batavia

This morning, 3-year-old Kaylee took her rottweiler Koda for a walk on Chase Park, along with her mother Debbie. 

A small mulch fire is reported on the south side of the ESL Federal Credit Union by the ATM. It's located at 4214 Veterans Memorial Drive. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

William Delose Hirsch, 25, of Buchman Road, Bethany, is charged with menacing, 2nd, reckless endangerment, 2nd, and unlawful imprisonment, 2nd. Hirsch is accused of driving a motor vehicle at 8:49 p.m., Monday, from Batavia to Pavilion in a manner that was reckless and menacing to his female passenger. Hirsch is accused of not letting that woman exit the vehicle while on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia. Hirsch was arraigned in Pavilion on the first two counts and in city court on the third. He was released on his own recognizance.

Neil Patrick Jacobs, 48, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt, 2nd. Jacobs is accused of possessing a firearm after being ordered to surrender all firearms to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. The alleged failure to surrender the firearm was in violation of two orders of protection issued by Family Court on April 23. Following arraignment, Jacobs was placed under the supervision of Genesee Justice.

A 16-year-old resident of of Railroad Avenue, Alexander, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. The youth is accused of hosting an underage drinking party.

Daniel E. Plath, 62, of Old Creek Road, Alexander, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, unlicensed operation, operating a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol and driver's view obstructed. Plath was reportedly on his way home from his girlfriend's house in Batavia at 2:44 a.m., May 12, when deputies were called for a report of a possibly drunk person trying to buy beer at a store.

It's now official -- local author, historian and localist advocate Bill Kauffman is now a screenwriter, too.

Kauffman wrote a script based on a novel by Harold Frederic, a 19th Century resident of Utica.

The movie, titled "Cooperhead" and set in the Civil War, recently started production in King’s Landing, New Brunswick, Canada.

Actors Jason Patric and Angus MacFadyen are take starring roles and the movie is being directed by Ron Maxwell.

The story centers around a family torn apart by the war between the states.

Kauffman is a native Batavian and currently resides in Elba. No word on when his book about Batavia, "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette," will be turned into a major Hollywood production.

More than 300 local residents showed up at Dwyer Stadium bright and early this morning to kick off United Way's Day of Caring.

It's the largest number of volunteers yet for the annual event.

Volunteers perform a variety of tasks for local agencies, from painting to weed pulling and other tasks. 

This year, among the volunteer efforts, Lions Club members showed up at Adam Miller Toy and Bicycles to recondition 25 bikes into rideable machines for Genesee ARC clients.

Though not part of the event at Dwyer, 40 students at Batavia High School participated in Day of Caring by doing volunteer work on campus.

In all, 40 businesses and organizations sent volunteers and tasks were performed at more than two dozen locations throught the county.

Joe Sacco, below, sang the National Anthem and "America the Beautiful" to kick off the event.

Top group photo by Kevin Carlson, of Carlson's Studio.

If you're unable to view the slide show, click here.

A total of 1,179 people turned out to vote in the Batavia City Schools election today, approving a $40 million budget with nearly 61 percent of the vote and electing one new school board member.

Gretchen DiFante, one of two candidates not currently on the board, was the top vote getter in the election with 736 votes. Incumbent Gail Stevens garnered 623 votes and Phil Ricci, an appointee running for school board for the first time, got 616 votes.

Incumbent Gary Stich lost with 490 votes and newcomer Dennis Warner came up short with 472 votes.

The budget passed 690 votes to 446. 

Creation of a student ex-officio board member passed 852 to 214 votes and changing transportation mileage for students passed 808 to 240.

These are unofficial results.

The husband of a woman previously charged in a welfare fraud cause has been arrested on similar charges and is accused of stealing more than $17,000 in unwarranted public assistance.

Taken into custody following a DSS investigation is Michael Schramm, 36, formerly of Hutchins Place, Batavia.

Schramm is married to Deborah Schramm, who was previously charged.

Michael Schramm is charged with felony counts of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing.

He is accused of filing falisified documents from February through August last year in order to receive medical assistance and food stamps.

The total aid allegedly provided to the Schramm's above what  they were entitled to was $17,026.39.

The suspect was located in Butler County, Ohio, by Warrant Officer Eric Olsen and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The warrant also covered a failure to appear in Batavia Town Court on April 25 on an unrelated case.

