Buffalo Rising Online

I love Allentown. It’s just so real and genuine and not too many neighborhoods in the US have that quality. It’s usually great but (and I can see everyone flipping out about this) but that soup kitchen down there has got to go!!!! I've been harassed a few times by its patrons and it just makes you feel uncomfortable. Some of my friends have told me that they would love to live in Allentown but sometimes it can be a bit sketchy. I think re-locating that soup kitchen would help a lot.

With its proximity to the medical campus, UB downtown, and downtown I can see Allentown booming and expanding in the next few years.

They were a loud group at this building but they never seemed to people that they didn't already know. But there was an ambulance, or cop car there one too many times. I lived down the street from this building for about 3 years.

Actually, this building went into forclosure.

The Fairmount building is a cornerstone entrance to Allentown from the quickly growing Medical Corridor. It has been a problem for years with crime and rampant drug activity to the point the BPD actually had keys to the building. Between this building and the subway station, if one pays attention, there is constant police activity. Not very pleasing for Allentown and will continue to deter employee's of the campus from leaving the safe haven they work in. Untill the city cleans up Franklin to Main, this end of Allen will continue to be "sketchy".

dagner: The Farimont is going into foreclosure.

dagner: The Farimont is going into foreclosure.

Simply put, this place is a mess. Brutal tenants, worse management, and a structure which has very limited potential. Gutting this place and replacing it with market rate residential units is far from cost effective, due to the placement of structural walls and its potential is further limited (as is much of Allentown) by a lack of secure parking.

There is a reason why no investor/developer has shown interest while it has been privately shopped.

Buffalo30 is right on. This will be a REALLY hard rehab and knocking it down might be the only thing that makes sense. This is where the pesevation issue might get sticky. Without serious gap financing this can't happen as the building stands now, but getting a permit to knock it down and build something new would be very difficult, especially if it is in the preservation district. As someone who has been in this building, I can attest to what a disaster it is - a concrete nightmare with halls as wide as one person and rooms just big enough to lie down in. Truly scary in there.

Eh... for one the business owners, property owners and residents shouldn't wait for the city to clean up this area they should look beyond their four walls, their 40' x 100' lot and realize what happens beyond those lines impact what happens within them.

There's no need for secure parking. There's enough parking in Allentown. The problem is a majority is privately owned and most of the time under used. At the moment there are 7 cars in a parking lot for about 15 on the corner of Franklin and Allen. There are two more parking lots on Franklin just a stone throw away from this one. There's parking that stretches from Delaware to Franklin behind the building managed by Clover Mgt. There's a parking lot just north of Franklin next to Fugazi. Maybe better lighting or better yet lighting period could work as a deterrent. Also many of these lots sit empty after 5 pm. If residents were to park in them, they may risk getting towed from these lots because they require permits. One lot does all anyone to park after 5 pm.

I'm not much of a preservationist but if the Fairmont were knocked down ... I'd fear it would just become a parking lot. I'd rather it stay. I've never been inside but there's no way to say expand the apts in size?

A funny thing happened to me the other day while I was cleaning up broken bottles in the parking lot managed and/or owned by Clover Mgt. One of the fluorescent green vest wearing gentleman who pick up trash, well every other piece of trash for the Allentown Association asked me change.

I love Allentown don't get me wrong those who live, work and play here should take the first step in cleaning up the area. Why can't we get the Buffalo Special Police to patrol the neighbor on foot like they did in Riverside or was it Black Rock a couple summers ago?? .

tdimatteo,

I think my point about the parking is worth elaboration. I agree that there are several parking lots on and around North Pearl and that these are under-utilized.

In my opinion the parking problem isn't rooted in the availability of parking but rather the proximity of parking to residences. Renters/owners want on site secure parking, especially in areas that can get a bit "sketchy" at times. Having a parking lot 50 yards away is not an improvement in safety/convenience.

In the absence of on-site parking, I think the only alternative is to increase the safety of the area, whereby the importance of having gated parking is reduced. If renters/owners feel an area is safe, they will place less of an emphasis on the parking situation.

Your thoughts?

I agree with increasing the safety of the area will reduce the emphasis on the parking situation.I think some of the restrictions of the parking lots in the area should be a bit more lenient. I have a lot of thoughts on parking and safety in the area as a resident where I could discuss the topic for hours, this all you get for now .

I live near the Fairmont. On-street parking is available but my two cars have been hit 4 times while parked in the last year.

What a pleasure to see the Fairmont shut down. I was so sick of the yelling and screaming that occurred every night starting about 6:00 PM. Several times I found people smoking their latest purchase on an elderly neighbors porch nearby. Tonight I haven't seen one person loitering on that corner. I used to find crack pipes or mini baggies in the street on a daily basis. Haven't seen either in the past week. I think people would be surprised if they saw arrest reports from the area.

The walking traffic in front of my house by some very undesirable people has been reduced to nothing. My girlfriend and daughter would not walk to that corner at night without someone with them. Now I would feel comfortable letting them go there alone. There is still a problem on Allen near Main though. Probably restricts people from the medical corridor coming to Allen St.. I had a women purposely walk in front of me while I was riding a bike Saturday night. She did the same thing to my girlfriend who was 25 yards behind me. The woman had 2 toddlers with her along with 2 other women. Must be training the kids.

I'm an older positive country guy who wanted to check out city life for a while. I'm pretty easy going but have found a pretty negative attitude in Buffalo. Just talk to a utility or city worker about a problem. They don't care because they're in a union. I put leaves in clear bags for recycling and they go into the regular garbage? Police cars running all day during the art fest so the officer can have air? (The officer was outside the car most of the day) Granted minor stuff but indicative of the problem.

My son moved from the neighborhood to South Buffalo because of the crime problems. Unfortunately I made the decision to move last month before the Fairmont closed. Can't say if the Fairmont closing would have changed my mind. The taxes we pay should pay for at least fair service instead of very poor.

I never complain without a solution. Easy fix:

Police on patrol (Maybe on foot) Issue tickets for minor infractions. A lot of minor infractions lead to other more serious charges. Use a quality-of-life squad as seen at http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/403639.html or as you can see in any internet search on the same subject.

Get the unions to play fair.

Why isn't it done?