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5 Tips to Successful Plantings in REALLY BIG POTS

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Super-jumbo pots in my book are those that are at least 32 inches in diameter. I often have to chuckle to myself when I ask someone, “What size pot do you have?” They tell me it is a “really big pot” and when I ask them to measure it, they say it is 18” or maybe even 20”. In the desert heat, for successful full sun potted gardens, we must plant in large pots. But when I refer to large pots, I am talking about nothing smaller than 20” and I prefer much larger. With the soil volume you have in these larger pots, the roots of your plants have a fighting chance to keep their cool. For the sake of conversation, let’s refer to “really big pots” as “RBP’s”.

Since they do take up a lot of space, you want to think about using RBP’s where they can serve a specific function in your home’s exterior design. They might become a focal point — with or without a planting. They might break up the monotony of a large flat wall of your back yard. Another use might be to support a large planting of a vine, shrub or small tree. This planting may serve the purpose of hiding an eyesore, provide screening from your nosy neighbors or provide you with fruit from a fruit tree.

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  • A Really Big Pot at Harlow Gardens

Your best bet when deciding what to plant in super-sized pots is to choose plants that you will either be replacing each year such as annual flowers or to plant slow growing plants. Most nursery plant tags will say what the rate of growth is for that particular plant. I made the mistake one year of planting evergreen pistache trees in 32” pots. Those trees, with all the love and care of regular water and food outgrew the pots in less than a year. The trees were not overly large but the root system could not grow large enough in the pots to support their canopy.

Here are some basic tips on how to handle your RBP’”.

1. Make a firm decision as to where you want the pot placed before planting it. Ever tried to lift a 22” container garden filled with dirt and plants? I have, and it can be overwhelmingly heavy. Once planted, an “RBP” will be virtually impossible to move. To do so will require that you empty it of all the plants and soil. Therefore — be sure!!

2. This is the question I get asked the most: If you know you are planting shallow or medium rooted plants in an RBP, do not fill the entire pot with soil. If you are planting small perennials or annuals, you can fill the lower 2/3 of the pot with other material. When planting a small shrub type plant, you need more soil volume but you can still fill the bottom 1/3 with non-organic material. Gardeners have used soda bottles or cans, packing peanuts and nursery cans to bottom fill their pots. (DO NOT use rocks!! — they just make the pot heavier!)
NOTE: I recommend that you cover whatever material you use with a sheet of landscape fabric. This will also water to go through but will help maintain the soil above the fillers.

3. Do not fill your pot with soil from your garden — even if your garden has the very best soil on the planet. Garden soil is heavy and “dirty” (you know, replete with weed seeds, bugs and their eggs, bacteria — stuff that you don’t want in your pots), and it will not drain properly in a pot.
Instead, use a good potting soil (also called potting mix or container mix). Potting soil is well aerated, sterile, lightweight, and made of a good balance of organic material and mineral particles like peat, sand, or perlite. (Potting soil is actually soil less. That is, it doesn’t contain any dirt.) When choosing a potting soil, it should smell and feel rich. It will not be sandy or smell like manure.

4. When planting a tree in an RBP, DO fill it completely full with soil. Trees also need to be planted in solidly based pots in order to reduce the tipping factor. The base of the pot should be almost as large as the top of the pot when a tree is planted. Our desert winds have been known to blow over many pots even when super-sized!

5. If you plant a large plant in an RBP, you do not need to change out all the soil every few years like you do in smaller pots. Instead, each year remove a top layer of old soil and add new soil along with time-release fertilizer. Mix it all in with the old soil as much as you can without severely disturbing the root system. Keep the soil level at the same depth as before to not entirely cover the root or trunk any deeper than it was originally planted.

By following these guidelines and standard methods of planting in pots, you can enjoy terrific potted gardens for many, many years!

If you would like to receive Monthly Potted Garden tips – sign up for the Potted Desert Newsletter.

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Marylee is the founder and former owner of Tucson’s The Contained Gardener. With more than 15 years of successfully designing and growing potted gardens in the desert’s challenging and oftentimes harsh climate, Marylee has become known as the Desert’s Potted Garden Expert. Marylee is available for in-home or digital consultations and you can always email her with your questions and comments. Follow The Potted Desert on Facebook!

Architectural elements of classical design in Jiangsu

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Classical gardens in Jiangsu province were mostly built adjacent to private residences. The past owners of the gardens were usually retired government officials, who took the natural landscape as their model for creating artistic garden scenery. They would invite the social elite to gatherings in their gardens.

The gardens were therefore, in effect, a continuation of the living space, which gave rise to the practice of a lifestyle of leisure and refined pursuits sought by intellectuals.

This preference featured idealized routines of daily life, including reading, painting, writing and reading out poetry, playing music, tasting tea and wine, playing chess and banqueting.

The practical nature of garden living hence required the gardens to be functional with architectural structures of a great variety, all designed to be in tune with the grace of the natural landscape of the garden.

As such, the crafting of classical gardens was designed to create a utilitarian as well as aesthetic living space where the natural and manmade worlds were closely incorporated. The following aspects were all considered:

1. Water features

Some garden designers used water features as the theme of the garden. Bodies of water located in the middle of the garden were surrounded by pavilions and halls connected by verandas. Small bridges crossed the water to provide easy access. In a large pond, it was advisable to add some islets.

Situated near the Yangtze River, Jiangsu has the advantage of easy access to the river to build water features. In addition to artistic concerns, the ponds and streams were also used to provide irrigation and lessen the risk of fire.

Verona Environmental Commission selects new chairperson

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When Jerry Shimonaski reached his 76th birthday over the summer, he celebrated another anniversary. This year marked his 10th as a member of the Verona Environmental Commission, with the last six as its chairman.

Current and former chairpersons for the Verona Environmental Commission, Gloria Machnowski and Jerry Shimonaski, look over some forms.

With the decade of service in tow, Shimonaski decided to make a change and stepped down from his post. However, he will remain with the organization while working with his successor, Gloria Machnowski.

“It was time for another member to become the chair and move the [commission] to new heights,” Shimonaski said.

The longtime leader of the group spent about half of the association’s history as an affiliate, after its establishment in 1992. Now Shimonaski shifts to the role of vice chairman. Machnowski first joined the commission in 2009 as the webmaster for the group’s website, she said, before moving up to vice chair. She will hold her latest position as chairwoman until the end of June of 2016, as the appointments were officially approved by the Township Council during its Sept. 16 meeting.

Councilman Kevin Ryan, the liaison to the Verona Environmental Commission, said he recommended Machnowski and after speaking to his colleagues, it became a unanimous decision to select her.

“[Machnowski] will bring a lot of energy and good ideas,” Ryan said, “and I think [Shimonaski] will be the other person to tell you that.”

Ryan referred to Shimonaski’s tenure as “distinguished” and believed he groomed Machnowski to succeed him in the role, and will continue to do so.

A fixture at meetings throughout Verona, some of the accomplishments of the commission during Shimonaski’s reign include the creation of its website, the inception of the annual Peckman River cleanup, and a commitment to several “Idle Free” campaigns to attempt to sway people not to leave their vehicle’s engine running while parked. He also pointed to the organization’s purchase of an Enviroscape in 2007, a 3-D model now used by two H.B. Whitehorne Middle School science teachers to help eighth-graders learn about pollution.

Machnowski now presses on with her eye on current and future projects for the group as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. To commemorate the milestone, she said they plan to plant a shade tree and place a plaque by the playground at the Verona Community Center. Other initiatives include the fifth year of the middle school poster contest for “Idle Free Verona” and a walk to school day on Oct. 9, plus work with the township council to switch from synthetic pesticides to organic landscaping care.

“I think it’s going to be an excellent team,” Ryan said of the future of the commission. “We have a lot of good people so we’re looking forward to some good things in the coming year.”

Email: jongsma@northjersey.com

Erie County Real Estate Transactions

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ALDEN

• 636 Two Rod Road, Scott E. Regdos; Michele M. Regdos to Mary Scotland; Michael Weiss, $170,500.

AMHERST Highest price: $694,900 Average price: $189,282 Median price: $172,000 Number of Sales: 60

• 225 Via Foresta Lane, Cynthia A. Boggs; Mark E. Blankenberg to Patricia M. Marchiori; Gary A. Marchiori, $694,900.

• 53 Nature Cove Court, Anucha Browne Sanders to Wooksoo Kim; Isok Kim, $480,000.

• 8 Snyderwoods Court, Lawrence S. Lewis to Michele P. Batt; Paul V. Batt Jr., $463,000.

• 44 Laurel Lane, Roger B. Grady; Laurie A. Grady to Thinle Chodon; Richard C. Koya, $445,000.

• 104 Levin Lane, Michael B. Dixon; Amy J. Dixon to Lauren Gugino; Joseph D. Gugino; Joseph A. Gugino; Joanne M. Gugino, $406,000.

• 15 Woodhaven Road, Alphonso O’Neil-White to Elizabeth McAllister Nolan, $390,000.

• 35 Brambly Court, Brandon S. Davids; Alana K. Davids to Jaekyung Lee, $379,000.

• 44 Hampton Hill Drive, Jan Partnership; Arlene B. Benson to Michael E. Ferrick; Carole L. Ferrick, $342,500.

• 17 Rana Court, Todd E. Plinke; Melisa A. Plinke to Jyotsna Rajeswary, $340,000.

• 237 Londonderry, Susan M. Sawicki to Brandon S. Davids; Alana K. Davids, $320,000.

• 45 Hobnail Drive, Alexandra Tzetzo Morphis to Judith W. Stafford; David G. Stafford, $320,000.

• 268 Meadowview Lane, Renee Schwarzberg; Renee Kaye to John C. Eberl; Joanna M. Eberl, $309,900.

• 183 Plantation Court, Purnima A. Shah; Ashit S. Shah to Joanne Carol McMahon; Edward J. McMahon, $287,900.

• 50 Deer Ridge Court, Peter N. Cavaretta to Barbara B. Taggart, $260,000.

• 1 St. Charles Court, Concetta Thrasher to Jean M. Servis; Gust D. Servis, $252,500.