Olsen and Deputy John Baicco retrieved Schramm from Ohio.

Following arraignment, Schramm was jailed without bail.

In July, both Deborah and Michael Schramm were accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

During some of the darkest days of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln wondered why agriculture, such a vital industry to the well being of the nation, was represented in the federal government by only a clerk.

At his prompting, Congress created the U.S. Department of Agriculture and 150 years ago today, the USDA was born.

The USDA now handles a wide variety of rural issues and is the primary conduit for a rural voice in the federal government. The USDA has a significant presence in Genesee County through its office on Liberty Street.

Local USDA staff celebrated the anniversary -- as USDA offices all over the nation did -- with cake, cookies and punch.

Photo submitted by David M. Klafehn.

An out-of-town auto dealer, or possibly BJ's Wholesale Club, where a "blowout event" was held in Batavia last week, is under investigation by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a spokeswoman for the DMV.

Jackie McGinnis said she can't discuss the details of an "active case."

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office said there are certainly laws governing how such sales are conducted, but referred further inquiries to the DMV, saying she couldn't comment on an active case.

More than a week ago, some 50,000 mail pieces were sent to homes in the GLOW region advertising a "Blowout Event at BJ's Wholesale Club."

The mailer potentially violated NYS law on dealership advertising, since the name of the dealer is not apparently printed on the mailer.

The dealer conducting the sale was reportedly Ideal Nissan out of Rochester.

Ideal has not responded to a request for an interview and a spokeswoman for BJ's referred questions to Ideal.

The eight-page mailer is covered on every page with BJ's logo and mentions BJ's directly or indirectly more than 30 times, but there's no mention we could find of Ideal Nissan or any other dealer.

The DMV would not confirm BJ's dealership status, if any.

Without further information from the DMV, the exact nature of the investigation is unclear, but state law clearly states that dealers must include their dealership name or identification number on advertising pieces.

The promotional piece promises customers the chance to win numerous prizes, including BJ's gift cards. The promoted grand prize was two vehicles or $100,000 cash. The odds of winning the prize are listed at 1 in 5 million.

The contest rules do reference a "dealer or event coordinator," saying the companies are not responsible for any "lost, late, copied or misdirected prize piece" but doesn't say who the dealer or event coordinator is.

Interestingly, the companies behind the promotion have an easy out for awarding any prizes with the rule, "Typos void all prizes," without defining where those typos might or might not appear.

Local dealers said they found the mailer deceptive and noted customers don't usually save any money going through these "gypsy" dealerships.

Temporary dealers have tremendous overhead, local dealers noted, from spending a dollar or more for each of the mailers sent out -- meaning, Ideal Nissan, or its agent, may have spent more than $50,000 promoting its sale -- plus the cost of bringing in commissioned sales reps from all over the country to conduct the sale.

Those kinds of expenses means the gypsy dealer needs to sell a lot of cars or have very high margins on each vehicle sold just to break even.

 "I don't think local dealers are selling vehicles for any more, and probably for less, than what's being sold on a transient or gypsy basis," said Ken Barrett, owner of Barrett Chevrolet and Cadillac. "We want to take care of our customers and our neighbors. It's our responsibility to provide the best price and best value."

Dealers we spoke with were uniformly bothered by the gypsy lot popping up in the Town of Batavia, with some questioning how Ideal Nissan could have received approval for the temporary dealership and all expressing concern that local customers will be buying cars without local sales and service standing behind the products.

"These are traveling sales reps," said Guy Pellegrino of Pellegrino Auto Sales. "They hit you hard to make the deal and say, 'see you later.' You'll never see these guys again."

Greg Strauss, co-owner of Castilone Chrystler Dodge and Jeep said some customers coming into his store, including ones who made a purchase at BJ's, were confused after talking with sales reps at the sale. He said some customers walked away with the impression that Castilone and other local dealers were involved in the sale.

"The sales reps aren't even from New York in most cases," Strauss said. "What concerns me is that people are getting taken advantage of and then they're gone."

Steve Castilone said that while local dealers all believe in free enterprise and don't begrudge fair competition, they are naturally concerned about losing business to gypsy dealers who not only don't provide the same level of service as a local dealer, but also aren't paying local property taxes or otherwise supporting the local community.

