Tonawanda

Belmont locals have plenty of space to move around in the western New York neighborhood, located near the center of Tonawanda’s suburban area. Almost exclusively residential in layout, wide streets unfurl past post-war homes with sidewalks, perfect for morning jogs or evening walks, parallelling them and providing plenty of opportunities for neighbors to exchange pleasantries. The sense of community even extends to the Belmont Volunteer Fire Department, which has served the area for nearly a century. “They’ve got really nice facilities and really good equipment,” says Trey McDermid, an associate broker with Gurney Becker & Bourne. “A lot of people and members of the area are members of the fire department, as well. That’s something different, as opposed to the city.” Cape Cod and ranch homes are the most popular styles in the Belmont neighborhood, along with some split-levels, and many properties there date to the 1940s and 1950s. “Good-size properties and houses are going to be a bit smaller on average,” McDermid says. “It’s predominantly single-family residences. You’ll see a variety of houses that were built post-war and have similar floor plans. You may see streets that have more similarity between the design, builds and square footage.” Costs for houses here typically range between $200,000 and $300,000, and brick and stone are common exterior materials. Depending on location within Belmont, the back yards can be larger than the front lawns and allow space for pools, sheds and more. Sidewalks shaded by trees line many streets in the neighborhood, and walkways can vary from curving arcs from driveway to porch or a simple, sharply angled path. “Nearly every house is going to have a driveway and at least a one-car garage,” McDermid says. Similar to the neighboring Deerhurst Park, Belmont has a CAP crime index score of 2, lower than the national average of 4. Students’ educational institutions are dependent on where they live in the Belmont neighborhood. Both Ben Franklin Elementary and Middle and Herbert Hoover Elementary and Middle have two schools on each campus, one for kindergarten through fourth grade and the other for fifth through seventh. All four receive B-minus grades from Niche. Franklin gives way to Kenmore East Senior High School, while Hoover sends its students to Kenmore West Senior High. Both high schools score a B with Niche. Ellwood Park stands as the lone green space in Belmont’s purview. Located amidst neighborhood homes, Ellwood still features a playground, separate swing sets and a basketball court, as well as a massive open space for pickup games of baseball or simply enjoying the outdoors. The most notable recreational feature for Belmont, however, is the stretch of Tonawanda Rails to Trails that runs along Center Avenue and the east side of the neighborhood. Tracing a railroad bed of the past, the trail spans about four miles. Lincoln Park sits just east of Belmont, while the Ken-Ton Family YMCA has programs for swimming, fitness, sports like pickleball and more. Just across Central Avenue from Belmont, Adventure Landing Family Entertainment Center has a full mini-golf course, arcade and even a “teddy bear factory” where customers can build their own stuffed companion. Indoor and outdoor golfing can be found to the north across Interstate 290, while more options for shopping, dining and more can be found south on Hertel Avenue. “It’s kind of an entertainment and walkable district,” McDermid says. “People from Kenmore and the Deerhurst area will go there if they want to go out for dinner.” Other landmarks in the area include St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, which has stood for more than 150 years, and Kenmore Mercy Hospital, which sits minutes west of Belmont. Residents need to look no further than Sheridan Drive for their closest commercial area, which runs along and through the northern part of Belmont. “Sheridan Drive is the main drag,” McDermid says. “That’ll get you to the Wegmans and the shopping areas a couple minutes quicker. Dash’s is right on Colvin. They’re a nice, privately-owned supermarket and have a few around the area.” In and around the northern part of the neighborhood, sweets can be found at Anderson’s Frozen Custard or Paula’s Donuts, or patrons can catch Bills games at Caputi’s Sheridan Pub. Diners can head west to the Delaware Pub and Grill or south to the Howling Rooster Restaurant and Bar on Center Avenue. Walmart and Whole Foods are also located on Sheridan, while across Center Avenue, a Ted’s Hot Dogs location continues a legacy of nearly a century. “Ted’s Hot Dogs have been around forever,” McDermid says. “It’s a great hot dog stand.” Buffalo is often called the “20-minute city” for the easy highway access and the roads that orbit around the downtown area. Interstate 290 runs horizontally about two miles north of Belmont, and downtown is close by. “You can get out to Interstate 90 and head east to New York City,” McDermid says. “190 is along the river and down along the southern part of the city, or you can take the 290 to the 190 and the 290 will go up over Grand Island and into Niagara Falls. You can take the 290 and jump on the 33 to get to the airport.”

