The demolition of 7 Wadsworth Street is not fait accompli, but there are substantial hurdles that need to be overcome if it is gong to be saved. Due to the deteriorated condition of the rear portion of the building, Housing Court Judge Henry J. Nowak has placed a demolition order on the two-story building located in the Allentown Historic District.
A flurry of emails in recent days has clarified what needs to happen to save the building. Thomas Marchese, Executive Secretary of the Preservation Board, confirms that Judge Nowak ordered the structure demolished on March 13, 2006. The good news is it was not an expedited Emergency Demolition. Therefore, the Planning Board will be reviewing the demolition at a future meeting. In this case a slow bureaucracy is a good thing- it buys time. John Laping, Preservation Board Chairman, has offered to assist in getting Judge Nowak to rescind his demolition orderOe if someone can be found who wants the property.
According to Chris Brown of the Kleinhanis Community Association (KCA), JER/MBBA, the State agency that is holding the tax liens on the property, needs to release it. If JER/MBBA can release it, the property can go to public tax sale that will wipe out past due taxes. KCA is going through the same process with 419 Porter Avenue, a circa -1890 fire damaged mansion encumbered by JER/MBBA. The neighborhood hopes to attract a new owner who can renovate the property into a one or two-unit building.
Apparently just some red tape to wade through to get this building saved. Not quite. There still needs to be someone willing to take on this property. eMovementi commented in the original post
that he/she looked at taking a run at the property but passed. Besides the time and work involved in gaining title, the layout of the property (landlocked on three sides) and its deteriorated condition make for a very expensive redevelopment project. It doesnit look promising.
7 Wadsworth is not the most architecturally or historically significant structure at risk in the city. But it is typical of the many difficulties that hinder reuse of abandoned properties. David at FixBuffalo has been drawing attention to the City-owned and neglected Woodlawn Rowhouses for years.
And recently profiled 16 Harwood Place,
a neat brick home that is vacant and has been city-owned since 1997. Options are limited when properties reach this stage of deterioration. Perhaps there is a better way of preventing properties from falling in upon themselves and getting them into the hands of capable owners sooner.
Interested in any of these properties? Contact me.