• 145 Telfair Drive, James W. McGill; Frances E. McGill to Sihem Bihorel; Sebastien K. Bihorel, $242,000.

• 24 North Drive, Michael P. Lapierre; Michael F. Lapierre to John Richard Mitchell, $239,500.

• 173 Fruitwood Terrace, Kathleen A. Nicosia to Christopher J. Rogers, $232,000.

• 11 Dappled Drive, Jessica L. Winkelman; Jason S. Winkelman to Mark Hajnos, $229,000.

• 16 Wood Acres Drive, Louis A. Magnano; Lea M. Magnano to Marta Gorino; Charles Gorino, $228,500.

• 79 Hyledge Drive, Walter P. Duszynski; Fedora F. Duszynski to Michael J. Wilks, $215,000.

• 246 Roycroft Blvd., Annette Bergsland; Patrick McCarthy to Caterina Berti, $214,900.

• 25 Southwind Trail, Matthew L. Fitzgibbons; Jacqueline M. Fitzgibbons to Varun Chandola, $211,000.

• 63 Westchester, David A. Casion to Peter Zimmerman; Angela M. Zimmerman, $200,000.

• 640 646 656 Heim Road, Robert R. Boroszko to Julie M. Pilon; John R. Pilon, $190,000.

• 66 Olney Drive, Lauri Romeo to Xiaojun Liu, $190,000.

• 205 Smallwood Drive, George D. Basil; Elenie D. Basil to Ginger L. Baker, $181,675.

• 70 Briar Row, Nancy H. Naylon; Richard E. Naylon Sr. to Cheryl A. Tulumello; James P. Karas, $181,000.

• 14 Chateau Terrace, Edit Norton to Michael C. Nusinov, $179,900.

• 95 Parkwood Drive, Mark F. Manzella to Lauren M. Powers; Aaron P. Powers, $179,000.

• 55 Shire Drive South, Monica Padmanabha; Ravi P. Padmanabha to Tracy L. McCoy, $178,000.

• 16 Gatewood Lane, George Smilanich IV; Michelle C. Strasser to Angelica Martino; Brandon S. Martino, $175,000.

• 172 Lehn Spring Drive, Marie J. McLouth; Allan R. McLouth to Louis J. Palmer; Kerri A. Palmer, $172,000.

• 132 Hickory Hill Road, Peter Zimmerman; Angela M. Zimmerman to Joseph N. Nagel; Mary M. Bonora, $163,000.

• 50 Lyrae Drive, Thomas G. Moyer; Maureen O. Moyer to Candance Carlson; Stewart T. Eckert, $159,900.

• 2350 Kensington Ave., Scott G. Harvey; Kelsey A. Harvey to Kimberly D. Nelson, $152,000.

• 101 Forest Edge Drive, Madelyn Yurko; Michael Yurko to Julie A. Avarello, $150,000.

• 292 Mount Vernon Road, Maureen A. Burke to Ronald J. Myers; Gillian J. Myers, $150,000.

• 34 Hillside Drive, Susan Olear Kolenko; Michael D. O’Lear to Robin Brown; Coralie R. Brown, $150,000.

• 430 Darwin Drive, Leslie Sim; Leslie Adamczyk; Kristen Ruszala; Kristen Adamczyk to Jeffrey F. Wojcicki, $147,500.

• 100 Yorktown Road, William Baaki to Ronald Stilwell II, $140,800.

• 402 Winterset Court, Amy M. Jasinski to Thomas J. Hanifin, $138,000.

• 142 North Drive, Kathleen Thomas; Kathleen S. Thomas to Daniel J. Jeffrey; Breanne E. Finucane, $137,000.

• 276 Bernhardt Drive, Paul Deiana-Molnar; Meagan K. Ayer to Lori Illuzzi, $128,500.

• 390 Kaymar Drive, Sarah N. Moore; Nicholas P. Moore to Curtis Anthony; David P. Rodriguez, $125,000.

• 75 Guilford Lane, Eric M. Soehnlein; Sarah L. Niland to Harriet R. Konovitz, $125,000.

• 371 S. Cayuga Road, Jillian L. Koehn to Judith D. Duffey; Donald J. Duffey, $124,500.

• 849 Wehrle Drive, Sally J. Helmbrecht; Daniel L. Helmbrecht to Nicole S. Lawler, $119,000.

• 16 Robin Road, Jonathan T. Kleinhans to Marcia M. Achatz, $110,000.

• 83 Emma Way, TK Property Holdings to Forbes Homes Inc., $100,000.

• 297 Grover Cleveland Highway, Cheng J. Yan to Michael E. Failla; Doris J. Failla, $98,000.

• 144 Meadow Lea Drive, Loretta Haremza; Christine Haremza; Emil S. Haremza; James J. Haremza to Rebecca L. Dickinson, $95,000.

• 72 Buckeye Road, Richard E. Mollenkopf-Grill; Serena K. Millenkopf-Grill to Hua Yang; Yan Li, $87,500.

• 640G Youngs Road, Marnie Grossberg; Jeffrey Grossberg to Kenneth Grossberg, $80,000.

• 4129 Bailey Ave., Kirk Sherwood to Matthew R. Tobias, $71,762.

• 95 Old Lyme Drive, Leola C. Reyders to Judy K. Deavers, $70,000.

• 5H Cambridge Square, Andrea J. Willert to Jeff Wang; Lucy Wang, $67,500.

• U8-8 Hickory Hill Road, Michelle Ann MacArthur; John H. MacArthur to Lisa Lalonde, $50,000.

• 12 Stanton St., Bruce C. Miller to Diane M. Smith, $40,000.

• 59 Acacia Drive, Lynne Pfeiffer to Gene Chaba, $13,900.

AURORA/EAST AURORA

• 34-36 Center, Minerva Smith; Minvera Barber to Audrey Slanovich; Martin A. Slanovich, $142,000.

• 2101 Grover Road, Carol Buchner Smith to Weston J. Ulrich; Andrea A. Reese, $140,000.

• 2055 Lewis Road, Rita Jean Brough; John L. Brough to Lisa M. Lun, $139,000.

• 428 South St., Robert T. Barrett to Ambitious Enterprises Inc., $115,000.

• 659 Oakwood Ave., Seebald Development to Urban Innovations, $115,000.

• 20 Stewart Court, Creekside Development to ,$65,000.

• 128 Olean St., Patrick M. Pierce to Jack R. Smith II, $40,000.

BOSTON

• 6949 Pin Oak Drive, Alliance Construction of WNY Inc. to Tracy M. Crawford; Timothy P. Crawford, $325,016.

• 7611 Back Creek Road, Michael J. Fairl; Lori W. Fairl to AnhLy-Stevens; Todd Stevens, $250,000.

• 8867 Greenbrier Terrace, Sunset Custom Homes Inc. to Michael S. Lewandowski; Karen A. Lewandowski, $195,000.

• 7436 Chestnut Ridge Road, Ellen Beckwith to Jennifer L. Gannon, $191,500.

• Vacant Land/Zimmerman Road, Charles Hodges; Sandra Gayle Hodges to Eric Mayer, $140,000.

• 7018 Sunset Lane, Randi J. Misener; Erin L. Misener to David D. Yoviene, $119,900.

• Vacant Land/Woodlee Court, Patricia R. Weigel; James R. Weigel to Neil Lipke, $115,000.

BUFFALO Highest price: $1,195,000 Average price: $127,278 Median price: $37,500 Number of Sales: 89

• 3045 Bailey Ave., JP Group Llc to Royal Crown Llc, $1,195,000.

• 1231 William St., Diversified Storage to 1237 William Street Llc, $570,000.

• 665 West Ferry St., Jeremy Allen; Heather S. Allen to Hope Joy-Homsi; Husain Syed, $520,000.

• 406 Linwood Ave., Seymour Investments to Chapin 406 Linwood Llc, $450,000.

• 578 Richmond Ave., Kathryn J. Saiia to Patrick Ward; Cara E. Calabrese, $275,000.

• 193 Norwood Ave., Sean S. Driscoll; Danette A. Driscoll to Daniel T. Boland, $252,000.

• 21 Rachel Vincent, Dato Development to Gail Robinson-Horton; Timothy T. Horton, $240,403.

• 963 Parkside Ave., Lee A. Takats to Robert F. Gannon; Mary C. Gannon, $230,000.

• 1155 Amherst St., Joan T. Ricotta to Maryann C. Petrella; Lida T. Petrella; Joseph M. Petrella, $215,000.

• 194 Vorhees Ave., Timothy Roehl to Diana Wagner, $199,100.

• 175 Sterling Ave., Robert F. Gannon to Michael F. Pizzuto; Audrey G. Pizzuto, $185,500.

• 38 40 Winspear Ave., UA Group to Barbara J. Dunn, $180,000.

• 1108 Parkside Ave., Ryan A. Dimillo to Margaret L. Knapp, $175,000.

• 31 Waverly St., Marrano/Marc Equity Corporation to Virginia Nailor, $172,195.

• 396 Pratt St., Louis Watts Jr.; Veronica A. Graham to Dorothy A. Perry, $170,000.

• 553-555 Colvin Ave., Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $152,000.

• 46 Parker Ave., DKR Mortgage Asset Trust to Enamul Malik, $150,100.

• 361 Beard Ave., Pearl Peoples; Franklin Stachowiak; Pearl Mae Ethridge Peoples; Pearl Mae Peoples; Pearl E. Peoples to Fannie Mae, $149,681.

• 35 Revere Place, Molly B. Eldridge; Brian J. Eldridge II to Nicholas M. Calandra, $141,000.

• 1757 Hertel Ave., Hope R. Jay to Ryan Cox, $139,900.

• 148 Carmel, Frank P. Barbara to James R. Heidrich, $129,000.

• 89 Crestwood Ave., Melina Napoli; Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $116,000.

• 361 Beard Ave., Fannie Mae to Brendan Murphy, $112,420.

• 71 Commonwealth Ave., Melina Napoli; Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $104,000.

• 330 Linden Ave., Melina Napoli; Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $100,000.

• 110 Commonwealth Ave., Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $96,000.

• 629 Starin, Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $96,000.

• 639 Linden Ave., Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $92,000.

• 142 Prospect, Bloom Management Inc. to Western New York Property Investors Inc., $90,000.

