buffalo Preservation Board for historic properties. The lawsuit was won, but overturned on an appeal.

National Fuel is providing the funds to beautify the fronts of historic houses affected by gas meters. Besides being a house that was negatively impacted by a gas meter, 26 Orton Place is also a model of beautification, using plants as way to disguise the gas meter.

The Allentown Association is receiving applications for grants to minimize the intrusive appearance of gas meters installed between the façade and the curb of properties in historic preservation districts.

If a gas meter has been installed on your property, between the façade and the curb, you may qualify for a maximum grant of $200 for a single-family house or $400 for a two-to-four residence structure with multiple gas meters. A matching grant is available for income-producing properties not owner-occupied, with an allocation of $50 per meter and a maximum of $500.

Application forms maybe obtained by contacting the Allentown Association at 14 Allen St., Buffalo 14202, email address allentown@bfn.org, or telephoning (716) 881-1024 or by downloading the application from their website.

The grants will be made from a $25,000 contribution from the National Fuel Gas Co. Foundation and must be used to mitigate the intrusion of gas meters in front of structures by such methods as painting the meters to blend in with the structure, by screening with evergreen shrubbery, or by other means to camouflage the intrusive equipment.

NEW ALLENTOWN WEBSITE INCLUDES PHOTOS OF EVERY PROPERTY
============================================================
The Allentown Association has unveiled its new website and has a picture of every single house in the preservation district. About half of the KCA boundaries are included within the Allentown historic preservation district. Some of the house entries have details about the date of construction, history, etc. Be sure to look for your house in the new website. You can also submit additional photos of your house for inclusion into the website. They can be either newer or older photos that what is posted there.

You can visit the housing section by clicking here . Click on your street name and then your address.

This new Welcome to Allentown sign and planter was installed
on Hudson Street at Plymouth Avenue
in May/June 2007

WELCOME TO ALLENTOWN SIGN AND PLANTER BEAUTIFIES HUDSON STREET
====================================================================
A bright spot on Hudson Street has been created with the installation of a sign and planter at Plymouth Avenue. The project was completed in time for the Allentown Art Festival in June. Many people participated in the project. Funding for the project came from the City of Buffalo livable community grant, GardenWalk, the Allentown Association and the Kleinhans Community Association.

The sign serves as a demarcation point at the western boundary of the Allentown historic preservation district. The sign is consistent with other Allentown signage.

At the base of the sign, a large stone planter was constructed that was filled with grasses, shrubs and annual flowers.

Many people volunteered their time on this project including John Allen, Chris Brown, Ralph Delmont, Lauren Kostek, Rich Maklary and Wayne Perry among others.

The sign is beautiful and attracts admiring glances from all and helps to define the Allentown historic preservation district.

KCA CONTINUES TO GIVE NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS
============================================
In the summer of 2007, the KCA continued to serve as tour-guide for Kleinhans Music Hall and the surrounding area.

The KCA gave guided walking tours on the following dates:

• June 16 - Interior/exterior tour of Kleinhans Music Hall for donors of the music hall capital campaign

• August 11 - Interior/exterior tour of Kleinhans Music Hall for donors of the music hall capital campaign

• Sept. 16 - Exterior tour of Symphony Circle, Kleinhans Music Hall, Porter Avenue, Plymouth Avenue, Pennsylvania Street and St. John's Place for the Preservation Coalition of Erie County.

The walking tours help to promote the Kleinhans neighborhood.

PLANTING STRIP BEAUTIFIED WITH TWO HOUSES ON PLYMOUTH AVE.
============================================================
The Kleinhans Community Association received a restricted donation in the summer of 2007 to be used to beautify the planting strip/exterior of two homes on the first block of Plymouth Avenue. At 35 Plymouth, the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb had mulch installed and two small arbor vitae bushes were installed to disguise an ugly gas meter.

The second house that was beautified was next door at 33 Plymouth, where mulch was installed on the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb.

