We have arrived at our KCA Target Area. Plymouth marks the western boundary of Allentown; there is no requirement for historic preservation of existing structures on this street, although there are certainly homes of the same period as those found in Allentown proper. One initial observation may be that this first block of Plymouth has unnecessarily deteriorated. It is near several more stable blocks, and there are individuals nearby who are dedicated to advocating the area. There are committed families too, within this block, but perhaps with different economies and values. The area is principally made up of detached housing of 1, 2, 3 and 4 units, although there are a few properties that have nearly 10 or more units.
According to crime statistics, the intersection at Cottage, Hudson and Plymouth has a higher incidence of reported crimes than any other section within the KCA boundaries. Traffic is a problem here too, as can be seen by the building at 306 Hudson Street on the corner of Plymouth. In November 1998, an automobile traveling too fast through the intersection crashed into the Plymouth Avenue side of the building. Plymouth Avenue is on a bus route; the Metro #3 Grant bus route is one of the most heavily traveled in the city.
While it is the present and future of this block that is of concern to our community, we should pause to recall the historical development of this street because it has relevancy in understanding better the present and helps the community plan for the future. Truly one of the pioneers of this neighborhood was Pierre A. Barker. In addition to being Mayor of Buffalo in 1837, Barker was also one of the group of men that drafted the city charter in 1832. Mr. Barker hired builder Benjamin Rathbun to construct a mansion centered on Hudson Street between Plymouth and West Avenues about 1835. The grounds took up most of the block. In approximately 1845 Mr. Barker sold the mansion to Jonathan Sidway and his wife Parnell. Mrs. Sidway was the daughter of Margaret St. John, who resisted the British invasion of Buffalo during the War of 1812 and through sheer courage and determination, was owner of the sole home in Buffalo that was not torched. The Hudson St. mansion remained in the Sidway family until it was demolished about 1890. The homes on the west side of Plymouth Avenue between 18 and 38 Plymouth were all constructed on the site of the former Sidway mansion after 1890.
This street was originally called Twelfth Street until May of 1876, when William G. Fargo of the Fargo estate and F. Gridley of Porter Avenue petitioned the Buffalo Common Council to change the name of Upper Twelfth Street to Plymouth Avenue.
On the east side of the street, most of the homes were built in the late 1870s or early 1880s. An exception to this is one of the last houses to be built on the street at 11 Plymouth The site was part of Charles Lamphier’s Hudson Street estate until 1888. 11 Plymouth was built by Richard Caudell for Carlton T. Ladd, a volunteer fireman with the Liberty Hose Company and manager of the Watson grain elevator. 11 Plymouth is a two storey Queen Anne brick structure with a gable roof and “L” shaped plan. The front gable has paired windows with cornice head dentils, rope molding, ancones, shingles and wood paneled verge board. The second floor has segmental arched two light windows with stone stills. Geometric brick bands are used between the first and second floors and below the first floor windows. The home also has a side porch with a segmental arched doorway and wood paneled door.
Mrs. Villa lives at 15 Plymouth, and is a long time resident of the street. Her home was constructed in 1879 by builder George H. Chadeayne. The house originally had a barn in the rear of the property. The first owners of this house were James J. & Caroline E. Rardon. James was a marine inspector at 35 Central Wharf. When complete in 1879, the house was valued at about $4,000 - but that included the $750 which Chadeayne had paid for the unimproved 30' x 125' lot before he built the house.
In 1925 the owner of 15 Plymouth was Charles Villa and in 2002, the owner is also Charles Villa. 15 Plymouth is not caught in some sort of time warp, but its history is a good example of the family longevity in the area. The Villa family bought 15 Plymouth about 1925. Young Peter Villa was 10 years old when his parents bought the house. As a young boy, Peter was encouraged to learn to be a cobbler from Carlo Campagna, an old-world Italian craftsman who lived around the corner at 289 Hudson Street and operated a shoe repair shop at 281 Hudson Street. Peter became Carlo’s apprentice and eventually opened his own shoe repair business on Hudson Street at 10th Street.