• 348 Cumberlan, Christopher C. Werely to Benjamin C. Turcan, $90,000.

• 30 Dakota St., Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $88,000.

• 384 Willett St., Diane Wieszala; Steven Wieszala to Jonathan D. Sarzyniak, $85,000.

• 222 Crestwood Ave., Melina Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $84,000.

• 34 Nicholson, Chelbi L. Abram to Alexandra M. Viscuso; Daniel C. Palmer, $79,300.

• 115 Seventeenth St., 115 Seventeenth Llc to Margaret E. Zindle, $70,000.

• 58 Allegany St., Mary C. Nelson to Theresa Donohue; Francis P. Donohue, $69,500.

• 13 Spann St., Judith Chwirut; John Terpin; Karen Reszel to Michael Caligiuri, $69,000.

• 63 Albert Ave., Mary C. Corp; Kenneth G. Corp. to Dina Dahal, $68,000.

• 2138 Niagara St., Mark T. Williamson to Iqbaljeet Kaila, $67,278.

• 75 Davey St., Irene Wachowski; Peter Wachowski to ME International Real Estate, $67,250.

• 491 Grant St., 491 Grant Street Inc. to Khaled Handal, $64,000.

• 471 Prospect Ave., Annette Fontanez; Ruben Fontanez to SKM Properties Inc., $60,000.

• 82 Albert Ave., Kelli L. Pohancsek to Dhanapati Dahal, $60,000.

• 589 West Utica, Francisco Borges to 716 Holdings Llc, $58,000.

• 354 Okell St., HUD to Karen K. Parisi, $55,026.

• 84 Seventeenth St., Ryan C. Pierce to 84 Seventeenth Llc, $51,000.

• 132 Rhode Island St., Serio Development to Rhode Island Llc, $50,000.

• 332 Roesch Ave., Rachel M. Brzezinski to Justine Jaeckle, $50,000.

• 97 Mariemont Ave., Household Finance Realty Corporation of New York to Daryl Ervolina; Russell Fulton, $47,400.

• 61 Depot St., Schutte-Buffalo Hammermill Llc to Gerald Kaminski; Kathleen Kaminski, $47,000.

• 87 Eaglewood Ave., Mary E. McLaughlin to Jennifer Pahl; James Pahl, $45,000.

• 29 Duerstein St., Cashflow Properties to Dayyer Group,$43,811.

• 1983-1985 South Park Ave., Stella Tomczak to Richard Magyar, $40,000.

• 874 Hertel Ave., Russel Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $40,000.

• 110 Grove St., Fannie Mae to Christopher J. Fuqua, $39,000.

• 14 Auchinvole Ave., Lourdes Iglesias; Lourdes T. Iglesias to Lindsay L. Trinh, $37,500.

• 112 Beatrice, Charlotte Maylone Swider; Edward Donald Swider; Charlotte M. Swider to Jason M. Swider, $36,000.

• 41 Dempster St., Michael Sinski to Louverna L. Woods, $35,500.

• 203 Shirley Ave., Fariha Samad; Vicar Samad to Ahed Kurd, $33,000.

• 107 Johnston St., Mary E. Ricks-Stephens to Ali Azam, $32,000.

• 115 Military Road, Melina Napoli to Nickel City Rental Group, $32,000.

• 1441 E. Delavan Ave., Syed Kabli to Cashflow Properties, $30,000.

• 28 Melvin, Stephanie Vincent to Diane V. Hanna; Daniel R. Hanna, $30,000.

• 85 Moreland, Margaret Schnibbe to Cecilia Brody, $30,000.

• 108 Geary St., Marcore Properties Inc. to Iqbaljeet Kaila, $27,419.

• 133 Aldrich Place, Marcore Properties Inc. to Iqbaljeet Kaila, $27,419.

• 54 Macamley, Doris B. Szen; Jeanne A. Bottomley to Rashiem Graham, $26,500.

• 142 Vincennes St., Ahmed A. Alode to Laura Kelly, $26,000.

• 5 Boone St., Eric Lewis to Wendy Hine; Ian Ruble, $25,450.

• 208 Riverside Ave., Helen Korbut to Rodolfo Macareag, $25,300.

• 39 Trowbridge St., Gary P. Griffin to Sandra Abdallah; Chuck Abdallah, $25,000.

• 75 Chadduck Ave., Christine Virtuoso; Victor N. Farley to Wende Nostro, $25,000.

• 99 Forman, Peter J. Donaldson to Corey J. Williams, $25,000.

• 2012 Seneca St., Pensco Trust Company; Toboada Julio to Scott J. Holmes, $24,500.

• 183 Breckenridge, Community Action Organization of Erie County Inc. to Katherine Pfohl, $22,000.

• 10 Frankfort Ave., Walter Mack Benton; Walter M. Benton to Crystal Viverette, $20,000.

• 321 Hampshire St., Hampshire Enterprises Limited to Elsadig Bashara, $20,000.

• 86 Benzinger, Dorothy M. Maniak to Eh Pooled Investments, $20,000.

• 113 Millicent Ave., Chanes Equities to Yehuda Lapian, $17,500.

• 45 Faye St., Patricia A. Shingledecker to Iqbal Ahmed, $15,000.

• 48 Theodore, Diane J. Gorney to Khalid Handal, $15,000.

• 501 Babcock St., Dawn M. Pettit to Kenneth J. Brown, $10,500.

• 84 Timon St., Clifford Washington to Arthur Springs, $10,500.

• 42 Richlawn, Jacqueline Hicks-Prophet to Ahmed Shahed; Zaheda Begum, $10,000.

• 58 Reservation, Thaddeus J. Pajak to Edward Dodge; Derek Zientara, $10,000.

• 157 Eaton, Mary J. East to Sarah Fonzi, $5,500.

• 15 Barthel St., Dierdre Hughes-Jackson to Mohammed K. Chowdhury, $5,000.

• 155 Keystone, Patrice Mims to Kabibur Rahman; Juel Ahmed, $5,000.

• 951-53 Sycamore, Rohsi Ma; Carana Sarly to Ecotrue Inc, $5,000.

CHEEKTOWAGA Highest price: $160,000 Average price: $112,040 Median price: $108,000 Number of Sales: 28

• 78 Cherrywood Drive, Michael T. Aquilino to Kristina Quirante, $160,000.

• 3260 Walden Ave., Sheila J. Justin to GJC Real Estate Holdings, $155,000.

• 39 Wainwright Road, Pamela Hanny; Gerald R. Hanny to Gregory M. Schoff; Alyssa E. Schoff, $139,000.

• 148 Croydon Drive, Regina Majewski; Daniel Majewski to Jennifer E. Missland; Eric J. Missland, $135,000.

• 85 Judith Drive, John C. Perrine to James H. Kushniruk; Heather M. Kushniruk, $125,000.

• 150 Suzette Drive, Vincenza Guzzo; Nunzio Guzzo; Jennie Guzzo; Nunzio Guzzo Jr. to Danette M. Fix, $120,000.

• 7 Dee Terrace, Margaret P. Gatta to Amanda L. Newhouse; Joel T. Barry, $120,000.

• 552 Rosary Blvd., Vanessa M. Nunemaker to Alexandra Kaible, $108,000.

• 83 Diane Drive, Erick J. Dustin to Mary Perna Greenwald; Joseph G. Perna; John F. Perna, $108,000.

• 67 Rossiter, Harry Sobolewski; Patricia E. Sobolewski; Gary A. Sobolewski to Michael P. O’Mara; Chelsea M. O’Mara, $105,000.

• 651 Mapleview Road, Jessica L. Bell to Daniel L. McDonough; Samantha A. Hahn, $104,000.

• 42 Creekside Drive, Michael Wagner; Michael W. Wagner to Cuong L. Pham, $95,000.

• 75 Sandy Lane, Jean M. Gandy to Shawn N. Warnes; Ryan C. Pierce, $95,000.

• 132 Toelsin Road, Janina Blaszak; Bogumil Blaszak to Guy A. Giordano, $94,000.

• 39 Olcott Place, Kenneth J. Mecca to Willie L. Blue Jr., $93,000.

• 65 Morris Circle, Julio Dos Ramos; Zodelba Dos Ramos to Nicole A. Thomas; James E. Thomas Sr., $90,000.

• 51 Glendale Lane, Jennifer L. Wierzbicki to Andrew Hambridge, $85,000.

• 7 Edmund St., David A. Woroniecki to Rachel M. Andolina, $75,000.

• 51 McNaughton Ave., Ian Adamski; Heather A. Adamski to Jillian M. Minotti; Alan J. Minotti, $73,900.

• 36 Allendale R, Gordon G. Johnston II to Demetria Burgin, $72,000.

• 94 Helen St., Henry E. Burdzy; Helen T. Burdzy to Bobbi Dee Kohnen, $59,360.

• 272 Cleveland Drive, Shari R. Gold to Kristen Sullivan; Joseph R. Sullivan, $59,254.

• 2182 Clinton St., Mohammed Almaisri to Michael J. Coronado, $37,100.

• 47 Hoerner Ave., Michael W. Divens; Christine A. Divens to Ewan Watson, $33,000.

• 181 Rutland Ave., Dennis Rydzynski; Kathy Hopkins; Kathleen Hopkins; Dennis J. Rydzynski; Kathleen A. Hopkins to Sarah A. Wujek, $29,229.

• 1085 Walden Ave., John Bistrow to Pinnacle Property Solutions of Western New York, $22,000.

• 181 Rutland Ave., John H. Ring III; Kathy Hopkins; Kathleen A. Hopkins to Sarah A. Wujek, $20,771.

• 425 French Road, Andrew R. Germann to Nursen Germann, $15,500.

CLARENCE

• 5090 Old Goodrich Road, Tonia Felber; Tonia A. Felber; Jerry A. Felber Jr. to Chrisnlinds Living Trust, $860,000.

• 8203 Pinestone Court, Rosaire Banks; Rosarie Banks; Peter J. Banks to 8203 Pinestone Llc, $438,500.

• 9120 Michael Douglas Drive, Sharon A. Campagna; Dennis J. Campagna to Roman P. Vega; Amanda F. Vega, $428,500.