"Local dealers benefit the community," Castilone said. "They donate to baseball, to football, to hockey and community events. (The gypsy dealers) don't do anything for the community."

Every dealer we spoke with expressed concern for how customers are treated after the sale from a gypsy dealer.

While a manager at the BJ's lot on Thursday said customers are provided an 800 number to call if they're are problems, and that Ideal has service centers in Buffalo and Rochester, the local dealers questioned whether that's really providing ideal customer service.

"Normally, when a vehicle breaks down, it's never in a situation where a customer says, 'I've got an extra couple of hours to take in the vehicle to have it fixed, if it's drivable at all," Barrett said.

"There's a reason," he added, "there are local dealers -- not so much for the sales aspect of it, but to stand behind the customer and the sale. That's the real value for the customer and the consumer."

Several dealers wondered how the Town of Batavia could have approved the dealership at BJs, but Town Supervisor Greg Post said the hands of the town are pretty much tied in such situations.

Post acknowledged that there was a breakdown in communication in the approval process that led to a temporary use permit not being reviewed by the town planning board, but even if the review had taken place, the permit probably would have been issued.

"I don't have any authority, any way or means not to allow it to happen," Post said.

Post noted that the town's master plan is up for review in six weeks and how to deal with such temporary use permits in the future will be a subject for discussion. He invited any local business owners who want to provide input on such regulations to get involved in the planning process.

It was a beautiful morning and on the spur of the moment, I decided to drop in on the Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant and take some pictures of birds at the facility. Here are six shots from this morning.

Previously: Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of city's hidden treasures

The Batavia City Council will take up the issue of downtown parking, especially overnight parking, at its next conference meeting, probably May 29.

Downtown business owner Jerry Condello spoke Monday night during the public comments section of the council meeting and spoke out against overnight parking enforcement.

That prompted Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian to ask for the issue to be brought to the council for a full discussion.

Condello brought up issues about employees parking after the closing of businesses at 2 a.m. or before they open at 6 a.m., and the issue of responsible drivers electing not to drive after drinking and hence leaving their cars in a city parking lot.

City Manager Jason Molino said the Batavia PD isn't simply writing a ticket for every car found in a city lot between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., but they're using discretion, looking for repeat offenders who haven't gotten an overnight parking pass.

He said keeping the parking lots clear wasn't just about snow removal, or even keeping RV and truck traffic out -- which can easily go to Walmart -- but also parking lot cleanup by sweepers overnight.

He said if somebody who has been drinking at a downtown bar and decides not to drive home but still gets a ticket has ample opportunity to appeal the ticket.

Condello said he hopes there's a big turn out at the May 29 council meeting in order to bring more pressure on the council to change the rules.

A C-41 aircraft will fly directly over Main Street, Batavia, on Memorial Day, May 28, Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian told the city council on Monday night.

The flight to kickoff the Memorial Day parade was arranged by former council member Bob Bialkowski, Christian said.

The grand marshall for the parade, she said will be former NYS Assembly member, and father of Batavia's current Assembly representative, Stephen Hawley.

The parade will start at 10 a.m. in the Eastown Plaza.

Batavia City School officials have released an FAQ related to the proposed school budget that is posted on the district's Web site (PDF).

The FAQ covers such topics as administrative salaries, positions eliminated by school consolidation and moving to a centralized business office at BOCES.

The vote on the school budget, along with the trustee election, is tomorrow. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday is Race Day at Stan's Harley-Davidson, when visitors can stop by the store and meet racers, check out their bikes and learn more about dirt track racing. The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jeff Eddy's (pictured above) Team 126 will be at the store signing autographs.  Area 51 will provide free passes for races at its track for people who attend. At 11 a.m. there will be a children's Big Wheel drag race. Stan's Harley-Davidson is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia.

City firefighters are responding to the area of 121 Bank St. for an open burn complaint.

UPDATE 11:48 a.m.: City fire is returning to service. Upon inspection, the complaint was determined to be unfounded.

Paul Edward Reynolds, 57, of Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, following too close, leaving scene of property damage accident and operating without proof of insurance. Reynolds is accused of following another vehicle too closely and then rear-ending that vehicle at the intersection of Rose Road and Wortendyke Road at 4:20 p.m., Saturday. Reynolds allegedly failed to produce an appropriate exchange of information and then left the scene. Sheriff's deputies allegedly located him and his Toyota pickup a short time later at his residence.