Along Interstate 290 in western New York, the winding residential roads of A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s sit just west of several shopping centers and south of a large golf complex. “That whole area of Kenmore and Tonawanda is the first-tier ring of the city of Buffalo,” says Trey McDermid, an associate broker with Gurney Becker & Bourne. “There’s great neighborhoods and great access to the amenities that the town provides; it’s serviced by the town, so garbage and plowing are taken care of. It’s a very popular place and the people that live there love it.” Along with town services, residents enjoy convenience to the highway, which contributes to Buffalo’s “20-minute city” moniker. Mid-century homes comprise nearly all of A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s, almost exclusively dating to the 1950s. Ranch homes and Cape Cods are the most popular styles for the neighborhood, though some bungalows and colonials are scattered throughout as well. “There’s a lot more post-war stuff there,” McDermid says. “They’re nice neighborhoods. There’s a bit of variety and good-size yards.” Its streets retain the character of nearby neighborhood layouts, with sidewalks unfolding alongside the roads and wide driveways linking homes and garages to the roadway. However, streets are more winding here, and that aspect allows for some overall larger lawns and properties. Pricing usually ranges from $200,000 to around $350,000 for single-family homes in A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s. The neighborhood’s CAP crime score rates at a 2 out of 10, below the national average of 4. Thomas A. Edison Elementary School feeds into Ben Franklin Middle School. Students can attend Edison, which scores a B from Niche, from kindergarten through grade four, and move on to the B-minus-rated Franklin Middle for fifth through seventh grades. High school-level learning takes place at Kenmore East Senior High School, which receives a B, from grades eight through 12. Kenmore East also offers student resources, like a learning center, and sports teams including basketball, hockey, lacrosse and more. More than half a dozen soccer fields make up Kenney Park, the closest green space to the neighborhood. Elmlawn Memorial Park is directly adjacent to Kenney and has paths winding through the cemetery for remembering loved ones. “Kenney Fields is out that way,” McDermid says. “There’s a lot of green space out there. Over closer to the 290, there’s a very, very good, high-caliber golf course.” Across Interstate 290, residents and non-residents alike can take swings with both golf clubs and baseball bats at the Brighton Park Golf Course. The complex offers memberships and hosts tournaments, and has multiple baseball fields, batting cages and a driving range on its grounds. The Tonawanda Rails to Trails path also snakes past A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s to the west, following a former railroad bed over a span of several miles. Though the Niagara River flows to the west, little recreation besides boating is common; access to the north, in Tonawanda, is available via Grand Island and Niawanda Park. Dining and shopping options specifically within A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s are limited, but Rizzo’s Casa Di Italia and Peking Quick One Chinese Cuisine have international fare and La Hacienda Brighton serves up fresh pizza. All three of those food stops are in the southern corner of the neighborhood, while 290 Slide Sports Bar & Grill has a number of televisions for patrons to watch games on. The primary commercial area for the neighborhood, though, is Niagara Falls Boulevard. Close to the interchange of Niagara Falls Boulevard and Interstate 290, Boulevard Consumer Square offers a Trader Joe’s, Target, Barnes & Noble and Best Buy for varied shopping needs. Other grocery stops close by include an Aldi and Tops Friendly Markets. The Boulevard, located immediately south across Maple Road, is undergoing redevelopment, but a Macy’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods are still in operation. Proximity to Tonawanda, Kenmore and Buffalo keeps residents of A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s close to town events. “There’s parades for Memorial Day,” McDermid says. “There’s lots going on on weekends – music at the parks and baseball, soccer and tons of sports.” Kenmore Days are held every summer to celebrate the area, while the Kenmore Farmers Market near Mang Park hosts events and shoppers. Grand Island is also a destination for the area. “The amusement park has opened up again,” says Susan Lenahan, an associate real estate broker with MJ Peterson Real Estate. “That’s open and going great. People can do something on Grand Island and then go to Niagara Falls.” Interstate 290, also known as the Youngmann Memorial Highway, makes up the northern edge of A Hamilton – St. Amelia’s. At the neighborhood’s northwestern corner sits an interchange of Eggert Road and the highway. By way of 290 and the 190, motorists are less than 15 miles north of downtown Buffalo. “Being able to jump on the 290 is absolutely helpful,” McDermid says. “There’s also Sheridan Drive, Niagara Falls Boulevard and all kinds of main arteries to get around.” The neighborhood is also only about a mile west of the boulevard, which is serviced by the NFTA Metro bus line.

