University at Buffalo Libraries

Finding Aid for the Audubon New Community Records, 1964-1987 (1975-1987, bulk)

MS 52

State University of New York at Buffalo. University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Archives staff.
Finding aid encoded in EAD by Amy Vilz, October, 2005.
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid prepared using local best practices.

© 2005. State University of New York at Buffalo. All rights reserved.

Collection Overview

Administrative Information

[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 52, Audubon New Community Records, 1964-1987 (1975-1987, bulk), University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo.

See the Archives' preferred citations instructions for additional information.

The records of the Audubon Association, Inc. related to the Audubon New Community were deposited into the University Archives by the action of the Association's Board of Directors on March 21, 1990. This action is recorded in the minutes of that meeting.

The Audubon New Community Records, 1964-1987 (1975-1987, bulk), are open for research.

Permission to publish material from this collection must be requested in writing from the University Archivist at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Copyright is retained by the Audubon Association, Inc. Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Processed by Archives Staff, July 1990; with additional materials integrated by William Offhaus, March 2005.

No further accruals are expected to this collection.

Historical Note

The Audubon New Community, located in West Amherst, New York, is one of three new communities or new towns developed in New York State by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), a corporate governmental agency and public benefit corporation. The intention of these new towns was to offer their residents the opportunity to "live, work, and play" within a given area of land which had been designed and developed within the framework of an overall master plan. UDC was established in 1968 through the New York State Urban Development Corporation Act (Chapter 174, Section 1, Laws of 1968, McKinney's Unconsolidated Laws, Sections 6251-6285). New York was the first state to become directly involved in the development of new communities, sometimes referred to as Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).

The conception of this new community, located northeast of the city of Buffalo, coincided with the decision to construct the new campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo in Amherst. As stated in the Offering Plan, Audubon was intended to help the Town of Amherst meet the impact of the new campus. The original studies recommended 2400 acres. Initially 1800 acres were purchased by UDC for the development of the community, and zoned as New Community District (NCD). The Audubon Development Corporation (ADC), a subsidiary of UDC, was established to oversee all activities of the Audubon New Community and of New York State UDC within the NCD. As of 1987 only approximately 550 acres had been developed into commercial, industrial and residential areas. Due to the financial difficulties encountered by UDC during the early 1970s, coupled with the unexpected slow growth of the new campus, as well as the national and local economic problems of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Audubon's development plans were revised and reduced to reflect a more realistic picture.

Actual construction of the new community began in August 1973, with initial occupancy occurring in 1975. As of 1990, the Residential section of Audubon consists of approximately 400 privately owned single family homes and townhomes, 216 units of housing for the elderly ( Brewster Mews) and 180 units of subsidized rental property ( Parkside). Residents may have access to a competition sized swimming pool, five regulation sized tennis courts, basketball courts, a softball diamond, and Walton Pond Center (WPC)-the community building. The Audubon Child Development Center, a day care facility, which leases space in WPC, is available for a fee to all residents. Seven miles of protected bicycle/walkway paths inter-connect the cul de sacs of single family homes, housing clusters, lakes, parks, the public library, the headquarters for the Town of Amherst Police, as well as the courthouse. In addition, the Commercial and Industrial Parks have also enjoyed a moderate, but successful period of growth and development. Approximately 4,000-5,000 people are employed within the two parks. However, the Industrial Park, although developed by UDC and sharing the name of Audubon, is not part of the Audubon Association, Inc. Incorporated in 1974, the Audubon Association was established by UDC as the homeowner's association (HOA) which would own, operate, maintain, and govern the facilities of the Audubon New Community as designated within the Offering Plan. The operation and management of the Audubon Association, Inc. , was controlled by the developer, UDC, until January 1, 1985. At that time, control of the Association was turned over to the residents of Audubon. However, from 1975-1985, UDC and the resident members of the community continually worked together in order to assure a smooth and effective transition from developer to homeowner control.

Scope and Content Note

Records, 1975-1987 with earlier documents from 1964 onward, of the Audubon Association, Inc. pertaining to the Audubon New Community of Amherst, New York; concerning the operation, maintenance, and government of a planned new community which began construction in 1973. Includes development studies, maps, plats, brochures, newsletters, correspondence, minutes of the Board of Directors and committee meetings, calendars, logs, notes, outgoing letters, inventories, guidelines, governing documents, specifications, and surveys. Subjects include development, promotion, governing documents, board meetings, administrative, finance, land maintenance, Parkside, pool operation and membership, resident population, newsletters, and committees.

Arrangement

Based on the collection's original processing, it is divided into fifteen series: I.Administration of the Audubon Association, II.Board Meetings, III.Association Committees, IV.Audubon Development Corporation, V.Development of the Audubon New Community, VI.Association Finance, VII.Governing Documents, VIII.Land Maintenance, IX.Maps, X.Newsletters, XI.Association Outgoing Correspondence, XII.Parkside, XIII.Pool Operation and Membership, XIV.Promotional Materials, and XV.Resident Population.

The fifteen series are presented in alphabetical order (a change that was made during later processing). The records within the majority of the series are arranged alphabetically. Other series are arranged chronologically.

Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog.

Contributors

Subject Terms