Kleinhans Community Association
c/o 34 Orton Place
Buffalo NY 14201

August 26, 1999

Freddie Mac Home Steps
12222 Merit Drive
Suite 700
Dallas TX 75251-2277
800-972-7555

Re: 18 Plymouth Ave., Buffalo NY 14201

Dear Freddie Mac,

I am the President of the block club called Kleinhans Community Association (KCA). Its geographic boundaries include the area surrounding the Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo New York. I am writing today about a house at 18 Plymouth Avenue, which is within our block club boundaries. The home was most recently owned by Mr. Michael S. Pontikos, who defaulted on a loan held by M&T Mortgage Corporation and insured by Freddie Mac.

The house has been vacant for nearly a year and is currently being marketed by Stovroff and Potter for Freddie Mac. The community is concerned about the fate of this property for several reasons. First and foremost, our neighborhood works constantly and diligently to increase the quality of life for people in our neighborhood, and one of the most important initiatives in that regard is housing.

Within the last ten years, community residents in our block club have worked hard to encourage home ownership and discourage rooming houses and absentee landlords. Our community has worked closely with Buffalo Mayor Tony Masiello, Niagara District Council Member Robert Quintana, Ellicott District Council Member Barbara Miller-Williams and others to seek opportunities for increasing home ownership utilizing existing housing stock instead of only building new dwellings. Through human service and advocacy agencies such as Hispanics United of Buffalo, West Side Neighborhood Housing Services, Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc., and the now defunct Lower West Side Development Corporation, our community has tried to enhance its attractiveness, encourage preservation and "boost" the community.

The following list, while not comprehensive of all housing efforts in the area, provides enough information to generate a picture. A picture of people who have lived in this community, care about it and want to improve the quality of life for all our residents. While we welcome economic, racial and lifestyle diversity, we do NOT welcome diversity in the law. Drug dealers, absentee landlords who do not care about the community or preservation efforts/laws are NOT welcome here.

18 Plymouth Ave. is an important house. It is historically important because it was built by Jonathan Sidway on the former site of the Sidway mansion. His grandmother was one of the few survivors of the War of 1812 when Buffalo was burned.

But the house is more important because it is a symbol. The KCA has worked hard to reclaim the first block of Plymouth Ave., which is considered the "worst" block in our block club. I am a taxpayer and own and live across the street at 11 Plymouth. Most people were shocked when I purchased my home, but I believe in our block, our community. I have faith in God and the people around me that we will reclaim our neighborhood from the evils inflicted upon our neighborhood in the form of drugs, alcohol and prostitution.

Freddie Mac provides an important service by providing insurance to lenders so that people with less than perfect credit histories can buy a home. I support that. I know that Freddie Mac is not in the business of owning homes, but in helping to build communities. The KCA wants to work with you to ensure that whoever buys the home does the following:

  1. Will preserve the architectural and historic fabric of the home;
  2. Will be committed to the community and adding to the quality of life of the area; and
  3. Can demonstrate financial resources to repair/maintain the huge structure.

I do not want my tax dollars, nor others in my community, being spent in a way that reimburses the lender for a loss on a mortgage, only so that the property can be sold to an absentee landlord concerned with only his/her own financial gain. Absentee lanlords often rent to drug dealers. This has happened far too often in the past. I protest my tax dollars funding this atrocity. As president for the KCA, I represent the voices of many, but this house specifically has an impact on my life as it directly faces the home in which I live.

Ms. Candace Church and Ms. Dinah Gamin are submitting a bid to purchase the property. They have lived in the community for 15 years and have demonstrated zeal in not only restoring/owning properties, but also participating in community efforts to enhance the quality of life for all. The Kleinhans Community Association supports their purchase of the property as we know that the house will be in good hands. The house, and block, is at a critical stage. It can either get much better or much worse. The Kleinhans Community Association is committed to the betterment of this block and won't let it get worse. We have tackled drug dealers/absentee landlords before and like most things, prevention is the key. That is why we are writing to you today.

Please know that Ms. Church and Ms. Gamin have the full support of the neighborhood in the purchase of this home. If their purchase bid is not accepted by Freddie Mac, the KCA expects the following information from other prospective bidders. This practice is consistent with other organizations such as Freddie Mac which has sold property in the area:

  1. A profile of the purchaser disclosing past ownership history of properties;
  2. A plan from the purchaser on the use of the property;
  3. A demonstration of financial resources to maintain the property; and
  4. A commitment to the community and preservation of the property.

To achieve the goal of renewal within our neighborhood, this is how the KCA has worked with other organizations when properties of this caliber have changed hands. I know that Freddie Mac wants to work with the community and help to build neighborhoods. I'd be happy to meet with any representative from Freddie Mac to discuss this further.

Sincerely,

KLEINHANS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Christopher N. Brown
President
c/o 34 Orton Place, Buffalo NY 14201
885-7702 (Evenings)

Here are some highlights of our initiatives in the neighborhood:

1988

38 Plymouth - The KCA worked with West Side NHS to build a house with grant subsidy on the condition that the buyer would purchase the home and commit to living there for 10 years. This was the first new house built in the neighborhood in over 50 years.

