TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — Child and Family Services will purchase the entire former St. Andrew's Church and School campus in the Town of Tonawanda for $1.4 million to establish a fourth Stanley Falk School for students with special needs.
"We certainly see it as a win for us," said Elizabeth McPartland, president & CEO of Child and Family Services.
The Buffalo Diocese shuttered St. Andrew's Church and School off Elmwood Avenue and Sheridan Drive in 2024 as part of its Road to Renewal restructuring.
Now, Child and Family Services is ready to buy the property and establish a new school to serve about 160 students with special needs between 3rd and 6th grade.
McPartland said there is a growing need for their special education services at Falk Schools.
“We love the communities that we are embedded in at our other Falk School locations," McPartland said. "The Falk School has been growing since it was established in the mid-1980s, and right now, we serve 50 different school districts. We have students that come to us from really all across Western New York. The biggest populations are Buffalo Public School, Kenmore, and Niagara Falls students. So, this location is really wonderful for us to keep kids as close to their home community as possible."
The current Roosevelt Falk School site lease is up, and the organization is ready to relocate.
The property purchase must be approved by the court as part of the Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy proceedings. Following court approval, proceeds from the sale will be set aside in the parish's name and may be used for settlement purposes related to the parish's Child Victims Act liability, according to the diocese.
WATCH: Child and Family Services to purchase former St. Andrew's campus in Tonawanda
The organization has capital improvements planned once the purchase is finalized.
"As soon as we get the green light, as soon as we have actually purchased the property, we will begin our capital improvements. We have some new roofs that are needed, windows, fresh paint, some TLC that's needed throughout the building," McPartland explained. "So, we'll be using the full campus, the rectory, the school building, the full gym. It's a great opportunity for us.”
McPartland said they don't have any immediate plans for the church other than maintaining the building.
The goal is to have the new Falk School ready at this site for the next school year.
The diocese is also in the process of selling two other church properties - St. Anthony's in Lackawanna and Our Mother of Good Counsel in Blasdell - but those still require court approval as well.
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