Jordan-Albert Grayson Finnin, 16, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with attempted assault, 2nd. Finnin is accused of trying to stab a DSS youth worker during a home visit. Finnin was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Joshua Lanair Webster, 25, of York Road, Pavilion, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Webster is accused of illegally possessing hydrocodone on April 16 while being arrested on a burglary charge. Webster was arrested on the new charge Friday while already being detained in the Genesee County Jail on prior charges.

Michael J. Elmore, 21, of 148 Walnut St., Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Elmore is accused of damaging another person's vehicle.

Christopher James Gorman, 20, of Darien, is charged with possession/consumption of alcohol under 21. Gorman was allegedly found in possession of alcohol after being involved in an off-road motor-vehicle accident at 8:10 p.m., April 30.

Dakota Dean Roberts, 20, of Darien, is charged with possession/consumption of alcohol under 21. Roberts was allegedly found in possession of alcohol after being involved in an off-road motor-vehicle accident at 8:10 p.m., April 30.

Keith E. Robinson-Blue, 19, of Rugby Road, Rochester and Shawn D. R. Phillips Jr., 20, of Bartlett Street, Rochester, are charged with trespass. No details were released.

Charlene Anastasia, 40, with no permanent address, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd. Anastasia was allegedly located inside a locked storage facility and was there without permission of the owner. Anastasia was jailed on $500 bail.

Veronica Paula Barajas, 17, of Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Barajas is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Victoria Marie Fleck, 18, of Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Fleck is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

A car has hit a deer on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 387.7 in the eastbound lane.

A person is reportedly injured.

The location would put it in the area adjacent the college.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

This post has been updated with the write-up for the Griffen home.

Press release:

The Landmark Society of Genesee County will hold its annual Preservation Awards Dinner on May 19 at the St. James Episcopal Church ((405 E. Main St., Batavia). The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and the awards presentation will follow (at approximately 7 p.m.).

Six buildings in Genesee County will be recognized this year. Each year the awards committee tries to choose a group of structures that is varied in styles of architecture, geographic location, building materials, and type of building such as residences, churches, commercial, and public facilities.

“Historic preservation does not mean that everything must stay the same.  Rather, it focuses on the character and quality of construction,” explained Landmark Society President Laurie Oltramarie.

“Preservation comes in many forms --renovation, restoration, adaptive re-use, rehabilitation, and even reproduction. In a neighborhood, the ultimate goal of preservation is to maintain the character of a place and activity within it. And we think this year’s honorees accomplish that beautifully.”

The Landmark Society of Genesee County is a nonprofit, volunteer operated organization. Since 1965, The Landmark Society has encouraged local communities and individuals to work together to preserve our architectural heritage. Preservation, protection, and improvement of the landmarks located throughout Genesee County are the objectives of this organization.

Above, the home of Dave Howe on Alexander Road, Alexander. Here's more info on the house:

David Howe purchased this circa 1888 Shingle Style home in 1986. This handsome home features multiple gables and the original porte cochere.  Mr. Howe recently had the cedar shingles and clapboards restored and repainted. The interior features leaded and stained glass windows, inlaid hardwood floors, three original fireplaces with elaborate oak trim and ceramic tiles, original sliding window shutters, and natural oak trim.  Leaded glass windows in the dining room are bowed to produce a rainbow effect throughout the room. The matching shingled carriage house still stands and was recently re-roofed.

Here's a slide show of pictures of each the winners. If you have trouble viewing the slide show, click here. After the jump (click on the headline), pictures and write-ups of each of the other winners.

Roy and Frances Griffen

11137 Buckman Road

Pavilion, NY 14525

The proud owners of 11137 Buckman Road are Roy and Frances Griffen. This home, recognized by the Landmark Society for their tender, loving care, has been in Mr. Griffen’s family for almost 100 years. Mr and Mrs. Griffen have owned the home since 1980 and began living in it around 1984.

