Jun 20, 2026
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen The Pawn Starz building that burned down in the summer of 2022 has not seen any progress in recent months, despite being acquired by the County Land Bank.
SHERIDAN — Sheridan residents got excited when they recently saw heavy machinery along town roads, with the hope that it meant the debris from the charred pawn shop on Route 20, Pawn Starz, was set to finally be cleaned up. Instead, the machinery was installing pipes for the newly established Water District 4.
The cleanup of Pawn Starz has made no movement since it was acquired by the Land Bank last year. The Land Bank has run into the same problems as the town of Sheridan has with the site, which has remained in disrepair after being destroyed in a fire in the summer of 2022. With a long list of liens attached to the property, the Land Bank – like the Town – is hesitant to clean up the site until the liens are resolved. The damage spans two different parcels of land, which has made the process even more difficult.
“The other chunk of land that they don’t own is a stumbling block. It’s an obstacle, unless they can figure out some way to settle the debt on the property,” Code Enforcement Officer James Crowell said.
Since the fire nearly four years ago, residents have consistently said the area is unsafe, including claims of debris being blown by the wind into the road and onto neighboring properties. Residents have claimed that their vehicles were damaged by debris that was blown into the road, while others have claimed the site has caused a dangerous distraction to drivers as they pass the site.
The Land Bank has funds set aside to complete the demolition and removal of debris from the site once the legal issues with the site are resolved, which the Town Board believes will still take roughly another year to be resolved.
“It’s very complicated. There are reasons that it has taken this long to get it cleaned up,” Chautauqua County Land Bank Executive Director Gina Paradis said when asked for an update back in November.
In other pressing matters of concern along Route 20, residents have recently been dealing with flooding in their basements. Residents brought their concerns of property damage, public safety, and the presence of mold before the Town Board in May, and at the latest meeting, eight residents were in attendance again to discuss the matter.
Residents reiterated their desire to expedite the process of finding a solution. However, with Route 20 as a State road, the matter is not up to the town’s Highway Department. Jeff Feinen, Highway Superintendent, stated it has been an ongoing issue for 20 years, as the pipes under Route 20 continue to fail every year. The problem gets worse as each pipe fails.
The residents have searched for ways to help drain the water more effectively by diverting water to Center Road. The State Department of Transportation was contacted, and residents are seeking help from County Legislators and representatives including Senator George Borrello, Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, and U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy.
The next Sheridan Town Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 8 at 7 p.m. at the Sheridan Community Center.
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