RESIDENTS PRESS TOWN TO BUY LAND OWNED BY NUNS

Buffalo News,   January 11, 1998  by Patrick Lakamp and Niki Cervantes

       Eileen Torre and her supporters started working the phones this week, asking Amherst residents to swamp Town Hall with telephone calls urging the town to buy almost 100 acres of prime undeveloped land owned by the Sisters of St. Francis.

       "They've got to vote yes," said Ms. Torre, who launched a neighborhood petition drive earlier this year to prevent commercial development of the property. "We want them to move on it quickly. The nuns aren't going to wait forever.

       Some critics say the town should wait that long.

       At most, the town should acquire a strip of land along Ellicott Creek so residents can fish, said town Council Member William L. Kindel, who would prefer that a developer buy the parcel and donate the creek bed and bank to the town.

       The town has a chance to buy the parcel, just to the north of Williamsville, and town leaders will meet Monday to hear details about the nuns' asking price. The parcel, which is crossed by Ellicott Creek, features bridges, an apple orchard and a motherhouse bigger than Town Hall.

       It is a popular spot for residents who like to take walks.

       Town Attorney Phillip A. Thielman said the Sisters of St. Francis have a price in mind, but would say only that it is more than $1 million. Another source said the order wants $4 million for the parcel.

       At the moment, board members, who are undecided on whether to buy the land at 400 Mill St., say they want to hear more from Thielman next week.

       But judging from initial comments, members of the seven-member Town Board are divided on the idea.

       Kindel is squarely opposed to it.

       Town Council Member Daniel J. Ward, a Democrat, said he is "not totally opposed" but is concerned about price.

       "You can't spend unlimited amounts of money," he said. "There is no unlimited amount of money in the town."

       Ward also said he believes Williamsville receives a disproportionate amount of money and attention from the town, while Eggertsville, where he lives, and other neighborhoods "get nothing but the tax bill."

       Michael G. McGuire, a Town Board member, said he would like to see the federal, state or county governments contribute to buy the land and perhaps transform the motherhouse into a refuge for homeless veterans.

       McGuire said $4 million would be too much for the town to afford alone.

       "It'd be an expensive park," he said.

       Supervisor Susan J. Grelick and Town Council Member James P. Hayes said they like the idea of preserving the site as undeveloped land as long as the price is reasonable.

       Deputy Supervisor Peggy Santillo is enthusiastic about buying the property.

       "You can't think of it as just a piece of property," Mrs. Santillo said. "Any amount would be worth it because that land is beautiful, gorgeous space. It's the last piece of open space in southeast Amherst.