343 Pennsylvania St. - Dr. Susan Persico and Dr. Ed Franklin purchased a large Queen Anne home on the corner of Pennsylvania and Orton Pl. and performed a major renovation on the property. Dr. Persico would be a major force in the neighborhood over the next decade.

1989

335 Pennsylvania St. - Candace Church and Dinah Gamin purchase the home and perform a complete renovation. The house dates to the Civil War period and was in poor condition before being renovated. Their efforts win the Allentown Association beautification award and the Italianate house was a favorite of famed WNY architectural historian, the late Austin Fox.

1990

42 Orton Pl. - John and Sharon Carmesano purchase the rooming house at 42 Orton and convert it back to a single family house. Their efforts are legendary as they live in one room and gut the rest of the dwelling.

1992

350 Pennsylvania St. - Dr. Persico purchases the former Orwhat's Deli at 350 Pennsylvania and renovates it and opens "The Coda," a French restaurant.

Symphony Circle - The Symphony Circle Steering Committee, an offshoot of the KCA, is formed to restore Frederick Law Olmsted's green on the hub of our neighborhood, providing encouragement for people moving into the area.

Kleinhans Music Hall - The KCA works with Hamilton, Houston, Lownie, the architectural firm retained to restore the National Historic Landmark to ensure that improvements to the Normal Ave. parking lot would beautify neighboring homes on Plymouth and Porter Aves.

1993

28 Orton Pl. - John and Cyndy Allen purchase this home and renovate it, converting it from a multiple family back to a single family.

38 Orton Pl. - Joyce Berg, then-president of the KCA works to find owner for this vacant, estate property. She finds Carl Schade, who purchases the abandoned home and renovates it to live there.

Plymouth Methodist Episcopal Church - This church was abandoned and being stripped of its woodwork and assets. The KCA worked with the Preservation Coalition of Erie County to have the building achieve city landmark status to protect it.

1994

34 Orton Pl. - Chris Brown purchases two family home that was owned by an absentee landlord, thus returning it to owner occupied status.

1995

Plymouth Methodist Episcopal Church - David Karpeles, of California, purchases the building to convert it to a Document Manuscript Library. The KCA worked with Mr. Karpeles to assist with the conversion and advocate it.

1996

Target Redevelopment Plan - The KCA developed a target redevelopment plan for housing on Plymouth and Pennsylvania and worked with various agencies to find home owners interested in moving into the area. Part of this project entailed physical inspection of all properties with housing defects as part of a city initiative (mapping).

1997

310 Jersey St. - The KCA worked with the Preservation Coalition once again to have an abandoned firehouse achieve local landmark status so that it could be preserved for future redevelopment.

39 St. John's Place - The KCA worked extensively with the city to try to get the landlord of this vacant house to repair it. Unfortunately, this house could not be saved and was demolished.

1998

124 Plymouth & 303 Jersey (Benedict House) - The KCA worked with the Benedict House, a hospice organization, when it was leaving the area. Through our efforts, we were able to thwart a plan to turn the property into a rooming house and instead the property has transitioned from institution to a home owner who lives there, thus adding to the quality of life in the neighborhood.

11 Plymouth - When this house was being sold, the KCA worked with realty firm Holcberg, Ltd. Highlight the strength of the neighborhood organization to attract an owner occupied homeowner. An article about the KCA and the house was published in the Buffalo News.

10 Orton - A horrible drug house, the KCA worked with the city to raid the house and empty it. The vacant house was purchased by Dr. Persico and restored. It is a model of restoration and taking back a drug house.

324 Pennsylvania - Long abandoned, Mr. Patrick Moreton purchased, repaired and renovated the house. It is a beautiful home and has added to the quality of life in the area.

1999

21 and 21 Plymouth - These two homes were in deplorable condition and part of an estate. Bill Lindner, of 91 Plymouth Ave., purchased these two homes and is in the process of renovating them and will eventually resell them once they are in better condition, hopefully to people who will live in the homes. Bill is a strong community advocator, having lived here over 15 years.

33 St. John's Place - Another estate that was in horrible condition, the home was purchased by the next door neighbor, Pat and Mike Heaverlo of 29 St. John's Place. They will be renovating the property to ensure that it does not go to an absentee landlord.

500 Porter Ave. - This home has recently sold and will be changing from an absentee landlord property to owner occupied. The KCA worked with Realtors to accomplish this.

51 Symphony Circle - This house, which was owned by a resident in the community, was sold and converted from commercial/professional usage to owner occupied.

310 Jersey Street - The KCA worked with the city during an auction process so that the firehouse could find a new owner in Hogan Restoration, who plans on restoring it for a corporate headquarters.

20 Orton Pl. - The KCA worked with the city and Grassroots Gardens to raid and empty this former drug house, have it demolished and develop a community garden. This plan is currently in the works.

This is just a sample. . . If more examples are desired, please contact Chris Brown.