Welcome to the Kleinhans Community, a diverse and exciting neighborhood near Kleinhans Music Hall, in Buffalo New York’s west side. The neighborhood is over 150 years old yet is still a vibrant contributor to the Buffalo of today. It is a wonderful neighborhood of urban pioneers who work to make the City of Buffalo a better place to live, one house and one block at a time. Here are some neighborhood highlights:

Vintage view of Symphony Circle looking towards the First Presbyterian Church

Symphony Circle
Located in the Allentown Historic Preservation District, Symphony Circle is the green space which adjoins Kleinhans Music Hall and has four major quadrants marked by the convergence of North Street, Porter Avenue, Wadsworth Street, Richmond Avenue and Pennsylvania Street. The Kleinhans Community Association (KCA) neighborhood had its origins in Buffalo's 1868 parkway design courtesy of famed 19th century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. He initially designed the Circle in 1868 and then re-designed it in 1874 to serve as a vital link of green space between The Front (now Front Park) and Porter Avenue. Symphony Circle is also home to world-famous Kleinhans Music Hall, built in 1939-1940 and designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen.

House at 29 St. John's Place (Top) and view of Orton Place (Bottom).

Orton and St. John’s Place
The small one-block streets that make up Orton Place and St. John’s Place were Allentown’s first suburban development. The land was a circus lot used by traveling circuses in the 1870s and early 1880s by such Victorian circus men as P. T. Barnum and others. In 1884, the land was sold for building lots and all houses located on the two streets were constructed between 1884 and 1888. Most houses were designed in the Queen Anne style - considered to be very modern at the time. While there are many lovely homes on Orton Place and St. John's Place, especially notable is the restoration of 38 Orton Place, winner of an Allentown Association Beautification Award. The plans of 28 Orton Place were published in a 19th century national building periodical and the house was designed by prominent Victorian-era Buffalo architect Charles Percival. Also noteworthy is Orton Gardens at 20 Orton Place. It is a community garden created by neighborhood residents in cooperation with Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, Inc. It was constructed on the site of a house demolished in 1999 and now boasts 4 ornamental flower beds and 9 vegetable garden beds. It has become an asset to the community, providing beauty and a gathering spot for neighborhood residents. Many architectural artifacts salvaged from demolished Buffalo houses have been recycled into the garden as landscaping elements.

House at 38 Orton Place (Top) and Orton Gardens, 20 Orton Place (Bottom).

Plymouth Avenue
A small stretch of Buffalo history nestled between Hudson Street and Porter Avenue, Plymouth Avenue is a lovely, wide street lined by towering horse chestnut and maple trees. The street was dominated by the large Sidway Mansion on Hudson St. and Plymouth Ave. built in the 1830s and demolished about 1892. It was the home of Buffalo Mayor Pierre Barker and later, the Sidway family. A circa 1845 brick barn belonging to the mansion is still extant, located behind 34 Plymouth Ave.

Located at the intersection of Plymouth Avenue and Pennsylvania Street is an artistic bus shelter built in 2001-2002 by University at Buffalo architecture students working with neighborhood volunteers. In 2005 the bus shelter, along with other projects built in the neighborhood, won a national design competition for the University at Buffalo.

The block of Plymouth Avenue between Pennsylvania Street and Hudson Street boasts of late Victorian manses on the west side of the street constructed on the former Fargo Estate and on the east side of the street is found circa 1880 houses built in Eastlake and Second Empire architectural styles.

Lovely Queen Anne style house on Hudson Street at Orton Place.

Hudson Street
Hudson Street, from Cottage Street to Wadsworth Street is located in the Allentown Historic Preservation District. The street is filled with quaint Victorian houses built from 1865 until about the turn of the 20th century. Along Hudson Street is found a variety of Victorian architectural styles including brick Italianate houses and wooden Queen Anne style homes with gingerbread decorations.

