fixBuffalo

It's Demo Season in Masten...

The demolition contractors have been busy in Masten this week. Yesterday three different contractors were in the neighborhood doing what they do best...collecting payments from City Hall. I know, the owners of the house enter into an agreement to repay the City when they sign off on consent form. After making a few monthly payments...what happens next? Are judgements filed, wages garnished and money collected? I'll be looking into the payment record of 242 Koons Avenue. Located, like so many abandoned, boarded, derelict and vacant houses right next door to a recently renovated Buffalo City school, the house was quickly demolished after Artvoice Community Activist of the Year brought the condition of the property to City Hall's attention. Here's what I wrote in February, 2005.

I'll report back soon regarding the money the City has collected from Redwood City, CA investors Hamilton and Lydia Woods.

Meanwhile, these houses in this 25 block neighborhood of Masten District, boarded by Main/Jefferson and Ferry/Utica, were just demolished.

25 Woodlawn Avenue...One Block from 'Buffalo Traditional High School' was sitting abandoned and boarded for 26 months. It was demolished last Friday.

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This house at 1407 Michigan Avenue was demolished last Friday, too. It is located two blocks from 'Buffalo Traditional High School' and along the primary path Buffalo School kids walked to school from the Utica Station.

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The home that used to here, 38 Woodlawn, had a fire that ripped thru most of the interior back in May. So, all things considered it came dowm quickly. But check out the steel plates on the sidewalk. I don't think you'd see that sort of thing on Penhurst Park, do you? A law-suit waiting to happen.

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1464 Michigan Avenue has been abandoned, boarded etc...for 40 months. It was demolished on Friday. This house has been the scene of dozens of 911 calls for the past two years.

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After watching the water line gush water here at this location, I spoke with the demo contractor here at 1464 Michigan. He told that the City often fails to have the water service terminated at the street. As of this morning when I walked over to the site the water was still gushing from the service...and so it goes.

The same demo contractor is bringing down 1470, the building here on the right. The former owner, Paula Counts, has an outstanding warrant in Housing Court. ( She lives nearby.) I asked him about the new porch deck, 30 pieces of pressure treated lumber...it took me just 20 minutes to remove it. This morning I saw the guys, Jeff Weisberg and Co. from The Antique Architechtural Circus removing the windows, oak doors and various pieces of trim from the inside of the house. What's left of the house is headed to a land-fill in Pennsylvania later this week.

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Artspace Archive • Annals of Neglect • BAVPA • Where is Perrysburg? • Broken Promises...
Writing the City • Woodlawn Row Houses • Tour dé Neglect - 2006 • faq