• 8381 Black Walnut Drive, Patricia Schweizer; Edward M. Notarius to Ralph Valente; James J. Simonis, $405,000.

• 5312 Coyote Court, James K. Wicks to Jacqueline L. Winterhalter, $385,000.

• 9031 Michael Douglas Drive, Cit Mortgage Loan Trust; Mellon Bank of New York to Lavanya Lankipalli; Vanamali B. Lankipalli, $345,000.

• 9515 Bent Grass Run-B, Villas At Spaulding Green to Ronald K. Andrews; Kathleen A. Andrews, $313,241.

• 5097 Willowbrook Drive, Louise M. Szimonisz to Stefanie Zakowicz; Martin J. Zakowicz, $245,000.

• 5135 Hillcrest Drive, Scott D. Ortman; Julie A. Ortman to Louise A. Mallon, $222,000.

• 4136 Fireside Drive South, Jennifer Cuda; Jeffrey D. Fox to Susan C. Fagan; Andrew M. Fagan, $207,000.

• 5422 Village Station Circle, Cheryl K. Hendler to Dhana L. Hannibal, $205,500.

• 9564 Keller Road, Charles Gorino to Lauren Z. Eastlack; Aaron P. Eastlack, $169,000.

• 5070 Meadowbrook Road, Stanley T. Kolek; Beatrice T. Kolek to Nicholas A. Borden; Hannah E. Borden, $151,000.

• Vacant Land/5973 Wexford Manor, Patrick Wv Llc to Forbes Homes Inc., $100,000.

• 9725 Foxglove Court, Courts At Spaulding Green Llc; Blase W. Caruana to HDJ Builders Inc., $84,900.

COLDEN

• 8763 Falls Road, John A. Birkland III; Timothy P. Birkland; Eric S. Birkland to Erin L. Misener, $174,900.

• 8540 Hayes Hollow Road, Patricia Bove to Jeffrey M. Ramsey, $120,000.

• 68 Caroline Road, Sandra A. McKeever to Ryan McKeever; Heather M. McKeever, $50,000.

• 20 Union St., Harriet K. Sheldon to Constance M. Johnson, $29,000.

COLLINS

• Vacant Land/4400 East Becker Road, Jason R. Pawlak to Andrew Husul, $30,000.

CONCORD

• 12413 Sharp St., Ruth Maul; Rosemary R. Sutherland; Marcella L. Maul; Joel P. Maul to Rex J. Maul; Cheryl A. Maul, $112,211.

• 19 Elk St., Laurine M. Rozler; Frederick J. Rozler to Keene J. Gust, $52,890.

• 11275 Springville Boston Road, Ten Lives Club Inc. to Joseph J. Sciortino, $30,000.

EDEN

• 2611 W. Church St., William H. Sickau to Mary Alice Garlipp; Jared L. Garlipp, $198,000.

• 3169 E. Church St., Horst Mathwig; Helga Mathwig; Horst G. Mathwig; Helen A. Mathwig to Neil A. Cross, $145,000.

• 2346 New Jerusalem Road, Elizabeth Lester; Garra C. Lester to Peter Evenhouse, $139,500.

• 7144 Gowanda St Road, Pamela Boyd; Ronald L. Jaros; Steven M. Boyd; Pamela D. Boyd to Fannie Mae, $62,056.

ELMA

• 214 Townline Road, Gary B. Metz; Debra L. Metz to Edward J. Monheim; Dawn M. Monheim, $322,000.

• 77 Springbrook Shores Drive, Marrano/Marc Equity Corporation to Lorraine M. Jarczyk; Eugene T. Jarczyk, $307,968.

• 41 Winonan Road, Sharon M. Hornberger to Cindy L. Bork, $110,000.

EVANS

• 9755 S. Main St., Eileen Kauder; Gary A. Kauder to Jeanine L. Carrigan; George W. Carrigan, $260,000.

• 920 Lake St., Hogg Builders Inc. to Elizabeth L. Hogg, $170,900.

• 88 North Lane, Western New York Business Ventures Inc.; Pilgrim Properties Profit Sharing Plan; Daniel Glushefski to Annette Lee; Charles E. Lee, $144,160.

• 985 Church Road, First Baptist Church of Evans New York to Faith Bible Baptist Church, $140,000.

• 6730 Gates Drive, Paul J. Newman; Paul D. Newman; Marilynn L. Newman; Jason N. Newman to Judith A. Dziekonski, $108,000.

• 331 Taft Ave., Sara Kortum; Daniel Kortum to Samuel W. Hull, $99,900.

• 19 Allen St., Mark Ricci; Marlene Ricci; Marlene Burgett to Gerald C. Yeager, $91,100.

• 696 Beach Road, Paul W. Potoczak; Jean S. Potoczak to Alicia Marie Cornell, $90,000.

• 495 Peters Road, Jennifer V. Mombrea; Daniel J. Mombrea to Mary Pat Nichols; Joseph P. Nichols, $85,000.

• 171 Reeves Road, Dwight I. Thomson to Shannon Miller-Renaud, $65,000.

GRAND ISLAND

• 264 Havenwood Lane, John W. Stickl Construction Co. Inc. to Joseph F. Macaluso; Barbara J. Macaluso, $346,125.

• 121 Windham Lane, Ryan Homes of New York; Nvr Inc. to Eric M. Soehnlein; Sarah L. Niland, $275,987.

• 2085 Baseline Road, Evans Bank to Ronald L. Halleen; Cynthia D. Halleen, $258,000.

• 143 Cardinal Lane, Gloria Rees to Jarrad C. Mendel, $242,000.

• 462 Whitehaven Road, Ronald S. Maras; Cynthia M. Gioia to Thomas S. Allen; Nancy L. Allen, $201,000.

• 2125 S. Oakfield Road, Scott George; Amy M. George to Derek Ostrom, $194,500.

• 36 Settlers Row, Patrick S. Nelson; Linda T. Nelson to Colleen M. Lansberry; Bradley J. Lansberry, $189,000.

• 1320 Ransom Road, Michael R. Murray; Laura M. Murray to Lenin Gonzalez; Diana Kachurek Gonzalez, $173,000.

• 255 Laurie Lane, Barbara Quimby; James C. Quimby to Robert Richardson, $166,000.

• 3499 Sandy Beach Road, Gene Lopresti to Laurie L. Kalman, $132,250.

• 65 Crescent Road, Frances Molnar; Howard J. Molnar to Micah N. Easley; Christina M. Easley, $118,000.

• 37 Schwegler Road, Colleen M. Lansberry to Kristine M. Fahrer; Richard A. Fernandez Jr., $116,000.

• 25 Monica Road, Judy A. Loder to Lawrence Pilon, $115,000.

• 1844 Broadway, Jim Wise; James J. Wise to Laura Rizzuto, $113,000.

• 3469 Wallace Drive, Jacqueline Lunick to Colleen Harding; Nancy K. Magee, $91,500.

HAMBURG Highest price: $5,600,000 Average price: $841,288 Median price: $166,750 Number of Sales: 22

• 3701 Mckinley Parkway, BG McKinley II Llc to McKinley Enterprises, $5,600,000.

• 5036 Woodway Court, Steven P. McCarville to Timothy A. McCooey, $295,000.

• 2809 Coventry Green, Kristy Kelly; Joseph L. Castiglia to Michael J. Pierino; Jeanne L. Pierino, $220,500.

• 4750 Bayview Road, Debbie K. Moritz to Katie A. Diloro; Justin R. Diloro, $200,000.

• 3623 Cumberland Lane, Renee M. Romanowski; James J. Mecca to Nathan Volk; Sarah Lukacs, $187,900.

• 2178 Shadbush Way, Michael S. Lewandowski; Karen A. Lewandowski to Timothy P. Gleason; Melissa A. Gleason, $184,900.

• 4372 Rushford Drive, William R. Curry; Michael F. Curry; James M. Curry to Marcelline Buczkowski; Thomas F. Buczkowski, $180,000.

• 17 Dudley Ave., Ellen Zimmerman to Laura Tedesco, $177,000.

• 4769 Clifton Parkway, Michael D. Depue; Laura A. Depue to Richard Battaglia, $171,000.

• 3245 Queens Lane, Eric W. Sakovics to Joseph M. Nowicki, $162,500.

• 30 Kenton Place, Dorothy M. Bentley to Debbie K. Moritz, $145,900.

• 56 Highland Ave., Karen Wilcox; Craig M. Wilcox to Nicholas J. Getty, $145,000.

• 5380 Abel Road, Michael J. Pierino to Kristie M. Toth; Christopher R. Toth, $140,080.

• 4273 Mistymeadow Lane, Maureen E. Lounsbury; Ernest H. Lounsbury Jr. to Geoffrey M. Lehman, $140,000.

• 3611 Eric Trail, Robin L. Heer; Gregory B. Heer to Sarah R. Zielinski, $126,500.

• 5087 Mount Vernon Blvd., Jeneane Page to Amanda Phillips, $123,600.

• 4022 Sheldon Road, Grace L. Strnad to Matthew S. MacDonald, $120,000.

• 2174 Buttermilk Lane, W. Scott Leuthe to Harrell W. Little III, $118,000.

• 3735 Blair Court, Timothy G. Blevins to Bryan R. Baum, $115,000.

• 66-68 Allen St., Paul L. Knaus; Marlene R. Knaus to Ronald B. Collins; Judith M. Collins, $92,000.

• S3584 Abbott Road, Virginia Pohlman to Kimberly Koscielniak, $55,000.

• 4744 Mosey Lane, Highland Heights Development to Forbes Homes Inc., $40,000.

LACKAWANNA

• 27 Edgewood Place, Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation to Christopher A. Stephens, $60,000.

• 109 St. Jude Drive, Carole C. Barone to Daniel J. Barone, $56,000.

• 34 Autumn Lane, Mary Jane Dulinawka; John R. Dulinawka to Tami L. Dulski, $35,000.

• 36 Currant, Raymond Kowalski to Paul H. Flis Jr., $19,000.

LANCASTER

• 24 Sagebrush Lane, John F. Christopher; Brenda J. Christopher to Beth Anne Richter; Patrick M. Farrar, $324,500.