The current home is not the first one on this property. Prior to the construction of the existing home in 1916, there was another home on the property that burned. Mr. Griffen’s grandfather, Wakefield Burks and his wife Magdalena, built the home that stands today. Originally from England, Wakefield Burks was a farmer. All the lumber to build the home came by train to Linden and was brought by horse to the property, according to Mr. Griffen. One year after the home was built, one of the barns was built in 1917. Mr. Griffen still possesses the original plans for the house. It should be noted that the year 1874, that is located near the top of the front of the house is not the year that the home was built, rather it is the year that Mr. Griffen’s grandfather came here from England.

Upon the death of Mr. Griffen’s grandfather, the side door located in the front of the home was never used again after Mr. Burks’s casket was brought through it. Mrs. Burks and her son, Glover, along with a helper, Richard, continued to live in the home and kept the farm going. Mr. Griffen recalls sheep being on the farm and remembers his Uncle Glover delivering cream, milk and eggs to Batavia. Mr. Griffen spent a lot of time during the summer while young on the farm.

Mr. Griffen’s uncle never married and thus left the home and land to Mr. Griffen. At the time, Mr. and Mrs Griffen lived in Warsaw and decided to move to Buckman Road so that Mr. Griffen would be closer to where he worked in Batavia. Since the Griffens have owned the property, they added the garage onto the home. A previous garage was a distance from the home, making it difficult to bring in groceries and other items. The Griffens also have had the home painted every 10 years. Prior to their ownership, the home was painted all white. Their painter suggested a colored trim and the Griffens agreed, allowing the painter to add a light blue to the house.

Mr. Griffen recalls many events in this home, but feels that the best memory he has is that his whole family has lived in the house that he and his wife call home. Today, it is rare that one family resides in a town for 100 years, yet alone a home, making the Griffen’s story even more special. Mr. Griffen has no plans to even sell the home and foresees it staying in the family, for others to provide the same tender, loving care that he and his wife have given during their ownership.

Kistner Concrete Products, Inc.
10 Ellicott St.
Batavia, NY 14020
Renovation

By Larry D. Barnes

The story of the former St. James Rectory building really begins in 1812 when missionary bishops of the Episcopal Church started to visit the Batavia area.  Occasional services were held in the part of Ellicott Hall known as Hickock’s Inn.  Kneeling cushions for these services were stored at the home of Robert Smith and had to be carried to the Inn for each service.

In June of 1815, those who had been attending the Episcopalian services gathered for a business session to choose a committee to arrange for incorporation. The Holland Land Company gave the incorporated congregation a lot on Ellicott Street (then called Big Tree Street) and ground was broken in April of 1816 for a church building.

Building the church turned out to be a slow process with financing of the project a major obstacle. It took six years to complete the construction. Finally, in 1822, the congregation had a habitable brick building on a gray stone foundation standing about where the recent Ponderosa Restaurant used to be and where the Mexican restaurant Rancho Viejo currently stands.

Apparently the structural quality of this brick building left something to be desired and, in 1836, the Episcopalians tore it down. On the same foundation as the first church, they then erected a stone building that stood until 1975. (Incidentally, that building had problems, too, and the roof structure had to be torn off and rebuilt not too many years after the building’s erection. Observing the work now taking place on the tower of the current East Main church where stones have been falling from the building, it would seem that the Batavia Episcopalians have been unusually cursed with structural problems in their houses of worship.)

When the first church building was taken down in 1836, the bricks were saved for re-use. That “re-use” was the construction of a rectory next door at 10 Ellicott St.  This handsome building served as a rectory until 1909 when the congregation moved into its current church building at 405 E. Main St. The rectory building then entered into a series of new uses.

Starting in 1909, 10 Ellicott St. was owned by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 550. However, by 1912, the lodge had grown to 275 members, too many to meet comfortably in the former rectory. So, the Elks sold the building and moved to 213 E. Main St. where the organization remained for the rest of its existence. (Recall that the Main Street Elks building was torn down this past year.)

In the 1920s, the former rectory building became the property of the E. N. Rowell Co. The Rowell Company manufactured cosmetic boxes. One of its two main buildings was located where the new Genesee County Courthouse is situated.  The Rowell Co. used 10 Ellicott St. to print box labels and to store paper and cardboard. By the 1970s, it was in pretty sad shape. Many expected that it would be demolished, along with the other Rowell buildings, during Batavia’s urban renewal deconstruction phase.

