Principle: Preservation Downtown

Preservation Downtown: Context

Problem Statement

The problem with historic preservation Downtown is best described in terms of the opportunity. Buffalo, and especially Downtown, delivers a history of American architecture to all who would visit, whether tourists, workers, or residents of the region. The resources beg for protection, interpretation, marketing, and creative but viable economic use.

There is an unfortunate history of significant building demolition based on a failure of the advocacy organizations, property owners, and governmental officials to see and realize the economic opportunity. There is no systematic inventory of historic structures except for those with formal designation. There is limited venture capital, foundation funding and public money available for restoration or reuse activity.

In addition, there is a weak framework of policies and educational tools in place that would relate the historic resources to other development priorities using each to support the other. Restoring individual properties should spur investment in neighboring properties. Capital projects for historic structures that ignore long term structural viability and maintenance are flawed. There is no program devoted to mandating how buildings should be stabilized to prevent deterioration while they await viable use proposals. Current lack of inventory analysis and enforcement of standards results in uncertainty for developers and preservationists.

Current Status

The history of Buffalo and Western New York is, perhaps, best expressed through Downtown Buffalo’s stock of historic buildings.

• There are four historic districts in the Downtown area but they are constantly at risk of losing the resources that led to their designation.
• Several key historic properties have been saved from the wrecking ball or historically inappropriate development and form the nucleus of Downtown revitalization in several of the strategic investment areas. For example, The Shea’s Buffalo Theatre and the Market Arcade in the Theatre District; the Guaranty Building, McKinley Monument, the M&T Bank Gold Dome and the Old County Hall, in the Government Center and Financial District; and the old U.S. Post Office (now Erie Community College) anchoring the newly developing Education and Public Safety Campus.
• Other resources in the 700 and 800 block of Main Street relate to the Theatre District and Allentown historic district designations linking Downtown to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. After years of neglect by private owners, they are now being considered for appropriate redevelopment, yet they are still at risk for developer-supported demolition.
• Another preservation and historic interpretation opportunity lies in the Erie Canal Harbor and Waterfront District where resources like the western gateway of the Erie Canal, the Commercial Slip and Central Wharf, the Cobblestone Historic District, the USS The Sullivans, the Edward M. Cotter fire boat, and several historically significant grain elevators.

• Additional work is underway to create a Michigan Avenue Historic Area related to the resources like the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church, the Jesse Nash House, and the Colored Musicians Club.

Current organizational work builds on the recently completed National Trust for Historic Preservation Pittsburgh Exchange trip facilitated by the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier. That trip resulted in three core recommendations that are in different stages of development:

• The development of a land and building management strategy to improve the equity and efficiency of the City’s approach to such management.
• A preservation plan effort under the auspices of the City Preservation Board. This effort, also facilitated by the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier, will work with a full complement of preservation advocates to achieve a consensus vision, review and prioritize historic resources, and review and improve municipal procedures based on analysis of recent successes and failures.
• Development of a strategic investment fund devoted to the creating the financial base to implement the preservation vision.

Strategies

• Engage the full complement of community based organizations, private developers, foundations, financial institutions, and governmental agencies in the preservation enterprise.
• Do the necessary inventory, emergency stabilization, and policy work to assure the vitality of historic resources. If done, surrounding communities will make increasingly larger contributions to the quality of life Downtown.
• Develop and implement the city-wide "community preservation" program currently underway with the Preservation Board.

Back to Preservation Downtown navigation

Preservation Downtown: Action Items

Short Term Action (6 months to 1 year)

• Take full advantage of the National Trust Historic Exchange program to frame a preservation agenda for the city and outline implementation procedures. Recently, representatives from the City of Buffalo visited Pittsburgh, PA to observe current historic preservation practices. This type of activity increases awareness of opportunities and resources to facilitate historic preservation, and should occur regularly.
• Initiate a comprehensive inventory of the condition, ownership, and potential of historic structures throughout the city, starting with Downtown. Fist phases of this work are currently under contract to the City of Buffalo’s Office of Strategic Planning.
• Develop an emergency stabilization plan for historic structures that are in immediate danger of structural damage.
• Develop guidelines for building demolition when that is the only remaining choice, saving facades whenever possible.

