another opinion on baseball house

[twolves4]

The 26th Street residents fear their family neighborhood will be disrupted if the proposed baseball house becomes a reality and I don't claim to have a solution to this situation. I would imagine the demands on a student athlete are great; keeping up with academics while maintaining a training schedule both during and outside of the season, not to mention the time spent traveling during the season. The opportunity to build a relationship with Division I athletes is rare; perhaps the residents should make the best of the situation and host an informal get-together for the students and their families at the beginning of the school year in an effort to build a relationship. Because we tend to live up to what is expected of us, perhaps the students should be made aware by the residents that they have very high standards and that the bond between these neighbors is unique and one that they, as a neighborhood, want to keep intact. Perhaps by welcoming the students into their neighborhood, the students will then be less likely to do anything to fracture the trust or jeopardize their relationship with their neighbors. Life experience has proven that the chances of successfully co-existing increase if a mutually respected relationship is formed. As adults, it is our responsibility to foster and encourage acceptable behavior in our children, first and foremost, by setting a good example.

[JS]

Your post makes too much sense.....therefore, what you will suggest will never happen. Based on your mature, common sense approach to this issue, I'm guessing that you don't live in Olean.

[Ladderman]

I wish I could join in the piling on of the S.26th Street residents; Lord knows some of them deserve it. But for all their bluster and exaggeration of the potential problems, there are legitimate concerns there. I don't know too many people here who would want to live with the typical 'off campus' house next door.

For all of the people here who claim to know what's best for the Olean area and how to solve their problems, I'm surprised no one has brought up the problem of absentee landlords, which is quite prevelant in Olean. Why not add one more? The owner of the building will be in Maryland. What happens to it when his son graduates and his one tie to the community is severed?

It is true that the young men will have many demands on their time between training and school work. But I knew many athletes who managed to balance a fair amount of drinking in their schedule. I even recall one basketball player who beat me to Mad Dogs after a game.

I'm not saying Grap's idea is necessarily a bad one; I just think he probably chose the wrong place.

[Friar]

I am not quite sure why some folks are bashing residents of 26th Street? Honestly, I can't think a majority of you would want to reside next to a house full of college students. Most, if not all, the residents have worked hard to make their property presentable. They take pride in the homes and property. Ladderman, as you suggested we have many landlords, living in and out of the city, whose only concern is renting their rental units to make money and the hell with everything else. So, who cares if the neighborhood goes to hell as long as I get my money? As I drive around the area I think to myself there has to be a dozen or more places Mr. Grap can purchase and house these students and won't affect a nice neighborhood like 26th Street. In the meantime he might save some money.

To the Grap family I welcome you to the area and appreciate you considering to invest in Olean. However, this is not the right project for you. I understand lovely Ellicottville has three new housing projects in the works. Perhaps that is an option. Better yet, buy some property in the country and build there. It will be quiet and the players can study and "strategize."