In 1979, the Landmark Society of Genesee County purchased the old rectory building to save it from demolition. The Society restored the exterior and rebuilt the interior. (At one point, Catherine Roth and her husband, Dr. Laurence Roth, gave a $25,000 loan to fund the work.) Following restoration and renovation of the building, the Landmark Society sold the building in 1981 to Stephen B. Hughes, a local attorney. For a number of years, the structure was then used for law offices.

In 2007, 10 Ellicott St. was purchased by Kistner Concrete Products, Inc., a family owned business. William M. Kistner is the current head of the operation.  During the last five years, Tom Hume, construction and maintenance supervisor for the company, has been engaging in further restoration work on the building.  Mr. Hume has commonly been assisted by up to two employees working full-time on the project.

Time has not been kind to the old rectory. By the time Kistner Concrete purchased the building, it again needed major work. Most notably, a wall at the rear of the building was leaning severely and in danger of collapse. Stabilizing and repairing this wall was a major undertaking complicated in part by a need to replace about half of the brick work. The challenge of locating brick from the proper era was solved by salvaging brick from the former Masonic Lodge that was being torn down in Le Roy.

Brick work in other areas of the exterior wall required replacement of between 750 and 1,000 bricks. This was in addition to repointing the brick work, a significant undertaking in its own right.

Four second-floor windows have been replaced with custom-made units designed to replicate the original windows. The part of these windows exposed to the elements is made of painted aluminum. The interior parts are made of wood.  Four cellar windows have also been replaced. Ultimately, all the windows in the building will be replaced. It should be noted that this work has been undertaken in cooperation and under the supervision of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. In fact, the Commission has recognized the work on the property with a plaque mounted on the exterior.

Additional exterior work has involved efforts to protect the foundation from water infiltration. A trench was dug down 6 feet around most of the building’s perimeter, the foundation surface was cleaned, re-mortared and parged, a tar coat was applied below grade, and a drainage system was constructed.

Extensive work has also occurred in the basement which had a dirt floor. In order to provide more ceiling clearance, 250 cubic yards of dirt were carried out in 5-gallon pails. Then a concrete floor was poured. An interesting feature of the basement is a fireplace located in the rear. A replacement mantle and hearth have been cast from concrete in a manner designed to create the appearance of stone. (Incidentally, when excavation occurred near the fireplace, large numbers of chicken bones were discovered, indicating that food preparation must have taken place there in the basement.) The walls of the basement were also cleaned and re-mortared. The space is now being used, among other things, for storage of records.

Work on the basement led to the discovery that the building is sitting over a bed of water-soaked sand. It’s one more support for the claim that Batavia is built on a swamp.

Other interior work on the first and second floors has involved removal of partitions to open up work areas. Trim has been installed which is historically appropriate, when the original couldn’t be retained. One particularly nice touch is the installation of floor registers made of cast iron and made in a style typical of the early 1900s.

Floors have been sanded, repaired as necessary, and stained. In some areas, the ink stains from the period when the Rowell Co. used the building have been deliberately left in view, a feature which evokes a part of the structure’s history.

Restoration and renovation of the building is an ongoing process with much left to be done. An example of such future work will be the resetting of the front steps which have settled considerably over the years. In another area, where blackened walls signal a past fire of some magnitude, the ceiling will be raised along with the roof above. How much longer will it take to finish this extensive undertaking? When pressed on the matter, Mr. Hume indicates that he hopes to be finished by his targeted date of retirement seven years from now.

Coffee Culture
6 Court St.

Batavia, NY 14020

Adaptive Re-use

By Laurie Oltramari

Preservation comes in many forms -- pure preservation, renovation, restoration, adaptive reuse, rehabilitation, and even reproduction. In our urban setting of Downtown Batavia, the ultimate goal of preservation is to maintain the character of a place and activity within it.

This corner of Court and Ellicott streets has had a lot of activity over the years including a hotel that predates the Park Hotel, which was built around 1880. In 1919, the hotel became the Lafayette Hotel. And in later years, the hotel was reported to serve as an overflow annex for the Hotel Richmond. In later years the building was sold to the Continental Motor Corporation. By mid-century it housed Trailways offices and terminal. The building was ultimately razed in 1965.

