Buffalo's Old First Ward, historic waterfront home to Irish cottagers and iconic grain elevators, is losing another one of its landmarks even as neighborhood finally gets national attention for its heritage. Demolition has started on the Wheeler Elevator and GLF Feed Mill, despite apparent outstanding fees for permits to demolish them, and immediately after a judge's order was delivered. Since it is an emergency order, asbestos in the building is not removed prior to demolition.
"In just the last 18 months," says Tim Tielman, executive director of The Campaign for Greater Buffalo, "we've had Monocle Magazine, the Travel Channel, the New York Times, Cornell University and independent filmmakers visiting The Old First Ward and to see its priceless industrial heritage, and yet the city seems intent on demolishing as much of the area as it can."
The Campaign brought suit in New York State Supreme Court to block a demolition order issued by the city several weeks ago. On March 16, Judge Timothy Walker denied The Campaign the opportunity to send in its own engineer to assess conditions. Yesterday it received court transcripts and the judge's order, necessary to weigh an appeal.
"[T]he decision to demolish [the Wheeler Elevator] by the Brown administration was hasty, and in my opinion, ill advised," said Campaign attorney Richard Berger. The elevator, is one of the three grain complexes on Kelly Island, virtually a museum of the development of the type (the others are Great Northern and General Mills/Wasburn-Crosby).
Much of the 19th-century Irish culture of Buffalo is disappearing. Other significant losses in the Old First Ward include the Harbor Inn, Chicago Street workers' cottages, a row of South Street houses, and a bar and boarding house last occupied by Kitty O'Malley's bar.
Photo courtesy of David Torke at Fix Buffalo
I guess this requires leadership around preservation, none of which exists in Buffalo. PBN did not feel it necessary to support Tim's suit against the demo, and Brown simply looks the other way. We need to do what we can, as a community, to save what remains. Period.
These buildings have been sitting on our waterfront for years. Does the city expect the welland canal to close and for these buildings to be refurbished for their orginal use?
There should be a plan on what to keep and what to let go. I'm not as familar with the new city zoning plan, does it address at all the elevator collection?
yeah, what is up with pbn? unwilling to defend anything except the peace bridge neighborhood.
Yes, PBN was a huge non-show on this issue, as with most where the rubber meets the road for preservation in Buffalo. That's just how it is/will be I think. They've adopted a safer, more mainstream model focused on eduction through tours and awards, while taking a few big-picture stands like the one against the demolition of a neighborhood for a duty free store and parking ramp. One could also argue that they're too busy with planning for the Trust conference in October.
Rather than complain about them - which I have been known to do myself - I think we should be thankful we have Tim and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo. I know I am.
100% agreed. And, we should work to support Tim so that he is not a one man band.
There is a reason he is a one-man band. Tim Tielman is a complete joke throughout this region.
Sure, there are a handful of people who adore him, but there are far more who thing he is an obstructionist, busy-body loser.
I concur!
I concur as well!