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Thread: Donn Esmonde - Wide Right

  1. #1
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Donn Esmonde - Wide Right

    Donn posted another gem on the "news" today.

    His "COMMENTARY" focuses the blame on the conversion of closed Catholic Churches on the Catholic Church.

    Although he mentions the fact that the City of Buffalo and not the Catholic Church creates bumps in the road with codes like removing stained glass windows, assessing the property 5x higher then market value and complicating the zoning change process. Donn chooses to blame the church for the diocese’s reuse restrictions.

    Instead of calling the city out on issues that effect much more then a church conversion, he advises that the church should allow anything to happen to it's former properties.

    The church counters that “These are our sacred spaces,”. “It is in our interest to make sure they are properly reused.”

    I feel this was very short sighted and had an agenda behind it. The news has been very unfriendly to this difficult process facing the diocese. Anyone else agree or disagree?

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    Member CSense's Avatar
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    I agree with you. The city should have been lambasted for archaic re-use restrictions. The majority of these churches reside within residential neighborhoods What is the problem converting into living space? No ones turning it into a mechanic's garage! What kind of garbage is that!?


    I could see if the church was assisting (monetarily) with the re-use. Then they should have a say but if you are going to restrict the sale to specific developments then they'll be holding on to the property for some time.

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    I wish they could be preserved and turned into periodic music venues for choirs and orchestras during holidays or other celebrations. They are superior acoustically and draw great crowds due to their beauty and sanctity. They should become part of an archectural tour.

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    Quote Originally Posted by buffy
    I wish they could be preserved and turned into periodic music venues for choirs and orchestras during holidays or other celebrations. They are superior acoustically and draw great crowds due to their beauty and sanctity. They should become part of an archectural tour.
    I agree, but I bet it will be expensive to keep it from deteriorating and also keep it safe from vandals while only using it a few times a year. I think we need to lure the Lilly family to Buffalo.

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    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffy
    I wish they could be preserved and turned into periodic music venues for choirs and orchestras during holidays or other celebrations. They are superior acoustically and draw great crowds due to their beauty and sanctity. They should become part of an archectural tour.

    I agree but the preservation should come from those who live around the churches.

    I have mentioned this several times. The biggest church of East Side residents, the Zion Dominion Church of God, purchased the Chapel Property in Amherst. Just how does that make sense?

    If the news wants to call out the Catholic Church for leaving parts of the city were there is a staggering decline in Catholics... why the heck are they not calling out this church.


    So this church first invested in the East Side and the city, as they like to do, supposedly named a street after the pastor of the Church.

    This church, according to its website has over 3500 members. Since it grew so big, the church almost brags that its mostly African American congregation was able to purchase such a large parcel of land in a predominately white town.



    What pisses me off is the "news" and tool bag council members like Dennis F want to call the Catholic Church out because it is doing what is needed but do not have the guts to call out a largely back church. They would have helped their neighborhood, WHERE MOST OF THEM LIVE, by taking over one of the vacant churches. Instead they took over a vacant church in Amherst and cry about the neglect in their back year. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

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    Member buffy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by leftWNYbecauseofBS
    I agree but the preservation should come from those who live around the churches.

    I have mentioned this several times. The biggest church of East Side residents, the Zion Dominion Church of God, purchased the Chapel Property in Amherst. Just how does that make sense?

    If the news wants to call out the Catholic Church for leaving parts of the city were there is a staggering decline in Catholics... why the heck are they not calling out this church.


    So this church first invested in the East Side and the city, as they like to do, supposedly named a street after the pastor of the Church.

    This church, according to its website has over 3500 members. Since it grew so big, the church almost brags that its mostly African American congregation was able to purchase such a large parcel of land in a predominately white town.



    What pisses me off is the "news" and tool bag council members like Dennis F want to call the Catholic Church out because it is doing what is needed but do not have the guts to call out a largely back church. They would have helped their neighborhood, WHERE MOST OF THEM LIVE, by taking over one of the vacant churches. Instead they took over a vacant church in Amherst and cry about the neglect in their back year. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
    The Chapel is no larger than say, Blessed Trinity on Leroy. Blessed Trinity could have handled the growth.

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