110 South Park Avenue

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Photos by Mike Puma, ViewsOfBuffalo

Location

110 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14203
Google Bird's Eye View
Fillmore Council District
SBL: 122.05-4-4
Erie County Property Info
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Next to: 45 Illinois Street and 118 South Park Avenue
Across from: 86 South Park Avenue

Owner

Darryl Carr, PO Box 330, Bowmansville NY 14026
(716) 848-1930
Carr also owns 118 South Park Avenue and Cobblestone Bar, 130 South Park Avenue.

Physical Description

  • A rare example of antebellum commercial architecture.
  • The original 1852 bakery is a 100 x 50' four-story brick building with cast-iron window moldings and sills and a cast-iron storefront.
  • A three-story addition, 60 x 100' was added in 1871.

Current Condition

Boarded up but not properly secured from the elements. As of 2011, Carr was under judge's order to make repairs or face jail time. It appears he has neither made repairs nor done jail time.

History

  • In 1850, George Mugridge formed a partnership with William H. Clark. As of 1852 they were in the bakery business at this location.
  • In 1905 Daniel Knowlton constructed another building immediately north of the Mugridge site. The two-story brick factory at 39 Illinois was designed by the well-known Buffalo architectural firm of R.J. Reidpath. This new facility later was integrated with the Mugridge buildings after Knowlton finally acquired the later property in 1926.
  • At the time of Knowlton's purchase, tenants occupying sections of the old bakery included Phoenix Die Casting Co.; Ford Bros., a marine machine shop; Buffalo Standard Ink; Dextro Products and H.S. Wright Co., purveyor of steamboat supplies.
History Courtesy of Buffalo Rising
  • 1950 - Phoenix Die Casting Co. owned the building from 1950 to 1988
  • 1988 - James and Mary Ann Downing owned the building from 1988 to 2009

Recent Events and Actions Taken

  • 2009 - Darryl Carr purchased the building for $500,000
  • 2011 - At least two developers have tried to purchase and redevelop the buildings. Developers Sam Savarino and Roger Trettel had Silvestri Architects prepare a rendering showing what the buildings could be. Carr has ignored their interest.
  • 2011 - Darryl Carr petitioned City Housing Court to allow demolition due to "imminent danger of collapse." The Campaign for Greater Buffalo obtained a stay on the demolition order disputing the owner's assessment.
  • Oct 2011 - Housing Court Judge Patrick Carney said the adjacent building at 118 South Park must be fixed in two weeks or the owner, Darryl Carr, will be jailed.
  • May 30, 2013 - From Preservation Board Vice Chair Eric Lander: "Last week it was brought to my attention that the condition of the former blacksmith shop building at 118 and 120 South Park in the Cobblestone District remained compromised despite numerous code violations and Housing Court rulings. In today's Preservation Board meeting I brought this issue up and as a result building inspectors will be dispatched to review the property's condition."
  • February 2014 - Cobblestone Historic District, previously just a local designation, becomes certified and obtains access to state/national historic tax credits based on application completed by Preservation Studios for the owners of Iron Works: Sam Savarino, Roger Trettel, Ed Plata, and Dan Mania
  • June 2014 - Mortgage holders on the property start a foreclosure proceeding, alleging demolition by neglect and other improprieties. See Buffalo Rising article
  • February 5, 2015 - Darryl Carr is in Housing Court Thursday February 5, 9am (Judge Carney).
    • "The City’s attorney evidenced photos taken from 2011 “showing a history of negligence” and no effort to protect, stabilize, or otherwise correct the violations."
    • 'Housing Court Judge Patrick M. Carney said Darryl Carr should “fix, sell, or redevelop” the property. The judge ordered the eight code violations on the property be fixed by March 19 and the proper mothballing begin within 30 days. Judge Carney, hearing that Carr has redevelopment plans for the site, wants to see a credible proposal. The judge noted the alternative is a trial and $15,000 fine in which the inspectors would file the code violations again and he would still be responsible for the corrections.'
    • 'The City inspectors provided a Preservation Brief from the Department of Interior for standards on mothballing an historic building. The judge acknowledged the historic importance of the property and wanted Carr to perform mothballing to those standards.' Buffalo Rising
  • June 25, 2015 - Owner Darryl Carr will be sentenced in Housing Court Thursday, June 25 at 9:30am (Judge Carney's courtroom, Sixth Floor, City Court at 50 Delaware).
    • Chris Schmidt: "[Judge Carney] stated mothballing was supposed to be completed by March 19. The judge’s patience is about to be tested. No work has occurred. The building remains unrepaired and open to the elements and promised redevelopment plans have not been submitted to the Planning Board. At the March court hearing, Carr provided stamped architectural drawings and said restoration of the corner building at 110 South Park Avenue was forthcoming. He was also supposed to submit an application to the Preservation Board for selective demolition of the small structure along Illinois Street. Carr was also asked to show evidence of financing for redevelopment. It remains to be seen if he can wave a check at the judge tomorrow at 9:30."
  • August 5, 2015 - Buffalo News - "Judge Patrick M. Carney, appearing to run out of patience, fined owner Darryl Carr the maximum $13,500 – $1,500 for each of the nine building code violations at 110 South Park Ave. The fines are due Nov. 19, by which time Carr said he should have a redevelopment proposal ready to submit to the city’s Planning Board, so it is possible he may not have to pay up."
  • May 6, 2016 - Buffalo Rising - "After pleading guilty and then not fixing seven building code violations on the property in March 2015, he was fined a paltry $13,500. He still hasn’t corrected the problems and was cited for thirteen violations on the property in November . . . “Plans” of some type were given to the judge but not commented on so it is unknown if the plans were for stabilization or development of the site . . . The City will be installing jersey barriers at the property and will be charging Carr for the courtesy. Carr told the Court that his mason determined that the bricks on the Illinois Street side are “not in imminent danger of falling” and challenged the placement of the barriers. Though bricks are falling on the alley side of the property, he inadvertently hurt his argument that a demolition is necessary. The next court date is scheduled for June 16."
  • From Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN), March 9, 2020: PBN was proud to stand in housing court today with Councilmember Mitchell Nowakowski and business and building owners of the Cobblestone Historic District to tell Judge Carney that enough is enough and building owners who engage in demolition by neglect practices need to be held accountable through jail time, substantial fines, and ultimately loss of property. City Inspections immediately asked for a three week adjournment, during which the owner is supposed to put up a $100,000 escrow account toward stabilization, and submit plans to the City. New hearing will be April 9th. We were disappointed that more aggressive action wasn’t taken today, but will keep members posted as to next steps.
  • June 18, 2024 - building damaged in fire. Mayor Brown says the City will not demolish. Architect Steve Carmina says he's willing to take on the restoration of the building.

Other Pertinent Facts

  • Located in the Cobblestone Historic District

Links


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Added 2013-02-26 • Last changed 2024-06-21

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