BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Neighbors in Elmwood Village are not happy with a proposed plan to build condos on Potomac Avenue.

Michael Tritto Jr with the Inland Avenue Block Club said, “This is Buffalo, we have unique neighborhoods, we want to preserve that.”

Local Architect Karl Frizlin wants to demolish a home on Potomac Avenue, with the intentions of building a new structure that will house 26 condo units. Most of the homes nearby are owner- occupied- and neighbors are concerned.

Eugene Hegedus lives on Windsor Street. He said, “When you put in 26 condos, and that’s at least 52 cars, where are you going to put them?”

Tritto said, “It’s going to magnify traffic and noise. He’s putting in a big box store into a little mom and pop street.”

Christina Holdsworth lives on Potomac Avenue. She said, “We all sit on our porches, we talk to our neighbors, that’s just not going to be the case with a gated, huge apartment building.”

Councilman Joel Feroleto says Frizlin, by right, would be allowed to build 13 units based on the square footage. He’s applied for a variance to double the project. But more than 100 people who live in the area have signed a petition against it. Neighbors say they’re supportive of the plan for 13 units, but no more.

Hegedus said, “It’s not that I don’t want nice neighbors, if you can afford $300 thousand dollar condos, those would be good neighbors, but not here. We would have to move!”

Tritto said, “We want to support development in Buffalo, we just want to keep a neighborhood that is already someplace where people want to move into and have families here, we don’t want it to be ruined.”

Frizlin has told neighbors the underground parking spots will alleviate parking issues on the street, and unit ownership means people who move in here will take care of the neighborhood.

But neighbors have seen the renderings and say it still won’t be a good fit.

Holdsworth said, “To me, it’s something that belongs in a suburb, which is all well and good, but if I wanted to live in the suburbs, I would live there. It doesn’t look like these houses.”

Neighbors have been submitting their opposition to the zoning board. The Board of Appeals will make a decision on the variance on Wednesday at 2 pm.

We’ve reached out to the Frizlin group for comment but haven’t yet heard back.