Photo submitted The image shows the old church in the moonlight.
The problem is that the building was not abandoned, it is currently under repair and the people who entered did so without permission.
Neil Burns bought the former First Baptist Church of Cherry Creek about six years ago. He initially thought about turning it into a bar or brewery, but when the pandemic hit and then Cockaigne closed, he decided against it. For now, he’s still cleaning it up and making repairs.
Burns’ wife is a member of the Facebook group “Abandoned and beyond Buffalo, NY.” She saw a post in which group members broke into their former church building and alerted her husband.
Burns joined the group and commented on the post, pointing out that the church was not abandoned and that those taking the photos had trespassed on private property.
Submitted photo The former First Baptist Church of Cherry Creek is owned by Neil Burns. He said people from the Facebook group “Abandoned and beyond Buffalo, NY” trespassed on his property, took pictures and posted them online without permission.
“This building is not abandoned. It has been a pride and joy for me to restore this magnificent building,” he wrote.
Burns said he had removed two 40-foot dumpsters, repaired the roof and scraped off paint in preparation for a paint job.
She also complained in the comments section that whoever took the photos broke her door that was more than 100 years old. “I have to put up new security cameras. I have to worry about copycats coming in and breaking into my house because of you. How can you not take responsibility for that?” she wrote.
Burns said he doesn’t believe anything was stolen from the place, but he’s upset that they broke in the first place. “I wasn’t in direct communication with them, but they sent me an apology and offered to help me pay to fix the place up, but they denied breaking in and breaking my door,” he said.
The Facebook post is no longer online and Burns has not received any payment from the group.
Burns said he had contacted state police to report the theft. “You can’t just walk into people’s buildings,” he said.
An officer assigned to the case said: “I am doing everything I can to get the owner to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.”
Burns also said this is not the first time this Facebook group has broken into private property.
In February, WKBW reported that someone from Abandoned and beyond Buffalo, NY, posted photos taken inside the Durham Memorial AME Zion Church, which is located in the city of Buffalo.
The building is currently undergoing repairs and no worship services are held on Sunday mornings.
At that point, the Facebook group apologized to the church and removed the post.
Burns said Facebook members recommended that the “Abandoned and Beyond” group break into another Cherry Creek building. “I notified the property owner and she contacted them to warn them not to do it,” she said.
Burns is upset that this Facebook group continues to invade private property, including in Chautauqua County. “My building was not abandoned. I go there quite a bit, at least once a week,” he said.
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