To Michael Miller and the Central Terminal Restoration Committee: Thank you. You've been doing such good work for so long on the Central Terminal, that it just seems natural. That's what you do, and we accept that you do it.
It isn't until we see something like the proposed demolition of an equally beautiful terminal in Detroit, Michigan, that we realize that without the hard work and dedication of people like you, and all of the community who pitches in, we could be - almost were - in the same position.
We've lost some iconic buildings through the years, but the losses eventually gave birth to an army of preservationists who keep a vigilant watch over our local architectural treasures in an effort to stop their destruction. Buildings like the Central Terminal are monuments to an historic greatness Buffalo enjoyed that will never be matched again in quite the same way.
Thank you, too, to Howard Zemsky for the LCo Building, to the Martin House Restoration Committee and to those working on a plan for the H.H. Richardson Complex.
Last year, the Livery was saved; thank you, Sam Savarino, Kitty Herrick, Paul Morgan and all, including pro bono attorney Theresa Quinn. On the other hand, unfortunately, we lost McBride's Tavern.
This year, there's a Blacksmith's Shop and several attached buildings, all owned by the same man, crumbling in the Cobblestone District on Illinois St. Here's last year's shot along with today's:
These buildings are a short way from the newly developed and developing inner harbor. The owner of the building has allegedly told people he'll wait until there's a demo order, take it down on a weekend and eventually build a high-rise hotel. We made calls about this going all the way back to Richard Tobe's watch as commissioner of Economic Development, Inspections and Licenses. Every time Tobe was told about the demolition of the Blacksmith's Shop or "shed" (gutted - see last image), he would call a halt, but the equipment would come back at the end of the day or on weekends to continue work. Now, it all happens in broad daylight, and we're still waiting for word from the city on what is happening.
Last year we were told by a city inspector that something would be done. He also said that writing about it would start an uproar that might impede the city's ability to get the building owner on track. From what we can see, the only thing on track seems to be the continued demolition, bit by bit.
The
National Trust for Historic Preservation is holding their convention in Buffalo
in 2011, with more than 2,000 members attending. Wouldn't it be a shame if the Blacksmith Shop was gone by
then?
The top image is at the corner of Illinois and South Park, formerly Elk.
Maybe the preservation delegates will be staying in the new hotel!
These are buildings that HAVE to be saved. To allow a demo by neglect is short sighted.