Bearing the name of its neighborhood elementary school and inventor of the lightbulb, T Edison School gives the town of Brighton a whole new meaning. This suburb is illuminated by its proximity to Tonawanda Gate Way Harbor, Downtown Buffalo and Boulevard Mall. “It’s a small area compared to Buffalo, which is 5 to 10 minutes away,” says Maureen Flavin, a Realtor with Howard Hanna Brokerage, who has 32 years of experience in Buffalo. “You’re 70 minutes from ski country in Ellicottville, nicknamed The Aspen of the North.” A variety of homes line double sidewalks and cul-de-sacs adorned with basketball hoops and hopscotch chalk drawings. Cape Cods and a few four squares stand out with balconies and inviting front porches. “The market in Buffalo is very strong,” Flavin says. “There’s not much competition, and prices are good. You have a good chance at a nice property.” T Edison School homes often provide over 1,500 square feet of space, three to four bedrooms and a price range of $240,000 to $300,000. The Sweet Home Central School District has award-winning music and theater programs alongside high Niche ratings. “There are wonderful schools around T. Edison School, just wonderful,” Flavin says. “Some of the best in Buffalo. Many people move here for the schools.” T. Edison’s youngest students may attend Thomas A. Edison Elementary School, which is at the heart of the neighborhood and extremely walkable, and Ben Franklin Middle School is a short drive away. Both the elementary and middle schools earn a Niche B rating. Kenmore East Senior High School trails shortly behind with a B-minus Niche Score. Locals can take Interstate 290 to Niagara Falls or Tonawanda Gate Harbor, and Buffalo Niagara International Airport is 6 miles away for longer getaways. “You couldn’t live in a friendlier city than Buffalo. Everything is a hop, skip and jump, plus there’s no traffic issues like in other cities,” Flavin says proudly. “Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. You can literally be in a different country in less than half an hour. You can’t beat that.” While there aren’t many parks within T Edison School neighborhood, plenty can be found scattered around nearby communities. Youth sports teams meet at Walter Kenney Field off Brighton Road, and Garnett Playground on Westfield Road features an immersive playspace, concessions stand and baseball field. 5 miles away is Buffalo’s famous Delaware Park, home to The Buffalo Zoo. In the summer, kids keep cool at Clearfield Community Park’s pool and splash pad in Amherst, and less than 2 miles away, year-round indoor ice skating is available through Lincoln Park Arena, which offers beginner classes. When locals don’t want to drive to Niagara Falls, Glen Falls is the perfect substitute 8 miles away, and Amherst State Park is a minute's drive from the falls. T Edison School is close to many eateries, bakeries, bistros and pubs. Duff's Famous Wings on Sheridan Drive and Tim Hortons Coffee & Bakery are notable favorites. Bocce Club Pizza and Family Tree, a Greek restaurant serving souvlaki dinners. There's Boulevard Mall 2 miles away on Eggert Road for retail and grocery options. The mall consists of department stores like Macy’s and DICK’s Sporting Goods. Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, ALDI and Tops Friendly Markets surround the mall on Niagara Falls Boulevard, as well as Target and Walmart. For local produce, locals drive 4 miles away to North Tonawanda Farmers Market, popular for its berries, veggies and flower selections. On the weekends, Glen Park hosts an art festival celebrating its local artists. Farther West, Tonawanda offers “Retro Block,” which consists of seven retail stores that share vintage-style inventories. For a larger festival, the Annual Italian Heritage Festival is in Kenmore, 3 miles away, and Taste of Buffalo is downtown, 13 miles away via Interstate 190.