As time went by, Peter married, started a family but never left 15 Plymouth. After his parents passed away, he purchased the house from their estate. Through the decades of the 20th century, the home stayed in the family, changing hands from Peter to his wife and finally to his son Charles. While an example of a house staying in the same family’s ownership for nearly 80 years is exceptional, similar stories of residents growing up and staying in the neighborhood can be frequently observed. Sadly, the days of small neighborhood shops, craftsmen and apprentices may be lost to past generations. Across the street the house at 18 Plymouth Avenueis an exuberant example of a Queen Anne dwelling. The house was built circa 1892 on the site of the Sidway estate to be the home of William H. Harris, superintendent of the Standard Radiator Company. 18 Plymouth is a stunningly beautiful high-Victorian Queen Anne house with tower and original iron finial. The main house is divided into approximately 3 units and there is a back carriage house with about 2 units. For a number of years after 1920 it served as the Brucklier and Aquilina funeral home. Abandoned and vacant, the building was the scene of much controversy in 1999. The building was forclosed by its bank and put up for sale. It took a long time to go through the legal process and unfortunately, the house was looted of its treasures. Fireplace mantles, stained and leaded glass windows - even the front door was stolen. Members of the KCA were active in trying to prevent these crimes - starting a watch program, clearing brush away from the house, photographing as much of the interior as could be done, even advertising a reward for information in the local paper ARTVOICE. WGRZ-TV, a local affiliate of NBC aired a news story about the stolen treasures on January 9, 2000. Mrs. Josephine Villa of 15 Plymouth was interviewed and gave a great testimonial of how terrific our neighborhood is, despite the efforts of those who attempt to destroy it.
Despite the looting of the house, new owners were found. Jan, one of the new owners, wrote a note which said: Just wanted to take a minute and ‘Thank You’ for all the efforts the K.C.A. has done, not only in the preservation of our new house at 18 Plymouth, but for the whole community. I must admit my mind is more at ease knowing there is such strong neighborhood involvement and look forward to becoming part of the K.C.A.”
“My partner’s husband is a carpenter by trade and will able to repair or duplicate any of the damaged woodwork caused by the break-ins. We hope to restore the property as close as possible to original. Once again, thank you for being such GREAT neighbors. Sincerely, Jan and Rick Hoopengarner, Maggie and Gary Reeds.” The house at 22 Plymouth is a good example of a largeshingle style house that was gaining popularity in the 1890s. It was constructed by Franklin Sidway for Col. Charles O. Shepard, a Civil War veteran who also served as a U.S. consul to England and Japan. Today the large home is an 11-unit apartment building.
23 Plymouth is an interesting Italianate style cottage with a bay window projecting on the first floor. Its original eave brackets still remain. The house, along with 21 Plymouth was owned by Kathleen Johnston for many years. Kathleen passed away in 1998. While the houses are in poor condition, both retain much of their original charm. Both houses have their original ornate staircases intact along with ceiling moldings and other aesthetic features. The pair of homes were purchased by a neighborhood resident who is in the process of restoring them.
The large frame house at 30 Plymouth is also a fascinating piece of Buffalo history. After the Sidway mansion was demolished in 1890, Franklin Sidway, son of Jonathan Sidway and Franklin’s bride Charlotte Spaulding Sidway built the home at 30 Plymouth. When they designed their new home, they retained the carriage house that belonged to the original Sidway mansion. That barn still exists and is behind 34 Plymouth. Franklin Sidway designed his new house so that horses could enter to the left of the house at 30 Plymouth and turn right behind the house to enter the barn. After the Sidways sold this house, the entrance to the barn was sold to build the house at 24 Plymouth.
