Tempers are heating up between the Prospect Hill community and the Peace Bridge Authority, building on years of sniping about possible expansion of the bridge and the plaza.
The latest issue is a group of well-worn although historic homes across Busti Avenue from the bridge plaza, structures the authority wants to demolish.
Under court order, demolition has been blocked and repairs appear underway on some of the structures.
Monday night, a packed house of residents and supporters were in the Armory Tavern to hear from preservationist Tim Tielman who said the real plan is a vast expansion of the bridge duty-free store to include a giant gas station.
Tielman is the executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture.
He said there are alternatives to demolition of the houses and the Episcopal Church Home and isolation of a landmark chapel at the home.
"Using part of the configuration of the plan for what they propose now and this play, they can achieve all of their goals...speedier traffic flow...no backups...through having 100-percent of the truck inspections done in Canada," said Tielman.
Authority Chair Sam Hoyt said Tielman is wrong about the duty-free and any changes will initially be on the current plaza to make the best use of existing land. Hoyt said the focus right now is on efficiencies in the current plaza and processing area.