Medium Term Action (1 to 3 years)

• Work to infill historic districts in Downtown with compatible developments, with a focus on using surface parking lots as building sites.
• Work with existing advocacy organizations, financial institutions and foundations to establish a consolidated approach to financing the adaptive reuse of historically significant buildings and spaces.
• Conclude work on the Citywide Preservation Plan.

Long Term Action (3 to 5 years)

• Create a financially viable Historic Buffalo Foundation charged with the acquisition and rehabilitation of structures identified as important to Buffalo’s history.

Back to Preservation Downtown navigation

Preservation Downtown: Snapshot

Downtown Treasures

1: Local Landmark
2: National Register Eligible
3: National Register Listed
4: National Register Landmark

Name	Address	1	2	3	4
Ashbury Methodist Church	80 W. Tupper Street	X
Ashbury Methodist Church	80 W. Tupper Street	X
Brisbane Building	395 Main Street			X
Calumet Building	46-58 W. Chippewa Street	X
City Hall	65 Niagara Square			X
Colored Musicians Club	145 Broadway Street	X
The Diocese of Buffalo	795 Main Stree	X
Dun Building	110 Pearl Street	X
Durham Memorial AME Zion Church	174 East Eagle Street			X
Erie Community College - City Campus	121 Ellicott Street			X
Edward M Cotter (Fireboat)	Michigan Street Lift Bridge				X
Greystone Building	24 Johnson Park			X
J.A. Webb Company	92 Pearl Street		X
L L Berger Department Store	500-520 Main Street			X
Lafayette Hotel	391 Washington Street	X	X
Liberty Building	416 Main Street		X
M & T Bank (Gold Dome)	1 Genesee Street	X	X
M. Wile and Company Factory Building	77 Goodell Street			X
Macedonia Baptist Church	511 Michigan Avenue			X
Market Arcade Building	615 Main Street	X
McKinley Monument	Niagara Square	X		X
Niagara Mohawk Building	20 Huron Street			X
Old County Hall	95 Franklin Street	X		X
Guaranty Building	28 Church Street			X	X
Shea's Buffalo Theater	642 Main Street			X
Soldiers and Sailors Monument	415 Main Street	X	X
St. Joseph’s Old Cathedral	50 Franklin Street	X
St. Louis Roman Catholic Church	780 Main Street	X
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church	128 Pearl Street	X			X
Trinity Episcopal Church	371 Delaware Avenue	X
USS The Sullivans (Destroyer)	1 Naval Park Cove			X	X
Young Men’s Christian Association	45 W Mohawk Street			X

Preservation In Brief

Measures of Success

• Number of historic structures preserved for active re-uses
• Clear and enforced design standards for historic districts
• Clear and enforced policy on neighborhood development abutting historic properties and districts

Top Rules for Preservation Downtown Action Plan

• Do not tear down historic structures.
• Establish coordinated public/private sector plan for historic properties and districts.
• Fabric, not just historically significant buildings, is important.
• Make the economic case for preservation and "take it to the bank."
• Create a financing capacity for renovation in collaboration with an alliance of preservation organizations and foundations.
• Continue to refine changes to building codes to promote preservation.

Work to Date

• Capital Projects Completed (recent)
  • The Mansion
  • The Bellasara
  • M. Wile - Century Centre II
  • The Stokes Seed Building
• Capital Projects Under Development
  • Erie Canal Harbor
  • Old County Courthouse Renovation
  • Asbury Methodist Church
  • The Greystone
  • Trico - Century Centre I
  • The Sidway Building
  • The Guaranty Building

Back to Preservation Downtown navigation