Allentown Group has 40 Years of Tenacity (excerpts)
An organization formed to fight plans to turn part of an Allentown street into a parking lot is celebrating 40 years of working to preserve that neighborhood's history.
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Through four decades of maintaining and promoting the Allentown neighborhood, the group's mission hasn't changed.
"The association was founded because (a developer) wanted to turn a big chunk of Irving (Place) into a parking lot," said Allentown Association President Elizabeth Licata. "It all came from there.
"Preservation is still so important to us," Licata said.
Their latest battle involves a 19th century, city-owned building at Main and Virginia streets whose roof was damaged by fire last month. The Allentown Association and Campaign for Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture obtained a court order to block emergency demolition."We don't feel that emergency demolition is warranted," Licata said.
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"We want to support our businesses," Licata said. "We basically want to keep Allentown as a viable, attractive, safe neighborhood."
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