Controversy continues this week over the proposed demolition of the Atwater House next to Pano's restaurant in the Elmwood Village. Restaurant owner Pano Giorgiadis has owned the house for eight years and is moving forward with plans to tear the house down so he can expand the restaurant. Giorgiadis said he has always owned the property with the intention of demolishing the house and that the city raised no objections before he purchased the house. Now activists looking to restore the house built in 1893 and maintain the unique character of Elmwood Avenue are looking to the Buffalo Preservation Board to halt the destruction of the property. Structures like the Atwater House give Elmwood Avenue its unique character, and the building should be allowed to stand.
Pano's restaurant is a popular 24-hour restaurant in the heart of a vibrant neighborhood. An eclectic mix of small storefronts, appealing restaurants and residences, it is the antithesis of the strip mall landscape of Sheridan Drive or Niagara Falls Boulevard. Pano's has grown over the years into a burgeoning establishment, leading Giorgiadis to pursue plans to demolish the Atwater House and expand. Plans include an extension of Pano's patio in the front and the back parking lot across the Atwater property.
A number of concerned citizens, including 4,000 who have signed a boycott petition against Pano's, are rallying to draw attention to the proposed destruction. The situation presents a problem that requires a delicate solution. The nature of the neighborhood must be protected but a fruitful business must not be stifled. Both sides must compromise, and it appears that Giorgiadis is not.
Giorgiadis and others have argued that the house has significant damages that would cost more than the value of the house, according to one architect, to fix. However, this week's issue of Artvoice featured an interview with a former resident of the house who claimed upon moving out they witnessed a "destruction party" apparently commissioned by Giorgiadis. A recent walkthrough by the preservation society confirmed the status of neglect found in the house.
Giorgiadis was offered another property to the south of the restaurant but still purchased the house. At this time the other property is still on the market and two people have expressed interest in purchasing the Atwater House for restoration at its current location or to be moved. Giorgiadis would just have to revise his plans to the south.
Elmwood is successful because of the combination of historic properties and prospering, independent businesses. Giorgiadis should listen to neighborhood advocates who are also patrons of his restaurant. He should sell the Atwater House to someone willing to restore it to its original glory and instead expand to the south.
