As predicted in a post of Sept. 29, the owner of the historic John O'Flanagan House at 171 Niagara Street, pleaded guilty today in Buffalo Housing Court to all 19 building code violations filed against it through a Sept. 14 inspection the owner had asked for. The city, cooperating with the owner, expedited the case, going directly for an arraignment, rather than a hearing, which is the usual course of action. The owner's attorney also submitted a "microbiological report" on the building, which purportedly showed the building was infested with mold. The attorney stated it was to expensive to remediate.

Judge Henry Nowak then asked what the owner, 4771 Dewey Avenue, Inc. (a shell corporation set up by Acquest Development, developer of the IRS building and parking garage adjacent to the O'Flanagan House) proposed be done. The attorney flatly stated that the owner wanted the building condemned by the city and demolished.