30 Plymouth is exemplary of a problem that exists not only within our block club’s geographical boundaries, but also in many parts of Buffalo. When constructed, 30 Plymouth was an elegant mansion that well served the needs of the wealthy Sidway family. Income tax had not yet been enacted, and immigrant servants were plentiful to help maintain a household of this size. As time went on, the reuse of a structure so large as this became an issue. Some homes this large were turned into rooming houses, while 30 Plymouth was turned into a 16-unit apartment building.
Buildings such as this can be successful examples of reuse if they are well managed, but high unit buildings like 30 Plymouth require vigilant management. Buildings such as these often require police intervention as a further form of management. In recent years, the buildings have had high volume of 911 incident calls (24 calls at 22 Plymouth and 18 calls at 30 Plymouth for the period between September, 1997 and August, 1998). Interestingly, 30 Plymouth was the site of an award-winning restoration in 1989. In the late 1980s, $120,000 in private monies were invested to renovate the building, while the City pitched in $112,000 through a HUD program. In June of 1989, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was performed with Buffalo mayor Jimmy Griffin presiding. While the investment may have saved the building from demolition, it is important that continued management of the structures contribute to the welfare of the whole neighborhood.
The Sidway barn now located behind 34 Plymouth has been used for light construction for years and in the 1930s housed C. H. Gill & Son, general plastering contractors who provided artistic plastering services for some of Buffalo’s finest residential and commercial dwellings. They specialized in lathing, plain and ornamental modeling of all descriptions. They furnished and installed all wire lathing and plastering including plain and ornamental plaster work in the main auditorium of the Buffalo consistory on Delaware Avenue as well as the model work of all diminished fluted columns, caps and bases throughout the building.
31 Plymouth, a typical frame house from the late 1870s, was improved in 1999 by its owner, actor Jack Hunter with a new roof and eaves.
Many of the houses today on this block of Plymouth are in poor condition. As a community, we need to work with the families in this block to bring these homes into code compliance and through incremental positive changes improve the neighborhood and corresponding quality of life for all residents on this street.
An example of the deterioration of a house can be witnessed at 34 Plymouth. Many of the houses on Plymouth were surveyed through city initiatives in 1979 and 18, 22, and 34 Plymouth were all listed as being in “Excellent” condition. It’s obvious that like 34 Plymouth, they’ve deteriorated through the years. It’s a shame because 34 Plymouth could be a lovely house. It’s an excellent example of a late Queen Anne/Shingle style house that has the verandah incorporated into the facade of the main house structure. Sadly, 34 Plymouth burned in 2001 and is in danger of being demolished, although the owner is trying to save it. The house at 38 Plymouth is about 10 years old. It replaced a house built on the Sidway estate in the early 1890s that had fallen into disrepair after being used as a rooming house. The present house is architecturally congruous with the neighboring homes and it even has Victorian style dentils in the eaves. This house is important because it represented hope for this block within the KCA 10 years ago. It was believed that this house would be the start of redevelopment within this geographic boundary, but unfortunately, this lone silver bullet would not prove to be the catalyst for change. More positive, incremental and continuous change is needed. 39 Plymouth is a good example of both architecture and management. It is an Italianate style home that has been converted to a 3 unit apartment building. It is admirably maintained and managed by its owner, Donald Johnson, who does not live in the city. Mr. Johnson restored the original front verandah with its intricate wood detailing. 43 Plymouth was a typical style frame home that has been boarded up and abandoned in 1998. It was purchased at a tax auction in October 2000 by Orton Place residents Dinah Gamin and Candace Church. Church and Gamin demolished the home and converted the lot into their Orton Place back garden. While the loss of the house may be regrettable, Gamin and Church did a magnificent job converting the lot to a garden and shared their efforts with all of Western New York when they opened their garden for the 2001 Garden Walk. The garden is so striking that it was featured on the front page of the local section of the Buffalo News. The article drew thousands of visitors to the garden at the annual event held at the end of July.