The donation was provided by Mr. Ronald I. Groth.

KCA RECEIVES 2007 "BUFFALO'S BEST BLOCK CLUB" AWARD
=====================================================
The KCA received an award from Buffalo Spree magazine, which issues its annual "Best of" awards. The Kleinhans Community Association was selected as being Buffalo's best block club! Congratulations to everyone who works to make the Kleinhans neighborhood a better place to live!

David Granville (far right) and other volunteers paint houses
on Plymouth Avenue, like this house at No. 31 Plymouth Ave.

KCA AREA HOUSES PAINTED AS PART OF "BRUSH UP BUFFALO"
========================================================
On June 16, hundreds of volunteers worked to paint eleven houses in the Kleinhans neighborhood as part of their annual "Brush Up Buffalo" event. It was the first time that Brush Up Buffalo had worked on the west side of Buffalo.

The houses that were painted include:

• 283 Hudson St.
• 293 Hudson St.
• 295 Hudson St.
• 324 Hudson St. (trim only)
• 367 Hudson St.
• 25 Plymouth Ave.
• 31 Plymouth Ave.
• 46 Plymouth Ave.
• 51 Plymouth Ave.
• 54 Plymouth Ave. (trim only)
• 55 Plymouth Ave.

Two owners of houses at 293 Hudson St. and 55 Plymouth Ave. even ripped down their old siding to have the original wooden clapboards repainted. The KCA provided support services during the organization of the event and also provided souvenir books on Plymouth Avenue to those participating in the event so they could learn more about the neighborhood that they worked in.

Brush Up Buffalo is a nonprofit organization that helps to paint single family homes of homeowners who encounter difficulty in doing the job themselves.

To see photos of the houses that were painted, click here.

To learn more about Brush Up Buffalo, click here.

Read the Buffalo Rising Online article about 2007's event by clicking here.

The KCA created its first-ever Pride Parade float, shown here in Kleinhans
Music Hall parking lot getting ready for the start of parade.
in this photograph are:
backrow (L-R): Dinah Gamin, Michael Rooney, Lynn James
frontrow (L-R): Cyndy Allen, Joyce Berg, Terry, Carl Schade, Joyce DiChristina.

KCA PARTICIPATES IN JUNE PRIDE PARADE
======================================
The KCA sponsored its first-ever gay pride float during the annual Buffalo Pride parade held the first Sunday of June. The float was very well received and helped to promote the Kleinhans neighborhood. The KCA was a special hit with all the candy that was distributed along the parade route! Special thanks to Dinah Gamin and Lynn James for organizing the float along with Joyce Berg and Cyndy Allen; and special thanks to John Allen for the use of his truck to be converted to a float and for driving it!

A SAD FAREWELL TO JOYCE BERG
==============================
Former KCA president and long-time resident of Orton Place, Joyce Berg, is retiring to sunny Georgia. Along with Peter Covey, Joyce owns 44 and 50 Orton Place and has sold both properties to wonderful owner-occupants. She expects to be leaving Buffalo permanently in mid-October.

Joyce has been instrumental in planning and volunteering many community events including the KCA's participation in the Annual GardenWalk, volunteering at the community garden at 20 Orton Place and many, many other KCA-related activities.

The neighborhood is very sad to see Joyce leave the KCA area but wishes her and Peter good luck with their move to Georgia.

The KCA plants and maintains flower planters like this throughout the KCA neighborhood.

KCA INSTALLS AND MAINTAINS FLOWER PLANTERS ON AREA STREET CORNERS
======================================================================
The KCA worked to install flower planters on area street corners, keep them planted and watered. A replacement planter was installed at the corner of Porter and 14th Streets. A replacement planter was placed at the corner of St. John's Place and Orton Place. A new planter was placed at the corner of Hudson Street and Plymouth Avenue. A new planter was placed on the public planting strip at 44 and 11 Plymouth Avenue. Neighborhood volunteers planted the planters in late May and kept them watered throughout the hot, dry summer.

