Published: August 15, 2008 11:19 pm            

CITY OF TONAWANDA: Last call for Blue River bar

The owner of the former bar and restaurant across from Tonawanda City Hall has been arrested on several code violations for failing to fix up the structure.

Robert E. Dendy, 59, of 290 Fletcher St., surrendered to police on Friday — one year to the date on which he bought the property at 179 Niagara St. — on warrants charging him with two counts of failing to maintain the exterior of the building and one count each of failure to maintain the roof and failure to protect the interior.

The building has been vacant for some time. Over the years, the structure has fallen into disrepair, and it is now slated for demolition. City Building Inspector Kevin Rank said he’s not yet sure exactly when that will happen. “I’m hoping within 60 days,” he said Friday.

Most recently known as the Blue River bar, many city residents will remember the place as the Marble bar, which, in its heyday, was the place to go for fish fry and 95-cent lunches.

The building was later known as Western Paradise, the Sawmill and Cocktails before being named the Blue River bar.

A section of the roof has collapsed into the structure, and there are several areas with holes where water is leaking through, Rank noted in a letter he sent to Dendy on June 17. In addition, the floor support system is failing, and the exterior is rife with peeling paint.

“The property has been vacant for quite some time and is deteriorating due to lack of maintenance,” Rank wrote. “This condition is endangering the health, safety and welfare of the area residents.”

Dendy told Rank in June that he didn’t have the money to fix the building.

Dendy was put on notice that he had to begin making the necessary repairs by July 21. But when Rank visited the site for re-inspection on Aug. 6, Dendy hadn’t done anything, causing city officials to take court action.

The city is seeking estimates on asbestos removal before the building can be razed. Demolition costs will be assessed to the property owner.

Josephine “Babe” Kudlets, who lives next door on Niagara Street, said it’s a shame that Dendy wasn’t able to fix up the building. She said his plans for it sounded good.

“I feel bad. I’d like somebody to get in there and make a go of it,” said Kudlets, who years ago ran the Adam House restaurant in the city with her husband Bob. “It can be made nice, but boy it needs a lot of work.”

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.

        

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