• 64 Sterling Place, Marrano/Marc Equity Corporation to Christina M. Lombardo; Anthony W. Carroll, $316,590.

• 302 Enchanted Forest North, Janice E. Gregor; Brian J. Gregor to John W. Galbraith, $235,000.

• 36 Stony Brook Drive, Carrie Ann Aman; John W. Aman to Denise M. Gibbs, $233,000.

• 324 Enchanted Forest North, Ronald N. Fix; Danette M. Fix to Stacey Foore; Michael L. Rhim, $227,000.

• 17 Stony Brook Drive, Karen M. Sweet; John B. Sweet to Molly A. Coppola; David G. Coppola, $225,000.

• 65 Pheasant Run Lane, Joanne O’Hara; Michael J. O’Hara to Vanessa M. Palumbo; Frank P. Palumbo, $207,000.

• 209 Belmont St., C. Marlenne Wolf to Judith A. McCoy; Daniel E. McCoy, $187,500.

• 21 Michael Anthony Lane, Ryan T. Scholotterbeck; Kelly M. Hamilton to Michael R. Eddy, $183,000.

• 8 Banner Ave., Anthony M. Whetstone to Paul M. Kukoda; Matthew A. Cornell, $175,000.

• 58 Briarwood Drive, Philip M. Columbus; Donna J. Columbus to Randall A. Moley; Crystal M. Fial, $162,500.

• 84 Doehaven Circle, Scott A. Santora to Karen E. Difrancesco, $157,000.

• 23 Winfield Ave., Patrick M. Farrar to Kristen K. O’Neill, $132,000.

• 41 Lakeside Crescent, Judith A. McCoy; Daniel E. McCoy to Annette Kulyk; Taras P. Kulyk, $130,000.

• 12 Harold Place, Margaret A. Kruse to Kenneth R. Agnello, $111,000.

• Vacant Land/Mount View, Margaret A. Kruse to Kenneth R. Agnello, $111,000.

• 16 Darwin Drive, Catherine Fenzel to Jeffrey J. Budzinski, $108,000.

• 120 Rumford St., John C. Carlson; Joan A. Carlson; David P. Carlson to David P. Carlson; Constance V. Carlson, $102,000.

• 79 Tyrell, Ryan Mahon; Steffanie A. Sherwood; Steffanie A. Mahon to Hayley J. Pickett, $99,000.

• 51 Irwinwood Road, Geraldine Hartman; Joseph W. Hartman; Dennis P. Cleary to Fannie Mae, $93,515.

• 47 Irwinwood Road, Patricia Schill; Robert F. Schill to Laure Kolb, $73,000.

• 8 Lavarack Ave., MM Asset Holdings to Great Places Llc, $50,000.

• 2052 Como Park Blvd., Mona C. Elser to JM Construction Landscaping, $30,000.

NEWSTEAD

• Vacant Land/Maple Road, Stefan Frederick Pannella to Aaron N. Handzlik, $10,000.

NORTH COLLINS

• 10635 Dewey Ave., Beneficial Homeowner Service Corporation to Brian Guyette, $11,000.

ORCHARD PARK

• 23 Soldier Wood Circle, Joseph A. Jusko to Jennifer Scott; William H. Scott III, $373,600.

• 250 Lawrence Woods, Audrey Cannizzaro; William S. Lukasiak to Laura Depue; Michael Depue, $364,000.

• 92 Henning Drive, Ludonna M. Braymiller; David C. Braymiller to Pamela R. Hanny; Gerald R. Hanny, $345,000.

• 260 Curley Drive, Carl Nels Anderson; Linda Anderson to Daniel Beres; Lisa N. Tata, $320,000.

• 83 Fox Chapel Drive, William J. Roof; James J. Murray to Janet M. Biddle; James E. Biddle Sr., $304,000.

• 3 Concord Drive, John A. Krull to Mollie E. Sollecito; Jason L. Sollecito, $295,500.

• 10 Nieman Drive, Susan Suchak; Sudhir D. Suchak to Glenn V. Miller, $225,000.

• 64 North St., Lena E. Calabrese to Sarah Mcalpine Smonskey; Matthew Thomas Smonskey, $195,000.

• 50 Old Orchard Lane, Melinda L. Grabowski; David N. Grabowski to James Patrick Kull Jr., $192,500.

• 281 Elmhurst Drive, Mary B. Foyle; Joseph H. Foyle to Adam E. Scheiderer, $177,500.

• 6432 Armor Duells Road, Kevin G. Kolesar; Gail K. Kolesar to Judith M. Stewart, $145,000.

• 79 Bielak Road, William F. Serowski to Laurie A. Lemanski; Everett F. Lemanski, $142,500.

• 5299-B Chestnut Ridge Road, Rosanne Radigan to Harry N. Plotycia; Elaine F. Plotycia, $118,500.

• 5229-F Chestnut Ridge Road, Mark Nickles; Mallory M. McQuay to Nancy S. Whelan; Gregory F. Whelan, $112,000.

• Vacant Land/62 Golden Crescent Way, Pleasant Acres West Llc to Richard McCarthy; Melissa L. McCarthy, $99,000.

• 172 Bielak Road, Maureen E. Wilson; Patrick T. Duffey; Jeannine M. Cormier; Donna J. Cuddihy; Susan M. Deloach; June E. Duffey to Heather A. Barry; Dan T. Barry, $95,000.

• 5420 Lake Ave., Anthony Druzbik Jr.; Anthony N. Druzbik Jr. to Brian T. Druzbik, $85,000.

• Vacant Land/Powers Road, Margaret Mary Smith to Richard Wacienga, $12,500.

SARDINIA

• 11500 Mattson Corners Road, George D. Reinhardt to Kathleen N. Valvo; Brett A. Bell, $320,000.

CITY OF TONAWANDA

• 380 Ellicott Creek Road, Daniel A. Pellow to Daniel J. Gilbert, $170,000.

• 272 Brookside Terrace, Karen H. Collura; Charles M. Collura to Trang Nguyen, $135,000.

• 348 Utica St., Heather D. Rylas; Harrell W. Little III to Andrew S. Pecoraro; Jennifer A. Myers, $103,000.

• 637 Main St., TR Homes Properties Inc. to Irish Rose Properties, $100,000.

• 97 Maldiner Ave., Donald Dean Blackmon; Freda P. Blackmon to Lyudmila Chukhanenko; Aleksandr Chukhanenko, $95,000.

• 60 Delton St., Cynthia J. Zelie to Kendra J. Zelie, $40,000.

• 260 Kohler St., HUD to James Ventry, $23,000.

TOWN OF TONAWANDA Highest price: $242,050 Average price: $110,020 Median price: $108,750 Number of Sales: 36

• 70 Snug Haven Court, Jacqueline Winterhalter to Melissa G. Johnson; Dean R. Johnson, $242,050.

• 89 Ebling Ave., Robert A. Clark; Linda M. Clark to Kelli L. Thomas; Andrew P. Crawford, $179,000.

• 155 Bathhurst Drive, Melissa G. Johnson; Dean R. Johnson to Kathleen M. Johnson, $170,000.

• 34 Springfield Ave., Shawn M. Janas to Heather C. Rampino; Angelo J. Rampino, $160,000.

• 1252 Colvin Blvd., Susan M. Landi; Barry L. Landi to Paula Verde, $146,000.

• 156 Patricia Drive, Denise M. Manning to Karen Held, $139,777.

• 1060 Parkhurst Blvd., Moses Rivera; Selece D. Rivera to John Lafferty; Jonathan Lafferty, $136,500.

• 180 Blackstone Blvd., Richard S. Bramson to Matthew K. Linneborn; Jamie L. Evans, $128,500.

• 78 Keats Ave., Margaret M. Crawford; Lynne R. Crawford to Beau Lenihan, $128,000.

• 41 Stoneleigh Ave., William A. Kuhn to Christopher Wayne Morgan; Kimberly M. Morgan, $127,900.

• 100 Wrexham Court North, Lynn D. Harning to Eric D. Smith, $127,000.

• 158 Burnside, Rosemary Cicero-Sullivan; Carla M. Cicero to Robert P. Kindzia; Anne L. Kindzia, $126,000.

• 482 Niagara Falls Blvd., Mat Properties Inc. to Martin Maloney 401K Trust, $120,501.

• 261 W. Girard Blvd., Amy L. Strauss; Judy A. Buhler to Jacquelyn F. Neunder; Anthony M. Lamparelli, $120,310.

• 159 Calvin Court South, Sharon A. Wassmer; Gary J. Wassmer to Lori M. Kempski; John D. Alleca, $119,900.

• 32 Warren Ave., Kimberly A. Jetty; Jon P. Bowman to Sarah Tykowski, $118,000.

• 109 Nassau, KC Buffalo Enterprises to Jillian Burgio, $115,000.

• 34 Marquette, Carrie Hillery; Carrie E. Rose to Barbara Joanne Spatafora, $113,600.

• 71 Clark St., Paul C. Lavigne; Mary K. Lavigne to Ryan M. Henesey; Anna C. Henesey, $112,000.

• 68 West Girard Blvd., Joshua D. Sweers to Noel L. Burt, $109,500.

• 189 Wabash Ave., Gillian M. Stott; Cheryl M. Stott to Steven D. Koniarczyk, $108,000.

• 295 Dupont Ave., Jason R. Hart to Stephanie A. Bottita, $108,000.

• 216 Nassau Ave., Christopher Zera to Mark T. Wojciechowski; Deborah F. Wojciechowski, $107,500.

• 11 Fancher Ave., Joseph L. Tripi to Antonino P. Caserta, $101,000.

• 1567 Parker Blvd., Angelo J. Rampino; Heather C. Gillmor to Enrique E. Livingston, $100,800.

• 74 Liston St., Mary Beth Young-Ferolie; Carol Susan Young; Robin A. Olkowski; William N. Calos; Lois C. Calos to Peter J. Carpenter, $100,000.

• 244 Grandview Ave., Geraldine Grisante to Mark R. Tanski, $95,000.

• 2720 Colvin Blvd., Ronald T. Palmer to Sophia M. Garbarini; Michael P. Garbarini, $95,000.

