Wheatfield Planning Board Gives OK for The Church At Shawnee Landing & The Town Homes At Shawnee Landing !

By Vic Baker, Project Moderator

(Wheatfield, NY, May, 2006)

The Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals has given green lights to the final site plans for The Church at Shawnee Landing and The Town Homes at Shawnee Landing.



Project architect Bill Scott is working with the development team to complete construction drawings and prepare for groundbreakings, now expected late this summer.

It’s been a long journey of faith for the former Payne Avenue Christian Church, which forged a partnership with businessman Paul Granville and Belmont Shelter Corporation in 2002.

The church sold its former home in North Tonawanda, and moved into temporary quarters at the Sutherland Masonic Lodge nearly two years ago.




The $9.1 million housing project includes an 11 building campus featuring 64 Town Homes and a community center to serve families or seniors in a comfortable community setting featuring ample green space.




The Town Homes at Shawnee Landing are financed through a combination of grants, loans and tax credits, including:

• $1,658,000 loaned at 1% for 30 years from the Housing Trust Fund

• $447,345 HUD grant secured by Rep. Tom Reynolds and loaned to the project by Belmont Shelter Corp.

• $640,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank loaned at 1% for 15 years

• $150,000 DHCR grant secured by Sen. George Maziarz and loaned to the project by Belmont Shelter Corp.

• $6,259,768 from tax credit equity and developer financing

Rents will be priced affordably for qualified tenants from lower income categories:

• 6 one bedroom units @ $400 per month
• 14 two bedroom units @ $470 per month
• 32 three bedroom units @ $530 per month
• 12 four bedroom units @ $575 per month

Belmont Vice President Mike Riegel is targeting August of 2007 for completion of the Town Homes.

At the same time, The Church at Shawnee Landing is moving ahead with plans to build its first two buildings on its part of the Shawnee Landing campus. The Robert & Lena Butler Family Life Center, and Safe Haven at Shawnee Landing will focus on providing services for all generations.

The church is finalizing a contract with Ron Sciandra and associates to operate Safe Haven as a full service day care center in a building which will also house Sunday School and Christian Education functions.






The Safe Haven will be connected by a glass walled vestibule and entrance lobby to the Butler Center, a full service building capable of housing Sunday Worship, banquets, craft shows and games. The Butler Center serve as the temporary sanctuary until the church grows sufficiently to build a permanent worship center at the front of the campus facing Shawnee Road.

The glass-walled vestibule between Butler and Safe Haven will open into a magnificent memorial garden centered by a large fountain that will serve as a venue for warm weather baptisms.

An electronic message center sign will be installed alongside Captain’s Way at the Shawnee Road entrance to the campus. That sign will provide continually updated messages about the mission of the church, Safe Haven, and the Town Homes, inviting the public to find a new home here.



The estimated project cost for this first phase is $1.6 million. The church will secure a loan from the Disciples of Christ office of Church Extension to finance the project.

The Church is accumulating assets acquired through the sale of its former building, the sale of lands at Shawnee Landing to project partners, developer commission, and our Firm Foundation Capital Campaign.

Those funds will be invested at Church Extension and will assist the church in servicing the mortgage as we seek to grow additional membership and assets for phase two (the worship center).

This project has been inspired by Pastor Jerry McGlone’s desire to extend and renew the life of our faith community by establish a mission of outreach to a growing populace.

We looked at a cornfield in Wheatfield and saw something special.

By partnering with Paul Granville and Belmont Shelter, this church has enabled a project that will provide decent affordable housing for 64 families or individuals in need.

By working with Ron Sciandra and associates, this church will provide a Safe Haven for pre-school children.

By building a family-friendly facility, The Church at Shawnee Landing seeks to grow by attracting young families from a fast growing community where our services will be needed and appreciated.

This has not been easy. We have faced challenges far too numerous to mention. But our development team has stayed on course through this journey of faith, from initial conceptions nearly five years ago, to a grand vision that secured funding and finally public approvals to make our vision real. We planted the seeds, and the harvest is coming!

The Bible has many accounts of awesome miracles. In these times, we can still see miracles happen. Sometimes we forget how long they can take. A cornfield will grow into a church, a day care center, and a thriving community. If we build it, they will come.

While we approach the joyous celebration of a summer groundbreaking, the job is far from over. We can build a church building. The real challenge is to BUILD THE CHURCH ITSELF. The Church at Shawnee Landing will seek to develop family-friendly programs to offer services and activities for children and adults of all ages.

Our doors will be swung wide open, and this church invites newcomers!

Watch this space for exciting updates on our long anticipated groundbreakings for The Town Homes at Shawnee Landing, and The Church at Shawnee Landing!

If you are interested in more information about the Town Homes at Shawnee Landing, email us at info@thechurch.tc or pastor@thechurch.tc.