KCA RECEIVES PRAISE FOR ITS WEBSITE
====================================
One of the best things about the KCA website is its ability to connect the neighborhood with people all over the world.

Often the KCA receives comments from people who have found the site helpful.

The KCA received one such note recently from a reader who found a page helpful on window replacement and repair:

I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to gather the information you have on the NUPRiME Season-All windows. I have a 1894 farm house filled with them and only a few still operate. I was looking a replacement but your site will help me just replace the failing parts and I hope save a few bucks. Until I found your site I did not know how to get the panes out. Awesome work and I thank you very much.

Steve Wagner

If you want to see the page that Steve found helpful, click here .

419 and 425 PORTER AVENUE SOLD; BOTH BUILDINGS TO BE PRESERVED
==============================================================
The owner of the apartment building at 425 Porter Avenue at the corner of Plymouth Avenue and the wooden Victorian manse next door at 419 Porter Avenue have been sold to new owners. The new owner's plans are to preserve the buildings. The Kleinhans Community Association has been proactive in working to preserve the house at 419 Porter Avenue. The block is an intact streetscape and is worthy of preservation.

There are several good articles with photographs posted on Buffalo Rising Online.

Click here to see the first article.

Click here to see the second article.

Click here to see the third article.

Click here to see the fourth article.

23 Plymouth Avenue, recently renovated by Heart of the City Neighborhoods,
has been sold to a new-owner occupant with a closing date planned for the end of October.

HOUSING CHANGES IN KCA NEIGHBORHOOD
========================================
Improvements:

• 309 Hudson St. - Had old imitation brick siding removed and the clapboards restored and painted.
• 3 St. John's Pl. - Major renovation and conversion, exterior and interior repairs.
• 32 St. John's Pl. - The major renovation of the fire-damaged property was completed and is stunning!
• 40 St. John's Pl. - Old asphalt siding was removed and the exterior wood shingles and clapboards were restored
• 315 Hudson St. - The first story of brick had its paint removed and the original brick restored.
• 19 Wadsworth St. - The major renovation of the historic wooden Victorian storefront continues.
• 34 Plymouth Ave. - Former fire-damaged property in process of restoration.
• 329 Pennsylvania St. - New roof installed.
• 21 Plymouth Ave. Bill Lindner working with Larry Bartz working correct violations
• 117 Plymouth Ave. - Imitation brick asphalt siding was removed and clapboards restored
• 314 Hudson St. - New upper porch constructed.
• 44 Orton Pl. - Ugly asphalt siding on facade was removed and original shingle and clapboard detailing restored.
• 366 and 363 Hudson had new roofs put on.
• 303 Jersey St. - New roof put on.
• 33 St. Johns Pl. - Sleeping porch restored.

• 310 Jersey St. (former firehouse #2) sold and is being renovated for residences
• 287 Jersey St. - sold to an owner occupant
• 419/425 Porter Ave. - sold to Yukan 2 Llc, $1,150,000
• 44 Orton Pl. - Sold for $139,000
• 23 Plymouth Ave. - House renovated by Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc. sold to owner-occupant.
• 18 Plymouth Ave. - Sold for $90,000
• 296 Jersey St. - Sold to owner occupant
• 45 Wadsworth St. - Sold
• 50 Orton Pl. - Sold to owner-occupant
• 51 Symphony Cir. - Sold; will be renovated and re-sold.

• 288 Hudson St. Auctioned by city on 9/22, sold for $10,000
• 359 Hudson St. Scheduled to be demolished before end of 2007
• 318 Hudson St. Scheduled to be auctioned by city on Oct 22, 2007. However, house was broken-into during week of 9/17 and all copper plumbing stolen from the house. Requested additional board-up and to have the building secured by the City of Buffalo.