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HEART OF THE CITY NEIGHBORHOODS CELEBRATES ITS
10TH ANNIVERSARY ON SUNDAY JULY 20, 2 PM - 6 PM
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Come and celebrate
Heart of the City Neighborhood's
10th anniversary on Sunday, July 20, 2008.
Heart of the City's Neighborhoods, a 501C3 (not for profit), is a community development corporation created to stabilize
Buffalo's core communities through redevelopment, neighborhood stabilization and affordable housing development.
Heart of the City has redeveloped two houses on the first block of Plymouth Avenue (23 and 44 Plymouth) plus their
offices at 42 Plymouth Ave. They currently have several projects underway on long-neglected Hudson Street.
Not since the time when legendary circus man P.T. Barnum set up his big-top tent on the first block of Plymouth Avenue in the
1880s has such a celebration been planned. The block of Plymouth Avenue between Hudson and Pennsylvania Streets will be
closed to traffic and many events are planned including:
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Zoo mobile
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A clown
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Balloons
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Fire truck
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Face painting
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BBQ with hot dogs and hamburgers
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Live music
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and much more!
Be sure to stop by and find out more about Heart of the City Neighborhood's future projects and its wish it a Happy 10th
Birthday! Learn about more details and times of events by
clicking here
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Before unveiling of new marker: (L-R) Niagara District Councilmember David Rivera; KCA president Chris Brown;
Job Hoisington's 4th generation granddaughter Nancy Barton and 3rd
generation granddaughter Elizabeth H. Stewart. Photo by Dave Lampe.
After unveiling of new marker: (L-R) Erie County Legislator Maria Whyte;
Niagara District Councilmember David Rivera; KCA president Chris Brown;
Nancy Barton and Elizabeth H. Stewart. Photo by Dave Lampe.
(L-R) 4th generation granddaughters - Nancy Barton and Judith Stewart-Gohinger, and 3rd
generation granddaughter Elizabeth H. Stewart. Buffalo News photo taken May 24, 2008 by Dennis C. Enser
WAR OF 1812 JOB HOISINGTON HISTORIC MARKER
DEDICATION ON MAY 24 WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
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Over 100 people gathered at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum Porter Hall
at 453 Porter Avenue on Sat. May 24 to dedicate a historic marker to the memory of War of 1812 hero
Job Hoisington. The dedication received extensive coverage in the Buffalo News.
The program started inside the museum, where Mr. Karpeles set up a special War of 1812 exhibit to
coincide with the marker dedication. Chris Brown, president of the KCA welcomed the assembly and
read remarks. Cynthia Van Ness represented the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and also
addressed the crowd.
David F. Granville and Julie Kittsley then brought to life the epic poem, "Death of a Mr. Job Hoisington,"
by Elder A. Turner, written in 1814.
The group then moved outside where beautiful sunny weather awaited. Several government officials were
in attendance including: Oswaldo Mestre, Director, Buffalo Citizen Services/Livable Community Grant,
Hon. David Rivera, Niagara District Councilman, Hon. Maria Whyte, Erie County Legislator and Hon. Sam Hoyt, NYS Assemblyman.
Also in attendance were family members of Job Hoisington, including Nancy Barton (great-great-great-great granddaughter)
of Job Hoisington, Libby Stewart, Judy Stewart Gohringer, Betsy Stewart and several others.
After the unveiling of the marker, a brief reception was held inside the museum and two neighborhood walking
tours were given by architectural historian Martin Wachadlo and Chris Brown.
All in all, a very successful event for the Kleinhans neighborhood!
KCA members volunteer to maintain area flower planters placed on street corners.
NEIGHBORHOOD VOLUNTEERS MAINTAIN
KCA NEIGHBORHOOD FLOWER PLANTERS
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Once again, the flower planters in the Kleinhans neighborhood are looking great.
Thanks to: Lynne Vallone, Steve Osterstom & Patrick Thomas, Sabine Van Wick, Lauren Kostek, Beth Kauffman, Daniel Culross and Holly
Holdaway for helping to plant and maintain the area planters.
Two replacement planters have been purchased and installed on the corner of St. Johns Place and Wadsworth Street and the corner
of Orton Place and Pennsylvania Street.