Its replacement was a one-story corner building within the downtown. Express Opticians occupied the space until 2009 when Coffee Culture offered to buy the building to house its Canadian-based coffee business. Although the building was not actually for sale, the price was right and thus, a form of rehabilitation took place.

A corner site is a prime location in terms of urban design and promotes the business mantra, "location, location, location." Its high visibility is good for business, but maintaining the corner anchors the downtown and its success can affect the overall block. Rehabilitation plays a huge role in the preservation of a downtown because it can make spaces functional once again.

Historic preservation does not mean that everything must stay the same. Rather, it focuses on the character and quality of construction. Coffee Culture has successfully taken the building and turned it into an inviting space. It has captured the essence of a cozy coffee shop with warm color tones, lighting, wood grains, and a reproduction tin ceiling. Its seating, both indoor and outside, are welcoming. Currently, Coffee Culture rents the space next door for meetings.

Brenda Richardson is the current manager of Coffee Culture and has brought tremendous energy to the downtown. Although Coffee Culture is located at the corner of Court and Ellicott streets, you will see Coffee Culture participate in all the downtown events -- the Downtown Batavia Public Market, Cinema in the Square, the Wine Walk, and the Taste of the Holidays, to name just a few. Community begins with communication and commitment, and Coffee Culture is most welcome in our community of Batavia.

The Landmark Society of Genesee County would like to present Coffee Culture with a Preservation Award for its role in the adaptive re-use of 6 Court St. in Batavia.

Matt and Laura Luft
4747 Oak Orchard Road

Elba, NY 14058
Restoration

By Loren Pflaumer

Nestled on just under two acres and surrounded on three sides by farmland, sits this quaint circa 1880 national style farmhouse. Matt and Laura Luft have spent the last five years painstakingly restoring and repairing their home. The house, which in the 1930s was known to travellers on Route 98 as the Happy Acres Tea House, was purchased at auction in 1996 by Torrey Farms. The Lufts attended the auction and were lucky enough to move into the home as renters. After living at the house for a few years, the Lufts purchased the property in 2005 and have been busy restoring it ever since.

The inside of the house is almost completely restored. The original wood floors have been sanded and refinished and saved wherever possible. Many of the rooms were suffocating under layers of wallpaper (12 layers were removed in one room!). The paper was removed, the walls painted, and all the trim and door hardware were cleaned up and re-used. An original light fixture was re-wired and salvaged. The brick fireplace was cleaned, touched up and a mantle was added. The stairs were stripped and refinished. The kitchen boasts built in cabinetry which Matt stripped and repainted and a swinging door leftover from the Happy Acre Tea House days. When a new exterior door was needed, the original was saved and repurposed. Matt and Laura have gone to great lengths to keep the house as true to its original style and layout as possible.

The work that the owners have done on the exterior is what gets this house noticed. Lifetime Elba resident Don Gavenda moved into this house as a child and lived here for many years. As far back as he can remember, the house was always painted white with green shutters. Matt and Laura were certain they were going to be the first to add more color to the place. Yellow and green were both considered, but when the new Bank of Castile building on West Main Street was built, the combination of brown and beige caught their eye. Having inquired at Sherwin Williams as to this color combination, they were told that the paint on the bank building could be matched exactly, as it had been mixed and bought at their store. So with the final color scheme in hand, Matt painted the entire place with no more than a coffee can and a paint brush. The contrasting colors really show off one of the homes best features, the arched porch supports.

The circa 1910 barn was also given a face lift. Originally built to house farm animals, the barn was later converted into a cold storage for onions. Former owner Maureen Marshall remembers buying fresh muck-grown produce from the owners when she was a child. Produce that she remembers as being the best and freshest around. The barn has had the faux brick siding removed, and the original underlying wood repainted. A new metal roof was added and a large entry door was moved from the side to the front. The smaller entry door is the door that was salvaged when the kitchen was redone. The finishing touch to their outdoor renovations was the addition of the split rail fence, which is always blooming and seasonally decorated.

It is such an honor to give the Lufts our Restoration Award this year. They have so much passion and love for their home that you sense it when they talk about it. They are not yet finished with all they plan to do and we look forward to watching the continuing transformation.