• 31 Delaware Road, Laurie M. Domzalski; Gary A. Domzalski to Timothy M. Hirschbeck; Patricia A. Hirschbeck, $94,000.

• 465 Victoria Blvd., Jennifer Yaw to Philip Gregory Minkler, $93,600.

• 47 Fowler Ave., David C. Kothen to Michele H. Sveinsson; Patrick M. Conley, $89,900.

• 47 Parkwood Ave., Elise Martin; Deanna Martin; Gail F. Martin; Rachel Martin; Daniel Martin Jr. to Tamara Siefert, $85,000.

• 249 Woodlawn Drive, Donna L. Finnegan to Jason M. Czajka, $76,500.

• 58 Lynbrook Ave., Artisan Property Holdings to Shannon Stewart, $74,900.

• 369 Nassau Ave., Vladislav Arutyunov to David D. Durno; Mark A. Candino, $62,375.

• 1203 Tonwanda St., Norrietta E. Martene to Keith Kerr; Nancy Leona Kerr; Ashley Margaret Kerr, $15,000.

WALES

• Vacant Land/Strykersville Road, Patricia C. Virkler; Rebecca E. Schumacher; Kathleen R. Rogers to Joseph S. Swatland; Angela S. Swatland, $60,000.

WEST SENECA

• 701 Orchard Park Road, Leemilts Petroleum Inc. to Frontier West Seneca Llc, $325,000.

• 17 Taylor Drive, Kellie M. Jackson; David A. Jackson to National Residential Nominee Services Inc., $270,000.

• 3887 Seneca St., Robert S. Peet; Leslie A. Peet to 3887 Seneca Street Llc, $250,000.

• 42 Lillis Lane, Mark A. Kasperczyk to Margaret P. Gatta; James F. Gatta Jr., $210,000.

• 306 Fisher Road, TPS Real Properties Inc. to Thomas J. Knoop; Ashley L. Knoop, $199,900.

• 985 East West Road, Theresa M. Vella; Mary R. Pasco to Leszek M. Bak, $195,000.

• 4620 Clinton St., Michael Milewski to Micah A. Milewski, $170,000.

• 802 Seneca Creek Road, Gourlay Family; Linda M. Gourlay; John P. Gourlay to Christopher Kibler; Karen M. Kibler, $159,000.

• 4 Windtree Lane, Rosemarie Karaszewski; Donald J. Karaszewski to Eugene W. Biddeman III; Brandi P. Biddeman, $150,000.

• 36 Cardinal Lane, Judith P. Mullen; James M. Mullen to Kathleen R. Baker; Byron H. Baker Jr., $149,800.

• 104 Brookside, Nathan M. Manna; Elizabeth J. Manna to Geoffrey Schweikhard; Sarah Schweikhard, $126,000.

• 24 Marlow, Craig Gangloff to John M. Waara, $122,000.

• 200 Woodward Drive, Kean Crowe to Susan A. David; Natalie M. David, $118,000.

• 209 Chamberlin Drive, Kathleeen Mary Tangelder; Lawrence Edward Bauer; Helen Marie Bauer; Riobert Michael Bauer; Helen Bauer; Thomas William Bauer to Douglas R. Watson; Celeste M. Watson, $110,000.

• 4 Singer Ave., Lori Gleason; Stephen Gleason to Matthew M. O’Neill, $103,000.

• 94 Cathedral Drive, Phyllis L. Sterlace; Jerry L. Sterlace; Dennis J. Kozlowski; Dennis J. Koslowski; Gail M. Fitz-Gerald; Linda A. Banks to Michael T. Pittner; Lisa A. Oshei-Pittner, $100,000.

• 266 Wimbledon Court, Diana Duncan; Rosina L. Gibson to Patrick J. Rankin; Linda B. Rankin, $95,000.

• 1021 Reserve Road, Carolyn A. Smolarek to Frank Perez, $50,000.

• 55 Blossom Road, Dorothy G. Seifert; Carlton H. Seifert to Rosanne C. Paluch; Barbara A. Moran, $5,000.

Six Flags employees want to make a difference in community

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EUREKA, Mo. (KSDK) – Six Flags St. Louis is asking the community to help them find a project that will allow employees to volunteer to make a difference for a person, family, or non-profit organization.

Each November, after the park has closed for the season, employees take part in Project 6 Day to give back to the community. This will be the fifth year for the event, which uses employees to do various projects such as painting, cleaning, landscaping, filling food boxes, or performing minor repair work.

In the past, these projects have included work at Epworth Children’s Center, food pantries, Camp Wyman, and shelters.

Employees are asking for people to submit ideas. Anyone can send a submission, which must be mailed to Six Flags St. Louis, P.O. Box 60, Eureka, Mo. 63077 Attn. Public Relations. Submissions must be postmarked no later than Oct. 18.

For more information on the types of projects Six Flags is looking for, visit their website.

KSDK

Fear white influx will erase West Oakland history

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In 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale drafted the Black Panther manifesto in a two-bedroom bungalow on 57th Street in Oakland.

Last year, that house – refurbished with hardwood floors, drought-tolerant landscaping and quartz countertops – sold for $425,000.

Such is the story of West Oakland and its environs these days. The heart of African American culture in the Bay Area, if not the West Coast, is now a real estate agent’s dream. Thousands of transplants from San Francisco, mostly younger, mostly white people lured east by lower rents, have discovered the sunny enclaves of West Oakland and staked their claims.

“West Oakland is really vibrant right now. Young people, young families, are finding it to be an edgy, dynamic, urban place to live,” said Andrea Gordon, a top-producing real estate agent with Coldwell Banker’s Oakland office. “They can get a Victorian here that would cost $400,000 more a mile away in Rockridge.”

In some West Oakland census tracts, the number of white residents has doubled in the past 10 years, bringing their numbers to nearly equal with their African American counterparts. Asian and Latino residents have increased, as well.

Over the same period, thousands of African American families have left the neighborhood, mostly heading to eastern Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Some African Americans say the influx of white people has triggered a rise in rents and housing prices, pricing out black families from the neighborhoods their families have lived in for generations. Others say African Americans started leaving West Oakland years ago due to crime and schools, leaving vacancies for newcomers – in this case, mostly young people enticed by the good weather, proximity to San Francisco and block after block of affordable Victorians and ultramodern condos.

In any case, West Oakland looks a lot different than it did a decade ago. New condominiums have proliferated, old Victorians are undergoing renovations, shuttered factories are now artists’ studios, and blight has decreased. But gone, too, is a certain pride that sprung from what was once known as “Harlem of the West.”

“It hurts. I’m not going to say I’m content with this,” said Leander Muhammed, 34, a third-generation West Oakland resident who runs after-school and sports programs for kids in the neighborhood. “Suddenly there’s nonprofits and community gardens on every corner. Community gardens? I don’t get it – my granny was planting collards and tomatoes here for decades. It all seems crazy to me.”

Vibrant immigrant town

West Oakland is loaded with more history than possibly any other pocket of the East Bay, if not the Bay Area. It was one of the first American settlements in the East Bay, as thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, African Americans, Irish and others settled along the waterfront in the 1850s to work on the docks and later railroads.

Oakland grew out from the waterfront, but West Oakland remained pretty much the same: modest homes and businesses catering to dock, railroad and other industrial workers – most of whom were immigrants – and their families.

In the 1930s and ’40s, African Americans from Louisiana and Texas began pouring into West Oakland, most coming through the historic 16th Street train depot, and settled. African Americans had few choices about where they could live due to discriminatory housing covenants, but by nearly all accounts West Oakland was a thriving, vibrant community. In fact, it was the largest African American community in Northern California.

Seventh Street was lined with upscale restaurants and jazz clubs on what was known as the Chitlin Circuit. Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, among others, were regular performers. Black-owned florists, barbershops and groceries flourished. Just about everyone knew each other.

MC Hammer, Pointer Sisters

“We didn’t even lock our doors,” said Ellen Wyrick Parkinson, who’s lived in West Oakland for more than 60 years. “But you couldn’t go outside West Oakland unless you were wearing an apron or chauffeur’s cap. Bushrod Park? No way. You’d be told to leave.”

Dozens of big names came from West Oakland, including Bill Russell, MC Hammer, Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, the Pointer Sisters, and, of course, the Black Panthers.

But over the decades, the jobs began to vanish – just as industrial jobs have disappeared across the country – and crime and poverty inched upward. Much of Seventh Street is boarded up. Even Esther’s Orbit Room, a mainstay of West Oakland nightlife, closed two years ago. In its place, nearby, is a natural food cooperative.

Parkinson said she’s happy with the neighborhood’s newest incarnation.

“I love it,” she said, noting that the neighborhood looks better than it has in decades. “I think the new people have done a beautiful job cleaning things up. These old houses needed fixing. I just hope it keeps going on.”

Ayodele Nzinga, a theater director who’s lived in West Oakland for most of 30 years, said she fears the history will be lost.

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with single white people moving in,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with clean parks and Starbucks. We want that, too. But it terrifies me that all this culture and history will be over-written.”

Trying to preserve history

Preservationists are busy designating as landmarks what they can in West Oakland, including the entire Oak Center neighborhood and the Victorian that once housed Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. The city also offers assistance for those wishing to build or remodel there. Nzinga wants to see the city do more to help African Americans living there currently – such as jobs, substance abuse and mental health services – instead of catering to newer residents.

Epli, 32, an artist from North Carolina of Chinese and Irish descent, is one of those newer residents. She moved to West Oakland in 2008, knowing nothing of the area except that she could find a room for $400 a month, and was surprised to learn the neighborhood’s history. She was also surprised at some of the tensions and misunderstandings she saw between older residents and newcomers. The conflict inspired her to organize an art show, scheduled for Oct. 26 at DeFremery Park, addressing gentrification.

She gave cameras to five longtime residents and asked them to document their own stories of West Oakland, and hopes the images will trigger a discussion about the prejudices, myths and vastly different perspectives surrounding the neighborhood.

“Really, it just comes down to acknowledging people exist as you walk down the street,” she said. “Anyone can say ‘Good morning.’ It seemed to me that this is a conversation we should we having.”

As for Muhammed, one of the participants in Epli’s project, the conversation is welcome.