The KCA is working this summer to paint and re-landscape the artisic bus shelters on Plymouth Ave. (above) and Porter
Ave. (below).
KCA WORKS TO BEAUTIFY ITS UNIQUE AND ARTISTIC BUS SHELTERS
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With funding provided by Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Clapp of Toronto and the Buffalo
Garden Walk, the KCA is working to beautify
the custom, artistic bus shelters found on Plymouth Avenue at Pennsylvania
Street and on Porter Avenue near Kleinhans Music Hall.
The shelters will be re-landscaped and painted. While several volunteers will
participate, Bill Lindner of Plymouth
Avenue will be the principal landscaper and painter.
Orton Place is a popular destination on the annual Garden Walk.
GARDEN WALK 2008 TO BE HELD ON JULY 26 & 27, 2008
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The Kleinhans neighborhood will once again participating in the popular annual Garden Walk event. For a
map of houses that are participating,
click here
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CITY OF BUFFALO TAX FORECLOSURE SALE ANNOUNCED
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In Oct. 2008 the City of Buffalo will once again hold its annual "In Rem" tax foreclosure sale.
Two properties in the area are likely to hit the auction:
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7 Wadsworth (lot)
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310 Pennsylvania Street
SCHOOL 36 CLOSING ANNOUNCED FOR JUNE 2009
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School 36
, which has a presence on Days Park, Cottage Street and Hudson Street is scheduled
to be closed in 2009. It was originally scheduled to be closed in 2008, but that closing
was delayed due to construction delays to the school that will be replacing it on Elmwood Ave.
Deb Ellis, Days Park resident and Allentown Association board member, will be heading up
the School 36 Committee, whose function will be to provide community input and oversight over
the future of the site/building.
Several developers have expressed interest in converting the site to condominiums and/or town houses.
If you are interested in participating in this committee, please call Chris at 884-1914.
KCA members will once again be planting trees in fall 2008.
FALL TREE PLANTING PLANNED
DEADLINE FOR ORDERING IS AUG. 1
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In the spring, the KCA planted three trees in the neighborhood:
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45 Wadsworth
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4 St. Johns
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18 Plymouth
Since that time, many tree stumps have been removed, especially from those
trees that were cut down during the October 2006 storm.
There will once again be an opportunity to plant trees on the public planting
strip between the sidewalk and the curb.
The planting date will be Sat. Nov. 8, but trees must be reserved by Aug. 1.
If you are interested in having a tree planted in front of your house or know of another
location to plant or if you want to volunteer to plant trees in the Kleinhans neighborhood, please
call Chris at 884-1914.
KCA TO REQUEST HELP FROM CITY TO SLOW DOWN
TRAFFIC ON PLYMOUTH AVE.
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Once again, a few cars that take the corner too fast from Hudson Street to Plymouth Avenue
have created a problem for residents. Residents believe that because of the poor design of
the street and its traffic controls, it presents an undue risk and liability to the residents of
Plymouth Avenue, especially the block between Hudson and Pennsylvania Streets.
Residents have signed a petition requesting assistance from the City of Buffalo to implement
controls that will help to slow down traffic. More news on this project will be forthcoming in the
upcoming weeks/months.
DINAH GAMIN DIGS UP OLD KCA NEWSLETTERS
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Dinah Gamin, of 42 Orton Place, found several
old KCA newsletters that have now been posted on the Internet.
If you have any old newsletters (from 1989 & 1991), please call Chris at 884-1914 to get
them posted on the Internet.
A complete list of KCA newsletters (that we know of) can be found by
clicking here
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The Sidway Mansion on Hudson St. at Plymouth Ave. is featured in the
Historic Plymouth Avenue book.
HISTORIC PLYMOUTH AVENUE IN THE KLEINHANS NEIGHBORHOOD
BOOK NOW ONLINE.
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The KCA-produced book that details the history of Plymouth Avenue around
Kleinhans is now on-line. Be sure to read all the interesting historical tidbits
about the nearly 200-year old history of Plymouth Avenue. There is also new
artwork by Kleinhans neighborhood artist Don Mayer.
To see the book,
click here
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RESIDENTS FIGHT CRIME AT 322 PENNSYLVANIA ST.