The houses on the west side of the street between 42 and 54 Plymouth look strangely out of place. These houses were the first to be built on this block and existed when the Sidway mansion occupied most of this block. They are among some of the oldest existing houses in this section and the oldest in the Kleinhans Community Association. Unfortunately, time hasn’t been kind to them and they are in a significant state of disrepair.
The first house to be built was 44 Plymouth. It was constructed circa 1853 for Mr. Thomas Bath. Bath came to Buffalo from England in the 1840s and entered the law profession as a clerk. At the time of his death in 1882, he was the oldest law clerk in the city. Soon after his arrival in Buffalo he worked for the County Clerk’s office where he remained for 15 years. After his tenure with the County Clerk’s office, he entered the law office of John Ganson and remained through the various changes in the firm. At the time of his death the firm was called Sprague, Millburn & Sprague.
The little cottage at 46 Plymouth was the next to be built in 1854 for Frederick and Ann Shadrake. Frederick was a house and sign painter and although he passed away in 1867, Ann continued to live in their home. By the 1880s, this home had passed into the ownership of James H. Baker, a boat builder who operated a business on Plymouth (approximately at 38 Plymouth) called Baker and Shadrake. Perhaps Mr. Bath influenced Mr. Baker’s son’s vocation, for his child, Fred J. Baker, became a law student.
The last house within this group at 42 Plymouth was built for William Ascoughs, a machinist, about 1866. The houses at 50 and 54 Plymouth are also quite old, probably dating from the late 1850s or early 1860s.
Across the street at 47 Plymouth is a renovated carriage house that is owner occupied and has had new vinyl siding installed in 1998.
49 Plymouth is a 2-unit building that has been vacant for some time. It was for sale for a long period of time until it was finally sold in December, 1999 to an Hispanic church in Brooklyn. It is not known what the future holds for this house. The building itself has notable architectural features from the era that it was built, circa 1880.
The house at 51 Plymouth was a HUD house for sale in 1998. It was listed for sale for $9,900 and sold. Unfortunately, it was sold to an owner who does not live in the neighborhood and is currently being rented - a missed opportunity for increasing home ownership.
The small cottage at 55 Plymouth is quite old, dating probably to the late 1850s or early 1860s. It was originally located at 325 Pennsylvania Street but was moved to this location in 1886 when the large Queen Anne style home was built on the site.
At the intersection of Plymouth and Pennsylvania Street is a bus stop for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Grant Street bus. It is one of the most heavily used routes in the city and one that cuts through the midst of the KCA neighborhood. Neighborhood residents took it upon themselves to write a grant to build artistic bus shelters for the benefit of those who must take the bus for economic or ecological reasons. The bus shelters will provide many benefits to the area beyond providing shelter for those waiting for a bus. It is hoped that the bus shelters will be built in 2002. It is another example of how residents in the KCA neighborhood are concerned about the aesthetics of the neighborhood and the quality of life of all neighborhood residents and visitors. Three bus shelters are planned: at Plymouth and Pennsylvania, Plymouth and Porter Ave. and at Symphony Circle and Porter Ave.
In 2001 students submitted designs which were reviewed and accepted by the neighbors who attended three public meetings. The bus shelters will protect people who use the bus from the elements, provide an outlet for community and transportation information and enhance and beautify the surrounding area. The designs are eye-catching because they are artistic, unique and ulitarian. Brad Wales, RA and professor of architecture at the University at Buffalo along with his students have produced the designs. In 1999 Brad and his students produced several works of architectural art throughout Allentown. The Kleinhans community is pleased and gratified because of the commitment of Professor Wales and his students who spent countless hours designing the sites. The shelters adhere to standard specifications for bus shelters and blend the past and future of the historic Kleinhans neighborhood. The bus shelters being produced is the first of its type and will bring together city, county, NFTA, community and university resources. The three bus shelters are estimated to cost $17,000.
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