Tim and Lisette Stoddard
20 Ellicott Ave.
Batavia, NY 14020
Renovation

By Lucine Kauffman

The first thing you notice about this painted lady is the large circular front porch.  Upon closer inspection, you find an architectural surprise in every nook and cranny of this circa 1890 Queen Anne style home. Many of the ornamentation designs are drawn from the Colonial and New-Classical styles. In particular the oval window and wooden molding in the porch gable of an urn form reflect turn of the century design. There is also a small ornate “sleeping” porch on the second floor; and a recessed window with a balustrade in the top-most pediment suggesting another porch.

Each gable has its own unique decorative trim with variations of sunburst and foliated motifs.

Shingles, clapboards, and wooden panels cover the exterior.

Maria Kibbe purchased the residence in 1928 and it stayed in the Kibbe family until 1968. Real Estate Broker Harry Smith Kibbe, son of Chauncey Kibbe, lived here.

When the Stoddards bought this elegant home in 2006, they bought a “diamond in the rough.” The house had been divided into three apartments and the front porch was dangerously rotted. When they embarked on their long journey, they lived in one of the small upstairs apartments…with their four young children.  Their first priority was to create a functional kitchen and bathroom to accommodate their family. The house had other plans, though. The front porch collapsed, thus diverting their interior plans to the exterior. They put down a new mahogany floor, replicated the balustrade, and painstakingly bent wood boards to conform to the porch’s curve. Only the original top spindles were savable.

Back inside, the Stoddards set out to uncover the original floor plan. Doorways had been moved, walls built up and others torn out, and windows had been boarded over. The clue that guided them throughout the process were the intact narrow strips of mahogany wood that framed each room’s floor perimeter. 

Where able, they restored the existing original gumwood trim around the windows and doors. The living room fireplace mantle had several coats of white paint.  Lisa used knitting needles and a lot of patience to strip the paint from the crevices of the intricate design, and refinish the wood. They are currently in the process of restoring the main stairway. 

Where the Stoddards had to rebuild doorways, they recreated the trim style using poplar stained to replicate mahogany.  These doors were purchased in Pennsylvania years ago in anticipation that some day they would find a good home. 

The original stained glass foyer window provided inspiration for the kitchen window they had custom built. They also had a new stained glass window built for the dining room to replace the board that had been covering the opening.  Another original stained glass window brightens the living room. A curved glass bay window also graces the living room. Notice the narrow wooden strips border curved in concert with the windows.

Lisa diligently researched period appropriate interior decoration such as hardware, wall treatments, window treatments, furnishings, and light fixtures.  She scoured Ebay and estate sales to find items from the period. Of special note are the plaster medallions Lisa handcrafted to frame each ceiling light fixture.  Some have been given a “mod podge” treatment.

Building the kitchen was the first interior project the Stoddards took on. With Lisa’s skillful direction, Tim’s carpenters were able to create a room that blends with the rest of the house while incorporating all modern conveniences. The glass cupboard doors surrounding the range were custom built to match the kitchen window. Lisa sewed a curtain out of antique flour bags for her broom closet.  Again, period appropriate hardware accents were employed. On the kitchen walls wainscoting was installed topped with a plate rail.

The downstairs bathroom was also meticulously appointed with antique and reproduction fixtures. The hardwood floor had to be replaced because a bathroom pipe burst and ruined the original floor. 

The Stoddards believe that Tim’s office is the same room that Harry Kibbe used for his office. They stripped and refinished the original cupboards. Lisa antiqued the walls using a rag rolling painting technique. She then painted narrow frames on the wall to simulate panels. 

The Stoddards picked a five-color scheme for the exterior.

The carriage barn remains intact.

The Landmark Society is pleased to present Tim and Lisa Stoddard a Preservation Award for the excellent work they have done on their home, a stunning example of Queen Anne Style architecture inside and out.

Seven ducklings lost their mommy on Mother's Day morning. Batavia resident Sarah Grice watched them helplessly as they all walked over a storm drain grate near the Bank of Castile building downtown and fell in. She called city fire and firefighters responded to rescue them.

Firefighters had to remove the grates from four drains on the north side of Main Street and round them up.

The firefighters then search a wide area of downtown looking for mom, but without luck.

Officials at Godfrey's Pond have agreed to take in the ducklings and care for them in one of their pens until they're ready to fly free.

Photos below submitted by Grice.