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Residents of the Pennsylvania St./Plymouth Ave. intersection have engaged the City of Buffalo
Mayor’s Office, Niagara District Councilman (Hon. David Rivera) and B District Police
to investigate and resolve alleged quality of life violations taking place at
322 Pennsylvania Street.
These allegations include but
are not limited to: loud noise, disturbing the peace, public intoxication, harboring
non-residents engaging in such behaviors, attracting frequent automobile visitors to the property
who stop for a few minutes, honk horns and then leave, etc.
In addition, early in the morning of July 11, there was a domestic
dispute at the property that involved breaking glass, screaming, etc. Nearby residents were
awoken at 2:00 a.m and the police were called.
The property owner may be asked to participate in a mediated meeting with City
of Buffalo officials and concerned residents over these quality of life violations. Mayor Byron
Brown is committed to a “comprehensive Law Enforcement Zero Tolerance Action Plan (Tough on
Crime, Smart on Crime) that targets specific quality of life crimes and
violations throughout Buffalo.” The plan specifically addresses: street-level drug activity;
graffiti vandalism; and excessive noise disturbances.
A new Welcome to Allentown sign is to be installed at
Pennsylvania and Wadsworth Streets.
ALLENTOWN ASSOCIATION RECEIVES GRANT
FOR "WELCOME TO ALLENTOWN" SIGN TO BE
ERECTED ON PENNSYLVANIA STREET AT WADSWORTH STREET
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Holly Holdaway & Daniel Culross, of 3 St. Johns Place wrote a City of Buffalo Livable Community
grant application for the creation of a "Welcome to Allentown" sign, similar to the one on the corner
of Allen Street at Main Street.
The City of Buffalo awarded the grant to the Allentown Association; Holly and Daniel are now working
to create the sign and are working to obtain all necessary permissions. It is expected that the sign
will be created and installed during the summer/fall 2008 season.
BUFFALO INFRINGMENT FESTIVAL TO BE HELD JULY 24 - AUG 3, 2008
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The Buffalo Infringement Festival will be taking place within walking distance of the
Kleinhans neighborhood... The festival is a non-profit-driven, non-hierarchical grassroots endeavor
bringing together a broad range
of eclectic, independent, experimental, and controversial art of all forms.
Visual, performing, musical, and media arts are all represented during the eleven-day event running
from the last weekend of July through the first weekend of August.
For more information on specific event, venues and times,
click here
HOUSING CHANGES IN KCA NEIGHBORHOOD
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Housing changes of note:
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390 Hudson Street.
Approved for sale by the Buffalo Common Council to Mr. Howarth Colon of 388 Hudson Street. The vacant lot next
to Friends of the Night People will be maintained by Howie and continued to be used as greenspace.
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34 St. Johns Place.
Is in the process of being renovated and painted... The new owner (Tia Grenno) has received permission from the Buffalo
Preservation Board to: remove front vestibule, removing existing front door and install new wood door; replace
existing spindles on first floor porch; remove second floor window and install door; install post railings and
spindles on second floor; remove wrought iron railings on first floor and replace with wood posts, spindles
and railings... it's a handsome house that will look even more attractive once it is painted and restored.
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22 Orton Place.
John Allen received permission from the Buffalo Preservation Board to install a second story balcony and a door
leading to the balcony... it will be used by the apartment located on the third floor...
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32 St. Johns Place.
After a stunning renovation, members of the Kleinhans Community are thrilled to see the duplex house fully
occupied...
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40 St. Johns Place.
A letter of violation was issued to the owner of 40 St. Johns... the exterior of the home needs to be finished...
it is the last rooming house still in operation on St. Johns Place.
Several homes in the area have sold:
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376 Hudson Street.
The property has sold to Mr. O'Connor, an out-of-town investor and has a schedule
of repairs and maintenance (including
the yard) ready to implement. The buyer is very fond of Allentown and very proud of the home he
purchased. Vincent Tortora Manangement will be responsible for the day-to-day
management of the four apartments in the house.
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263 Hudson Street.
Heart of the City Neighborhoods has acquired the 1.5 story home and will be renovating it for re-sale to an
owner-occupant.
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313 Pennsylvania Street.
Has been sold and is being gut-rehabbed... it will be owner occupied.
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380 Hudson Street.
Has been sold to an owner-occupant.
Several homes in the area are for sale:
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