Demo work done at Voelker's Lanes despite landmark moratorium, warning by Council
Iconic sign removed over weekend, protective wall coping today
This past weekend an iconic animated neon sign was removed from the Voelker's Lanes-Hotel Elmwood building, a site approved unanimously by the Buffalo Preservation Board for landmark status in July and now before the Buffalo Common Council. Apparently the work was done without a permit, which City of Buffalo law forbids issuing while a site is under landmark review by the Council. A moratorium on demolition activity while a site is under consideration for landmark status was put into effect in January as a result of the demolition of the Franks House at 184 West Utica Street in February 2020 under similar circumstances.
Today, The Campaign for Greater Buffalo observed that protective "camelback" coping had been removed and demolition contractor Hannah Demolition entered the building. It was also observed that the wiring of the rooftop neon signs, not yet removed, were disconnected. Again, this is work that requires a permit and, The Campaign confirmed, none have been issued.
Today's activity happened in spite of the Common Council voting yesterday to send a "cease and desist" order to the owner, Krista Voelker. The measure was sponsored by North District Councilmember Joseph Golembek, whose district includes the long-time unofficial-landmark.
In addition to the demo and asbestos abatement at 680 Amherst (the legal address of Voelker's Lanes), buildings at 666 and 668 Amherst Street, and well as 1534 Elmwood were posted with rat abatement signs, a pre-condition of issuance of demolition permits. These are part of a broad 3.1-acre site at a prime intersection.
Tim Tielman, Executive Director of the Campaign, which wrote the landmark application at the behest of the Preservation Board, said the Brown Administration should post a stop-work order on the site and arrange for the return and re-installation of the items that have been removed. Commissioner of Inspection and Permit Services James Comerford, informed of the violations this afternoon, told Tielman an inspector would post a stop-work order on the buildings and order the removed items to be re-installed.