Historic NT home deserved a nod

I was pleasantly surprised a couple weeks ago to see an article in the Tonawanda News, the “Remembering Yesteryear” column, about 65 Christiana St.

To carry it a little further, we, Kelly — the Tonawanda News city editor at the time — and Carmella Simon bought the house from Judge Anthony Brick and his wife, Lois, in 1957. They bought the “Cole” house next door at 73 Christiana St., where they lived with their seven children: Dan, Anthony, Kevin, Gwilym, Brendan, Mary Lois and Regis.

“Hank” and Dolores Brick Gosch already lived on the third floor when we bought the house. Hank, who worked in the offices of Balling Bros., was a very talented carpenter and it was he who remodeled the whole third floor into a large and very unique apartment. Hank, Dolores and their daughter, Lynette, lived there until 1959.

The photo in the paper was actually a view of the right side of the house. The drawing was a better depiction, although the porches had been removed when we bought it.

The 65 Christiana St. house was one of the many beautiful old homes in the Christiana/Goundry area. It boasted marble window sills, marble thresholds, stained glass windows in the dining room and on the spacious landing on the main stairway. There was also another wide stairway in the back that led to the second and third floor.

There was a dumbwaiter in the kitchen that was converted into a small closet. We remodeled the spacious kitchen to include a dishwasher, disposal and an island. The huge breakfast room had a large bay window which looked onto the backyard. The three-car garage was converted from the carriage house.

The floor and wainscoting in the dining room were birdseye maple. The Bricks did the laborious job of bringing all the solid oak woodwork to its natural color. Most of the windows in the house were plate glass, and it was a major project to change the storm windows (more than 35) every year.

The 65 Christiana St. house was truly one of your beautiful old homes. We sold it to the Mongeons in 1963. We built a split-level on Shad Street, and missed those foot-thick walls from our “old” home.

Carmella Simon

North Tonawanda



Super Wal-Mart would be an asset

I moved to North Tonawanda from South Florida five years ago and truly miss the super Wal-Marts which you can find about every 10 miles or so, all doing a bang up business.

I visit my mother in Columbus, Ohio, where they have Big Ks, Super Targets and Meijers. All are basically one stop shopping mega stores, some of which are within a mile or so of each, a couple are directly across the street from each other, with no plans of closing due to lack of business.

There is no need to be concerned of closing other businesses in the area. Budwey’s has its own specialty and is not in danger of losing its clientele. Wegmans is a privately held company which again can be considered unique in its own right and has held the No. 1 business to work for the past few years — don’t think it’ll be pulling out anytime soon.

As for Tops, last I heard it was up for sale. Wal-Mart isn’t even here yet, so how can Wal-Mart put Tops out of business?

Recently, a lot of the anti remarks against Wal-Mart is because the items made in China. I think these folks need pick up the items they purchase in all the stores they patronize and realize other world countries do sell their products in other stores.

I buy American as much as I can, but we must be realistic for in this day and age it is nearly impossible. Wal-Mart actually achieved the American dream in building a great business and due to its volume can offer everyday items at competitive price. This is a chance for a much needed change in this area.

Wal-Mart will bring in desperately needed taxes into North Tonawanda. It will also help to develop that area that has set empty for how long now? We have heard for the past two years of Melody Fair being purchased and redeveloped. The “for sale” sign is still there. Would you rather see another industrial company move into that area? With all the brown space and toxic lands that we can’t use now, I think this is a step in the right direction. I hate driving to Amherst or Niagara Falls for a Wal-Mart, please let’s bring jobs and new dollars into this area.

This is something that everyone can use and if you don’t like the Super Wal-Mart, then please feel free to shop elsewhere. You won’t hurt our feelings.

Susan Kuligowski

North Tonawanda