“I heard about this and thought, why isn’t a black person doing it? Why does it have to be a white person?” he said. “Then I thought, who cares? I just want to talk about it, and I’m glad someone finally brought it up.”

‘Here Before’

The photography exhibition and panel discussion on West Oakland gentrification is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 26 at De Fremery Park, 16th and Adeline streets, Oakland. For information, go to “Here Before” on Facebook or e-mail eplimade@gmail.com.

Carolyn Jones is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: carolynjones@sfchronicle.com

Fear white influx will erase West Oakland history

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In 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale drafted the Black Panther manifesto in a two-bedroom bungalow on 57th Street in Oakland.

Last year, that house – refurbished with hardwood floors, drought-tolerant landscaping and quartz countertops – sold for $425,000.

Such is the story of West Oakland and its environs these days. The heart of African American culture in the Bay Area, if not the West Coast, is now a real estate agent’s dream. Thousands of transplants from San Francisco, mostly younger, mostly white people lured east by lower rents, have discovered the sunny enclaves of West Oakland and staked their claims.

“West Oakland is really vibrant right now. Young people, young families, are finding it to be an edgy, dynamic, urban place to live,” said Andrea Gordon, a top-producing real estate agent with Coldwell Banker’s Oakland office. “They can get a Victorian here that would cost $400,000 more a mile away in Rockridge.”

In some West Oakland census tracts, the number of white residents has doubled in the past 10 years, bringing their numbers to nearly equal with their African American counterparts. Asian and Latino residents have increased, as well.

Over the same period, thousands of African American families have left the neighborhood, mostly heading to eastern Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Some African Americans say the influx of white people has triggered a rise in rents and housing prices, pricing out black families from the neighborhoods their families have lived in for generations. Others say African Americans started leaving West Oakland years ago due to crime and schools, leaving vacancies for newcomers – in this case, mostly young people enticed by the good weather, proximity to San Francisco and block after block of affordable Victorians and ultramodern condos.

In any case, West Oakland looks a lot different than it did a decade ago. New condominiums have proliferated, old Victorians are undergoing renovations, shuttered factories are now artists’ studios, and blight has decreased. But gone, too, is a certain pride that sprung from what was once known as “Harlem of the West.”

“It hurts. I’m not going to say I’m content with this,” said Leander Muhammed, 34, a third-generation West Oakland resident who runs after-school and sports programs for kids in the neighborhood. “Suddenly there’s nonprofits and community gardens on every corner. Community gardens? I don’t get it – my granny was planting collards and tomatoes here for decades. It all seems crazy to me.”

Vibrant immigrant town

West Oakland is loaded with more history than possibly any other pocket of the East Bay, if not the Bay Area. It was one of the first American settlements in the East Bay, as thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, African Americans, Irish and others settled along the waterfront in the 1850s to work on the docks and later railroads.

Oakland grew out from the waterfront, but West Oakland remained pretty much the same: modest homes and businesses catering to dock, railroad and other industrial workers – most of whom were immigrants – and their families.

In the 1930s and ’40s, African Americans from Louisiana and Texas began pouring into West Oakland, most coming through the historic 16th Street train depot, and settled. African Americans had few choices about where they could live due to discriminatory housing covenants, but by nearly all accounts West Oakland was a thriving, vibrant community. In fact, it was the largest African American community in Northern California.

Seventh Street was lined with upscale restaurants and jazz clubs on what was known as the Chitlin Circuit. Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, among others, were regular performers. Black-owned florists, barbershops and groceries flourished. Just about everyone knew each other.

MC Hammer, Pointer Sisters

“We didn’t even lock our doors,” said Ellen Wyrick Parkinson, who’s lived in West Oakland for more than 60 years. “But you couldn’t go outside West Oakland unless you were wearing an apron or chauffeur’s cap. Bushrod Park? No way. You’d be told to leave.”

Dozens of big names came from West Oakland, including Bill Russell, MC Hammer, Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, the Pointer Sisters, and, of course, the Black Panthers.

But over the decades, the jobs began to vanish – just as industrial jobs have disappeared across the country – and crime and poverty inched upward. Much of Seventh Street is boarded up. Even Esther’s Orbit Room, a mainstay of West Oakland nightlife, closed two years ago. In its place, nearby, is a natural food cooperative.

Parkinson said she’s happy with the neighborhood’s newest incarnation.

“I love it,” she said, noting that the neighborhood looks better than it has in decades. “I think the new people have done a beautiful job cleaning things up. These old houses needed fixing. I just hope it keeps going on.”

Ayodele Nzinga, a theater director who’s lived in West Oakland for most of 30 years, said she fears the history will be lost.

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with single white people moving in,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with clean parks and Starbucks. We want that, too. But it terrifies me that all this culture and history will be over-written.”

Trying to preserve history

Preservationists are busy designating as landmarks what they can in West Oakland, including the entire Oak Center neighborhood and the Victorian that once housed Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. The city also offers assistance for those wishing to build or remodel there. Nzinga wants to see the city do more to help African Americans living there currently – such as jobs, substance abuse and mental health services – instead of catering to newer residents.

Epli, 32, an artist from North Carolina of Chinese and Irish descent, is one of those newer residents. She moved to West Oakland in 2008, knowing nothing of the area except that she could find a room for $400 a month, and was surprised to learn the neighborhood’s history. She was also surprised at some of the tensions and misunderstandings she saw between older residents and newcomers. The conflict inspired her to organize an art show, scheduled for Oct. 26 at DeFremery Park, addressing gentrification.

She gave cameras to five longtime residents and asked them to document their own stories of West Oakland, and hopes the images will trigger a discussion about the prejudices, myths and vastly different perspectives surrounding the neighborhood.

“Really, it just comes down to acknowledging people exist as you walk down the street,” she said. “Anyone can say ‘Good morning.’ It seemed to me that this is a conversation we should we having.”

As for Muhammed, one of the participants in Epli’s project, the conversation is welcome.

“I heard about this and thought, why isn’t a black person doing it? Why does it have to be a white person?” he said. “Then I thought, who cares? I just want to talk about it, and I’m glad someone finally brought it up.”

‘Here Before’

The photography exhibition and panel discussion on West Oakland gentrification is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 26 at De Fremery Park, 16th and Adeline streets, Oakland. For information, go to “Here Before” on Facebook or e-mail eplimade@gmail.com.

Carolyn Jones is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: carolynjones@sfchronicle.com

Fear white influx will erase West Oakland history

Leave a reply

In 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale drafted the Black Panther manifesto in a two-bedroom bungalow on 57th Street in Oakland.

Last year, that house – refurbished with hardwood floors, drought-tolerant landscaping and quartz countertops – sold for $425,000.

Such is the story of West Oakland and its environs these days. The heart of African American culture in the Bay Area, if not the West Coast, is now a real estate agent’s dream. Thousands of transplants from San Francisco, mostly younger, mostly white people lured east by lower rents, have discovered the sunny enclaves of West Oakland and staked their claims.

“West Oakland is really vibrant right now. Young people, young families, are finding it to be an edgy, dynamic, urban place to live,” said Andrea Gordon, a top-producing real estate agent with Coldwell Banker’s Oakland office. “They can get a Victorian here that would cost $400,000 more a mile away in Rockridge.”

In some West Oakland census tracts, the number of white residents has doubled in the past 10 years, bringing their numbers to nearly equal with their African American counterparts. Asian and Latino residents have increased, as well.

Over the same period, thousands of African American families have left the neighborhood, mostly heading to eastern Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Some African Americans say the influx of white people has triggered a rise in rents and housing prices, pricing out black families from the neighborhoods their families have lived in for generations. Others say African Americans started leaving West Oakland years ago due to crime and schools, leaving vacancies for newcomers – in this case, mostly young people enticed by the good weather, proximity to San Francisco and block after block of affordable Victorians and ultramodern condos.

In any case, West Oakland looks a lot different than it did a decade ago. New condominiums have proliferated, old Victorians are undergoing renovations, shuttered factories are now artists’ studios, and blight has decreased. But gone, too, is a certain pride that sprung from what was once known as “Harlem of the West.”

“It hurts. I’m not going to say I’m content with this,” said Leander Muhammed, 34, a third-generation West Oakland resident who runs after-school and sports programs for kids in the neighborhood. “Suddenly there’s nonprofits and community gardens on every corner. Community gardens? I don’t get it – my granny was planting collards and tomatoes here for decades. It all seems crazy to me.”

Vibrant immigrant town

West Oakland is loaded with more history than possibly any other pocket of the East Bay, if not the Bay Area. It was one of the first American settlements in the East Bay, as thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, African Americans, Irish and others settled along the waterfront in the 1850s to work on the docks and later railroads.

Oakland grew out from the waterfront, but West Oakland remained pretty much the same: modest homes and businesses catering to dock, railroad and other industrial workers – most of whom were immigrants – and their families.

In the 1930s and ’40s, African Americans from Louisiana and Texas began pouring into West Oakland, most coming through the historic 16th Street train depot, and settled. African Americans had few choices about where they could live due to discriminatory housing covenants, but by nearly all accounts West Oakland was a thriving, vibrant community. In fact, it was the largest African American community in Northern California.

Seventh Street was lined with upscale restaurants and jazz clubs on what was known as the Chitlin Circuit. Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, among others, were regular performers. Black-owned florists, barbershops and groceries flourished. Just about everyone knew each other.

MC Hammer, Pointer Sisters

“We didn’t even lock our doors,” said Ellen Wyrick Parkinson, who’s lived in West Oakland for more than 60 years. “But you couldn’t go outside West Oakland unless you were wearing an apron or chauffeur’s cap. Bushrod Park? No way. You’d be told to leave.”

Dozens of big names came from West Oakland, including Bill Russell, MC Hammer, Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, the Pointer Sisters, and, of course, the Black Panthers.

But over the decades, the jobs began to vanish – just as industrial jobs have disappeared across the country – and crime and poverty inched upward. Much of Seventh Street is boarded up. Even Esther’s Orbit Room, a mainstay of West Oakland nightlife, closed two years ago. In its place, nearby, is a natural food cooperative.

Parkinson said she’s happy with the neighborhood’s newest incarnation.