Just south of Ellicott Creek in the northern part of Tonawanda, Colvin Estates is a small residential neighborhood developed during the post-World War II housing boom and is less than 15 miles from downtown Buffalo. “Colvin Estates provides a good location in not only Tonawanda but in the greater Buffalo area,” says Bill Zaehringer, a Realtor with Keller Williams, who has been in the market for more than two decades. “It takes about 20 minutes to get downtown, the airport or Niagara Falls. But closer to home, you have everything you need from shopping to big box stores and chain and local restaurants.” Tree-lined streets feature a collection of mid-20th-century architectural styles, including ranches, Cottages, and split levels. Homes are situated on well-maintained, long rectangular lots. They are separated from the road by a sidewalk that makes the neighborhood and town accessible by bike or foot. Buyers can expect a two-bedroom, one-bathroom ranch to go for around $200,000, while a three-bedroom, 2.5-bath split-level will rise to almost $300,000. “While we have seen some price reductions and homes sitting on the market longer, we are still in a seller’s market,” says Zaehringer. With multiple school districts serving Tonawanda, children in Colvin Estates will attend the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District, more commonly known as Ken-Ton, which serves most of the town and is graded a B on Niche. In a smaller school district, Ken-Ton has a little over 6,000 students and averages a student-teacher ratio of 10-to-1. Students attend Edison Elementary, Franklin Middle and Kenmore East High School. The elementary and high schools score a B on Niche, while the middle school gets a B-minus. Kenmore East offers multiple academies, including computer networking and technology advancement, information technology, pre-engineering, and virtual enterprise/finance academies. US Highway 62, which runs from Mexico to Canada and is known as Niagara Falls Boulevard in Tonawanda, is just east of the neighborhood that runs north-to-south toward Buffalo. The NFTA-Metro, the Western New York regional transit authority, 25-Delaware bus line will take commuters into downtown Buffalo. The bus route picks up at either Main and Niagara Transit or Mid-City Plaza in Tonawanda and ends in downtown Buffalo. While the neighborhood is primarily residential, locals can head east or west out of Colvin Estates to find a pair of shopping centers for their retail needs. To the west, Youngman Plaza features a Big Lots and Boulevard Produce, the largest locally owned and operated full-service food service distributor in Western New York. The Plaza features dining options like McDonald's and Texas Roadhouse but is also home to the Athena’s Family Restaurant, which serves Greek and American cuisine. About 3 miles east, the Boulevard provides another place for weekly groceries with its Trader Joe’s but also offers big box brands like Best Buy, Lowe’s, Target and Carhartt, to name a few. For a bite to eat, The Grill at the Dome is a hot spot for bar food but allows patrons to take a swing on their golf or hockey simulators in the attached SportZone. Across Ellicott Creek from Colvin Estates is Ellicott Creek Park, an expansive park with activities year-round. With multiple canoe access points, residents can access the water, explore on a paved or natural trail or fish the creek. In the winter, it is a hot spot for children sledding down the park’s rolling hills or for cross-country skiers using snow-covered skis. The brand-new Brighton Arena opened in October 2023 and has ice skating at a cost or is available for rent for hockey games but in a climate-controlled environment. Golfers can take advantage of the Paddock Chevrolet Golf Dome, which operates from October to May and is an indoor driving range putt-putt course with practice bunkers and greens. For the real golf experience, the Brighton Park Golf Club runs along the east side of Colvin Estates and is a private golf and social club for local men 18 or older. While the neighborhood doesn’t have any community events, Colvin Estates is home to the Ellicott Creek Playhouse, a small 200-seat performing arts center home to the Niagara Regional Theatre Guild that puts on productions at the venue throughout the year. Tonawanda city’s government also puts on community events for the entire town around Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holidays.

Less than 20 miles from Niagara Falls sits a sprawling neighborhood with long-term residents who have called this community home for years. “Green Acres offers residents a sense of tranquility and a break from the hustle and bustle of the city,” says Joseph Trifilo, Realtor with Hunt Real Estate, who has worked within the area for over 30 years. “The neighborhood has a close-knit feel, making it a unique place to live.” Residents can walk out their front door onto sidewalks throughout the community. Lawns are manicured, and residents plant trees and other shrubbery that add to the curb appeal of their homes. Residents of Green Acres mostly live in ranch-style homes built in the mid-20th century. A three-bedroom, one-bath ranch-style home will cost about $200,000. $265,000 will buy a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath ranch-style home with approximately 1,238 square feet. The median listing price for a home in Green Acres is $199,900. “It is an incredibly stable area for home prices,” says Trifilo. “Over my 30 years of experience, it’s very rare that I see the values of homes in this area drop in price.” Students living in Green Acres can attend Thomas A. Edison Elementary, which earned a B rating on Niche and Ben Franklin Middle, which has a B-minus rating. After graduating from Thomas A. Edison Elementary and Ben Franklin Middle, students can attend Kenmore East High, which has a B rating. The student-teacher ratio at Kenmore East High is 9-to-1. Ellicott Creek Park is a 165-acre park that offers residents several recreational activities. Residents can enjoy the 18-hole disc golf course, rollerblade, or bicycle along the park’s paved trails. When residents travel over the pedestrian bridge, they can let their dogs have a bit of playtime at Ellicott Island Bark Park. Locals will enjoy picnics and sports like tennis and soccer when it is warm out. In the winter, locals can come out for sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Whether looking out at the willow trees and silver maples covering the park or spotting a hawk fly above, Ellicott Creek Park is also a place where they can enjoy nature. Rock Burger is known for their gourmet stuffed burgers. Locals can stop by for the Buffalo Mac Daddy Stuffed Burger, made with stuffed buffalo chicken fingers, mac and cheese and topped with buffalo chicken wing dip. The Rock Tots, their version of tater tots, can be plain or seasoned with spicy ranch or Cajun. La Hacienda Brighton has been part of the community since 1977. They are mostly known for their pepperoni pizza, but locals can order wings, subs, wraps and even tacos and quesadillas. Residents can head to Trader Joe’s on Niagara Falls Boulevard for groceries. Residents of Green Acres live only a few miles from Interstate 290, which will easily take residents to Buffalo less than 15 miles away. Residents can also take I-190 to Niagara Falls, less than 20 miles away. Whether going north or south, residents of Green Acres aren't too far away from the attractions of Western New York.

