TROUBLE IN THE HEIGHTS

Editor's note: this is the first of a two-part series examining the concerns of residents and community members living in the University Heights area. In this issue The Spectrum will explore the trouble faced by the community, and the following issue will feature ideas, solutions and a vision for the improved future of the district.

For a neighborhood that doesn't have any geographic boundaries, the University Heights has a well-defined community with a culture and a standard of living unique to its residents.

The residents have witnessed an escalated rate of crime and disturbances in recent years, and reports of harassment have intensified on both the student and permanent resident sides of the debate. Some say the residential issues in the Heights are changing the face of Buffalo.

The University Heights is a South Campus phenomenon. Defined broadly as "those neighborhoods immediately surrounding our physical campus" by Director of Community Relations Vincent Clark, the district's prominent areas are Main Street, Englewood Avenue and Winspear Avenue.

"I don't get a sense that there is a defined University Heights area," Clark said.

Buffalo Police Spokesperson Mike DeGeorge described a rough map of the area.

"The University Heights is mostly bound by Winspear to Main to Kenmore to Bailey," he said and went on to explain that the area is entirely contained within Buffalo's E-district.

Students and permanent residents can't seem to agree whether the area is a safe place to live.

"It's not safe, I'm always hearing about people getting robbed or shot," said junior linguistics major Mike Oliver. "My friend got robbed by someone with a knife two months ago."

Sister Jeremy Midula of St. Joseph's University Parish remembered an incident in 2003 when she saw more than 200 students attending a party on Winspear Avenue.

"The frightening thing was, the pilot light on the stove had gone out," she said. "If anyone had lit a cigarette, it would have been a tragedy."

Even so, she doesn't believe the area is particularly dangerous.

"The University Heights is one of the nicest neighborhoods in the E-district. It really is a wonderful place to live," she said.

Three taxpaying, permanent residents of the Heights came forward to discuss their concern over safety within the community, but each wished to remain anonymous, complaining of previous harassment and threats provoked by speaking to the press. The Spectrum will call them Deborah, Sheryl and Bonnie.

Deborah has lived on Winspear Avenue for over 30 years. In the past 12, she says, she has seen the neighborhood change.

Each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, she sits on the steps facing the sidewalk and monitors her front yard, chasing away students who urinate on her property.

"They have called me the foulest language," Deborah said. "I don't deserve this."

Deborah invited The Spectrum to attend a meeting for the University Heights Collaborative.

"This is our town," Deborah said as the meeting opened.

The University Heights Collaborative is currently undergoing administrative change and has no president, but David Ellerbrock, Ph.D., has been recognized as one of the major candidates for the position.

According to Ellerbrock, the Collaborative is a group of residents and community members who monitor the Heights for signs of trouble, and work with local agencies such as the police to brainstorm ideas for area improvement.

"If there was a residence community within the Heights, the Collaborative would be it," he said in an interview.

Attending the Collaborative meeting were community members and permanent residents, Collaborative members, Student Life representative Mary Clare Fahey and Buffalo Police Officer D. Floyd.

Also in attendance was Sheryl, a UB professor. She described a "real distinction" between problem students and those who obey the city's 11 p.m. noise ordinance.

"We're tired of it," she said. "I love my students. The ones I know wouldn't do this. I understand (students) want to party, but they need to be reasonable."

She added, "What we need is police presence."

Officer Floyd responded to the complaint. "I understand the concerns of the community," he said. "I also live very near the campus, so I know what the problem is like. We will be shutting down parties that get out of hand."

Deborah described an incident during which she observed a Buffalo police officer ignoring students with open containers of alcohol.

"I've sat there and watched drug buys," she said. "What can we do?"

Before the meeting was adjourned, several "problem houses" we listed by the group. One of them was 82 Merrimac St.

The following day, a house fire at 84 Merrimac St. destroyed the home of an elderly resident who did not wish to be named. Next door, fire marshals on the scene spotted beer kegs in the back yard of student resident Ken Cadmus.

"As we were investigating the house fire, we noticed the garbage hazard," said fire marshal Kevin Lozano.

According to Cadmus, inspector Brian Hayden proceeded to pin him against a building and shout threats.

Lozano denied the statement.

"That's not true," he said. "He was very mean and nasty and we just said to cut the crap."

Lozano went on to explain, "We're fire marshals, so if they resist we have the ability to make an arrest. We never have any resistance; they always comply."

The police report stated that a phone call complained of a noise violation at 4 p.m. Buffalo police responded and cited the kegs.

Cadmus did not approve of the method used to investigate his back yard and claimed he was the only person home at 4 p.m.

"We're definitely being harassed," he said.

"This neighborhood has changed, everyone around here is trouble," said one witness of the house fire on Merrimac St.

Bonnie, a Heights resident, wishes residents would call the local area University Park.

"The term Heights has become a pejorative term to describe a place to go and party. The past three years have been a nightmare," she said.

Her biggest complaint is noise violations, which break the city's noise ordinance.

"I think it's long overdue that the University takes responsibility for its students."

At the Collaborative meeting, Deborah questioned the University's bus schedule.

"Why do these kids need bussing at 2 o'clock at night?"

Bonnie went on to add, "I got my graduate degree at UB. And I will not donate a penny to this university until I am assured a good night's sleep."

"We don't provide a police presence in the Heights, so it doesn't really apply to us," said University Police Chief Gerald Schoenle on the state of Heights crime.

According to Schoenle, the University Heights district falls outside UB territory, so criminal incidents are handled by the Buffalo Police.

DeGeorge responded to complaints of lacking police presence.

"I think it's fair to say that everybody wants more police. We're trying to do more. Violent crime has been down every month in the city of Buffalo since last year," he said.

DeGeorge stressed the importance of reporting suspicious activity immediately and urges students to visit the Department's Web page at www.bpdny.org.

"Today, everybody's got a cell phone," he said. "If you see something suspicious, please call 911, and we'll do our best to take it from there."