Gardens at 88 Plymouth Avenue (Top) and Artistic Bus Shelter at Plymouth/Pennsylvania (Bottom).

Pennsylvania Street
Pennsylvania Street was one of Buffalo’s "state" streets, named after the original 14 states of the Union. The Victorian-era homes on Pennsylvania Street were built in the 1850s through the 1890s. Pennsylvania Street from Plymouth Ave. to Symphony Circle is located in the Allentown Historic Preservation District. Today Pennsylvania Street is one of the most stable neighborhoods found anywhere in Buffalo.

Queen Anne style home at 12 St. John's Place.

Jersey Street
Jersey Street between Plymouth Avenue and Porter Avenue is wonderful street filled with exceptionally historic and beautiful architecture. At 310 Jersey at the corner of Plymouth Avenue is the old Firehouse #2, built in 1875 in the Second Empire style. In use from 1875-1997, it still holds the record as the firehouse in use for the longest period of time. The building is a local historic landmark. Across the street at 303 Jersey Street is a beautiful Richardson-influenced brick home built about 1890.

Charming circa 1875 cottages on Pennsylvania Street.

Porter Avenue
Porter Avenue, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as part of his Buffalo parkway system, is a street of architectural marvels. At 512 Porter at 14th Street is a blond-brick home built in 1890 and was designed by architect Edward Austin Kent, the only Buffalonian doomed to die at sea on the Titanic. Also located on Porter Avenue is the Karpeles Document Manuscript Museum, part of a network of museums that collectively hold the nation’s largest private archive of historic documents. The building was formerly the Plymouth Methodist Church. Built in 1911 and designed by Cyrus K. and Jesse Porter, the building is a local landmark.

Neighborhood residents removing graffiti (Top) and cleaning up neighborhood (Bottom).

Kleinhans Community Association
The Kleinhans neighborhood is an active one, with residents fixing up their houses and participating in many beautification projects. The KCA block club has taken on many projects including:

• Planting of new trees
• Creation of neighborhood welcome signs
• Creation of Orton Gardens, a community garden at 20 Orton Place
• Restoration of Symphony Circle including its ornate light standard
• Placement and maintenance of flower planters on neighborhood street corners
• An effective crime watch program
• Maintenance of an Internet web site and quarterly neighborhood newsletter
• Ongoing planning and implementation of the Plymouth Avenue Reclamation Project and property renovation/resale program
• Graffiti abatement program
• Historic property landmarking program (3 local landmarks listed in neighborhood)
• Neighborhood participation in Annual Garden Walk
• Creation of two artistic bus shelters
• Sponsoring of neighborhood clean-ups
• Neighborhood historic and housing tours, including the official Kleinhans Music Hall tour guide
• Historic property research services

The Kleinhans neighborhood is named after the Kleinhans Music Hall,
designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen
Bequeathed by Edward L. Kleinhans for the citizens of Buffalo and built on Symphony Circle in 1939.

Indeed this is a great and historic Buffalo neighborhood with these key strengths:

• Terrific, friendly neighbors.
• Diverse, high quality historic and architecturally significant affordable housing.
• Close proximity to downtown and all major expressways, including the Peace Bridge - the major crossing from Buffalo to Canada.
• Immediate proximity to Kleinhans Music Hall, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Theater of Youth, and close proximity to Western New York's cultural hub, including Elmwood Village, Chippewa Entertainment District, Theater District, downtown, etc.
• Pedestrian-friendly urban design which includes access to public transportation and important services such as: churches, grocers, a library, laundromats, schools (including elementary, high schools, and post-secondary D'Youville College) barber shops, clothing stores, drug stores and restaurants within walking distance. A state-of-the-art Tops Friendly Markets supermarket opened on Niagara and Hudson Streets in 2003.
• Close access to several small parks including Symphony Circle, Days Park, Arlington Park and Life Memorial Park. Short walk to LaSalle Park with scenic views of the Niagara River.

Streets located in the Kleinhans community