“I love it,” she said, noting that the neighborhood looks better than it has in decades. “I think the new people have done a beautiful job cleaning things up. These old houses needed fixing. I just hope it keeps going on.”

Ayodele Nzinga, a theater director who’s lived in West Oakland for most of 30 years, said she fears the history will be lost.

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with single white people moving in,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with clean parks and Starbucks. We want that, too. But it terrifies me that all this culture and history will be over-written.”

Trying to preserve history

Preservationists are busy designating as landmarks what they can in West Oakland, including the entire Oak Center neighborhood and the Victorian that once housed Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. The city also offers assistance for those wishing to build or remodel there. Nzinga wants to see the city do more to help African Americans living there currently – such as jobs, substance abuse and mental health services – instead of catering to newer residents.

Epli, 32, an artist from North Carolina of Chinese and Irish descent, is one of those newer residents. She moved to West Oakland in 2008, knowing nothing of the area except that she could find a room for $400 a month, and was surprised to learn the neighborhood’s history. She was also surprised at some of the tensions and misunderstandings she saw between older residents and newcomers. The conflict inspired her to organize an art show, scheduled for Oct. 26 at DeFremery Park, addressing gentrification.

She gave cameras to five longtime residents and asked them to document their own stories of West Oakland, and hopes the images will trigger a discussion about the prejudices, myths and vastly different perspectives surrounding the neighborhood.

“Really, it just comes down to acknowledging people exist as you walk down the street,” she said. “Anyone can say ‘Good morning.’ It seemed to me that this is a conversation we should we having.”

As for Muhammed, one of the participants in Epli’s project, the conversation is welcome.

“I heard about this and thought, why isn’t a black person doing it? Why does it have to be a white person?” he said. “Then I thought, who cares? I just want to talk about it, and I’m glad someone finally brought it up.”

‘Here Before’

The photography exhibition and panel discussion on West Oakland gentrification is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 26 at De Fremery Park, 16th and Adeline streets, Oakland. For information, go to “Here Before” on Facebook or e-mail eplimade@gmail.com.

Carolyn Jones is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: carolynjones@sfchronicle.com

Fear white influx will erase West Oakland history

Leave a reply

In 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale drafted the Black Panther manifesto in a two-bedroom bungalow on 57th Street in Oakland.

Last year, that house – refurbished with hardwood floors, drought-tolerant landscaping and quartz countertops – sold for $425,000.

Such is the story of West Oakland and its environs these days. The heart of African American culture in the Bay Area, if not the West Coast, is now a real estate agent’s dream. Thousands of transplants from San Francisco, mostly younger, mostly white people lured east by lower rents, have discovered the sunny enclaves of West Oakland and staked their claims.

“West Oakland is really vibrant right now. Young people, young families, are finding it to be an edgy, dynamic, urban place to live,” said Andrea Gordon, a top-producing real estate agent with Coldwell Banker’s Oakland office. “They can get a Victorian here that would cost $400,000 more a mile away in Rockridge.”

In some West Oakland census tracts, the number of white residents has doubled in the past 10 years, bringing their numbers to nearly equal with their African American counterparts. Asian and Latino residents have increased, as well.

Over the same period, thousands of African American families have left the neighborhood, mostly heading to eastern Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Some African Americans say the influx of white people has triggered a rise in rents and housing prices, pricing out black families from the neighborhoods their families have lived in for generations. Others say African Americans started leaving West Oakland years ago due to crime and schools, leaving vacancies for newcomers – in this case, mostly young people enticed by the good weather, proximity to San Francisco and block after block of affordable Victorians and ultramodern condos.

In any case, West Oakland looks a lot different than it did a decade ago. New condominiums have proliferated, old Victorians are undergoing renovations, shuttered factories are now artists’ studios, and blight has decreased. But gone, too, is a certain pride that sprung from what was once known as “Harlem of the West.”

“It hurts. I’m not going to say I’m content with this,” said Leander Muhammed, 34, a third-generation West Oakland resident who runs after-school and sports programs for kids in the neighborhood. “Suddenly there’s nonprofits and community gardens on every corner. Community gardens? I don’t get it – my granny was planting collards and tomatoes here for decades. It all seems crazy to me.”

Vibrant immigrant town

West Oakland is loaded with more history than possibly any other pocket of the East Bay, if not the Bay Area. It was one of the first American settlements in the East Bay, as thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, African Americans, Irish and others settled along the waterfront in the 1850s to work on the docks and later railroads.

Oakland grew out from the waterfront, but West Oakland remained pretty much the same: modest homes and businesses catering to dock, railroad and other industrial workers – most of whom were immigrants – and their families.

In the 1930s and ’40s, African Americans from Louisiana and Texas began pouring into West Oakland, most coming through the historic 16th Street train depot, and settled. African Americans had few choices about where they could live due to discriminatory housing covenants, but by nearly all accounts West Oakland was a thriving, vibrant community. In fact, it was the largest African American community in Northern California.

Seventh Street was lined with upscale restaurants and jazz clubs on what was known as the Chitlin Circuit. Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, among others, were regular performers. Black-owned florists, barbershops and groceries flourished. Just about everyone knew each other.

MC Hammer, Pointer Sisters

“We didn’t even lock our doors,” said Ellen Wyrick Parkinson, who’s lived in West Oakland for more than 60 years. “But you couldn’t go outside West Oakland unless you were wearing an apron or chauffeur’s cap. Bushrod Park? No way. You’d be told to leave.”

Dozens of big names came from West Oakland, including Bill Russell, MC Hammer, Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, the Pointer Sisters, and, of course, the Black Panthers.

But over the decades, the jobs began to vanish – just as industrial jobs have disappeared across the country – and crime and poverty inched upward. Much of Seventh Street is boarded up. Even Esther’s Orbit Room, a mainstay of West Oakland nightlife, closed two years ago. In its place, nearby, is a natural food cooperative.

Parkinson said she’s happy with the neighborhood’s newest incarnation.

“I love it,” she said, noting that the neighborhood looks better than it has in decades. “I think the new people have done a beautiful job cleaning things up. These old houses needed fixing. I just hope it keeps going on.”

Ayodele Nzinga, a theater director who’s lived in West Oakland for most of 30 years, said she fears the history will be lost.

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with single white people moving in,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with clean parks and Starbucks. We want that, too. But it terrifies me that all this culture and history will be over-written.”

Trying to preserve history

Preservationists are busy designating as landmarks what they can in West Oakland, including the entire Oak Center neighborhood and the Victorian that once housed Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. The city also offers assistance for those wishing to build or remodel there. Nzinga wants to see the city do more to help African Americans living there currently – such as jobs, substance abuse and mental health services – instead of catering to newer residents.

Epli, 32, an artist from North Carolina of Chinese and Irish descent, is one of those newer residents. She moved to West Oakland in 2008, knowing nothing of the area except that she could find a room for $400 a month, and was surprised to learn the neighborhood’s history. She was also surprised at some of the tensions and misunderstandings she saw between older residents and newcomers. The conflict inspired her to organize an art show, scheduled for Oct. 26 at DeFremery Park, addressing gentrification.

She gave cameras to five longtime residents and asked them to document their own stories of West Oakland, and hopes the images will trigger a discussion about the prejudices, myths and vastly different perspectives surrounding the neighborhood.

“Really, it just comes down to acknowledging people exist as you walk down the street,” she said. “Anyone can say ‘Good morning.’ It seemed to me that this is a conversation we should we having.”

As for Muhammed, one of the participants in Epli’s project, the conversation is welcome.

“I heard about this and thought, why isn’t a black person doing it? Why does it have to be a white person?” he said. “Then I thought, who cares? I just want to talk about it, and I’m glad someone finally brought it up.”

‘Here Before’

The photography exhibition and panel discussion on West Oakland gentrification is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 26 at De Fremery Park, 16th and Adeline streets, Oakland. For information, go to “Here Before” on Facebook or e-mail eplimade@gmail.com.

Carolyn Jones is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: carolynjones@sfchronicle.com

New Patio and Gardens Launch Alumni Way Project

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October 7, 2013—

Folks on the Michigan Technological University campus have another place to sip a Starbucks and relax outdoors. The John Rovano Patio, between the Van Pelt and Opie Library and Rehki Hall, affords a new place to chill, before it’s too chilly.

Lynn Watson, University gardener, says she had to work between the two “pale expanses of the library and Rekhi Hall” and “black slate at eye level, which can further isolate a person from a natural setting.”

The result is the patio and two new gardens, one of which is a strip between two sidewalks. They all run north and south.

Watson views the Tech high rises and tall trees as a “visual canyon.” She says, “This is exciting because there is great richness in a canyon floor that is not present in the surrounding areas. The arching bridge between Rekhi and the library reinforces this entering in. The evergreen planting of the vertical elements reinforces this feeling of entry, even looking in from US 41.”

The plaza and garden were built in response to students who requested more seating and opportunity to enjoy the beautiful UP summer and fall. An extension of the Library Café, this is the first development of the planned Alumni Way, thanks to a generous donation from Dave Brule ’72. A door from the café to the new plaza is next on the construction list.Watson calls her finished work a “relaxed, visually flowing garden.” The curves in the design are intentional.

“Slow down, relax,” she says. “Find a quiet, private space to unwind, converse, study, think.”

Watson also acknowledged Brule’s contribution.

“The caliber of the donation, with the vision of people, plants and relaxation on campus, was very generous and will benefit students, staff, faculty and visitors of all ages for many, many years,” she says. “Thank you, Mr. Brule!”

Eric Halonen, assistant vice president for advancement, agrees. “We are extremely grateful for the Brule gift. The Library patio, with its new garden, is a great example of what can be expected as additional funds are raised to continue the Alumni Way campus mall westward.”

It’s a great first project, Halonen says, for Alumni Way.

“Alumni Way will truly add to our campus and provide students with inviting seating areas; a gathering area for all with our mascot, a Husky sculpture; commemorative tributes to Michigan Tech alumni; and enhanced green space with more landscaping such as that at the Library Plaza,” Halonen added. “The Alumni Way will be a place to make memories for new students and celebrate our legacy with all alums and friends of Michigan Tech.”

Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.