Space available. Inquire at the church offices.
There's no sign out front declaring empty rooms are waiting to be filled by businesses and organizations in need, but Blessed Mary Angela (BMA) Parish said they are offering their vacant and underused space to those affected by the downtown fire.
"It's always been a part of the parish's mission, as being part of the Church, to reach out to the needy and to the poor," said Father Matt M. Nycz, pastor of BMA Parish. "And especially now, when so many people were affected by the recent fire, whatever we can do to help, we try."
The parish is just one of many organizations that have opened their doors to welcome their neighbors, who had occupied space in the fire and water-damaged buildings on the 300 block of Central Avenue.
With two worship sites in the city, BMA Parish has plenty of room for interested individuals. In the Fourth Ward - or as parishioners call it, "the hillside worship site" - two buildings, located on the church's 324 Townsend property, are empty and waiting for occupants.
In the First Ward - also known as, "the lakeside worship site" - the building that formerly housed St. Hyacinth School stands mostly empty at 296 Lake Shore Drive East.
Finding tenants to occupy the school is a central focus for the parish, according to Parish Trustee Richard Prechtl.
"It's not a question of opening our doors just to these people (affected by the fire) alone. It's just a question of getting some people in there, getting these buildings rented," Prechtl said. "I was down at the fire, and once it became obvious that the social services and everything else were going to be really devastated, the first thought was to offer the school as a potential site for some of these offices to go."
While BMA Parish has not yet discussed rent figures, Prechtl noted filing the building with tenants will bring the parish some much needed revenue.
Already, there is one new occupant in the Lake Shore Drive school building.
"There is already one group in our school - Matteson Kempo Karate," Rev. Nycz said. "So, we opened our doors to them, and they use it now six days a week."
Bill Matteson of Matteson Kempo Karate said the "karate family" of parents and stakeholders began making phone calls on the night of the fire, and by the next morning, they had a new space.
"They made phone calls, and the next morning, I got the phone call from the church saying, it's ours. No charge, and handed me a key, literally. I had to give them a certificate of insurance, but that's just a phone call," Matteson said. "And that was it. Friday afternoon, two days after the fire, we started classes again."
The karate school is holding its classes in the Rev. Msgr. C.A. Zak Auditorium - the former home of St. Hyacinth Sages' basketball.
Matteson, like many others affected by the fire, was astounded by the community's outpouring of support.
"They (the parish) went, in my opinion, over and above to allow us in there so quickly," Matteson said. "I really think it's just huge community support."
The community came together to provide real solutions to neighbors in need, said Sue McNamara of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). WIB offered employment services through the Chautauqua Works One-Stop Center, which was destroyed in the fire.
"The ripple of this fire is not only the staff that worked there, but you had the human services of the north county, there in that block," McNamara said. "So, you had people who regularly came in looking for jobs, or needed services. That's all impacted."
The ripple effect is one of the reasons why so many people are committed to lending support, McNamara said.
Buffalo was given the nickname, "The City of Good Neighbors," long ago, but for Matteson, he might use the nickname to describe Dunkirk.
"It's very nice of them, and it's working out really well," Matteson said. He added later, "Our community says something and backs it up."
And for Prechtl and his fellow parishioners, it's nice to see children back in a building that once buzzed with activity every day.
"It does mean a lot to people to have children back in that building again, whether it's in a karate capacity or schooling or anything like that," Prechtl said. "It's not only a financial issue, it's also a vitality issue of getting people in and around the parish community again."
But the BMA Parish is only a temporary home for the karate school. After signing a lease Monday, Matteson and his school will move to 355 Central Ave. in Fredonia in two weeks.
Matteson said the landlord gave him a "screaming deal" to help him and the karate school get back up on its feet.
"He just went out of his way and just said, 'We're here to help you, let's make this your home.'"
Father Nycz - who just started as parish pastor in February - said he hopes BMA Parish can build closer ties with the community by providing support.
"Whatever we can do to help, we're in the same boat in a way - all a part of this small community," Father Nycz said. "I'm sure there will be much closer links with the community as a result of this, that might be the ultimate outcome of this tragedy. But the immediate goal is to help those who are in need, and the more long-term goal would be to open up our space for rent, beginning to utilize some empty buildings in new ways."