Located 14 miles northeast of downtown Buffalo, Green Acres North was established during the World War II housing shortage and designed and built by Pearce and Pearce, who are responsible for constructing nearly 4,000 homes in the Buffalo area following the war. It is centrally located in Tonawanda, between Ellicott Creek, Interstate 290 and US-62. “Green Acres North is a solid, stable community,” says Bill Zaehringer, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty, who has been in the Buffalo market for over 20 years. “It is like 20 minutes from downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls and the airport, but you also have plenty of great amenities like shops and restaurants in nearby shopping centers.” Developed following the end of World War II, the architectural styles reflect that time and are predominately ranches and split levels. Property lots are long and narrow and feature well-kept yards and garages. Properties sit back on the lot and are shaded by scattered trees and separated off the road by a sidewalk that allows residents to get around Green Acres North on foot or bike. Buyers can expect a three-bedroom, one-bathroom split-level to sell for around $250,000, while a larger three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch will go for slightly above $270,000. “It is still a sellers’ market. While we have seen some price reductions and listings are moving slower, there are still more buyers than sellers at this point,” Zaehringer says. Children are zoned for the Sweet Home Central School District, which scores an A-minus on Niche, serves a little more than 3,300 students with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1. Students will attend Glendale Elementary, Sweet Home Middle and Sweet Home High School. According to Niche, the elementary school scores a B-plus, the middle school grades a B, while the high school scores an A-minus. Sweet Home offers elective courses in art, business, computer, science, music and technology, and more than 50% of its students participate in interscholastic sports. There are two NFTA-Metro, the regional transportation authority in Western New York, bus stops in Tonawanda. The 25-Delaware line will pick commuters up at either Main and Niagara Transit Center or Mid-City Plaza and end in downtown Buffalo. U.S. Highway 62 runs from El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, N.Y., on the east side of the Green Acres North. The roadway, known here as Niagara Falls Boulevard, is another way to access the city of Buffalo. Loaded with big box stores, The Boulevard is an outdoor shopping center just down U.S. Highway 62 from Green Acres North. Residents can pick up their weekly groceries from Trader Joe’s, but the shopping doesn't have to end there as there is a Lowe's, Best Buy, Target and Walmart in the shopping center, too. “There is everything you need nearby for food with a handful of local pizza and wing places, but you also have all the chains,” Zaehringer says. Family-owned and operated, La Hacienda Brighton has been serving pizza, other Italian favorites and wings since 1977. Just north of the neighborhood, Ellicott Creek opened in 1926 and has been expanded to range 165 acres along the waters of Ellicott Creek. The park provides year-round entertainment even with the cold winters in the Buffalo area. In the summer, locals can access the water from one of the canoe launch points, anglers can fish the sandy beach, or weekend athletes can play a round of disc golf, run on the natural or paved trails or take their dog to the off-leash area. Kids can enjoy snow day sledding or cross-country skiing across the wintery wonderland. Golfers can hone their games year-round at the Paddock Chevrolet Golf Dome, which is open from October to May and features a full driving range, a mini golf course, and a practicing bunker. Brighton Park Golf Club is a private golf and social club established in 1962, is practically next door to the neighborhood, and is open to any man 18 or older. Lastly, opening in October 2023, the brand-new Brighton Arena is opening and offers public ice skating at a cost. While the neighborhood is not known for any events, the city of Towanda has a handful of community gatherings. The town offers luncheons and get-togethers around Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holidays.