The preservation movement in Buffalo has been experiencing its fare share of ups and downs. With every save, there’s usually some sort of loss to follow. We certainly haven’t learned our lessons. We are constantly living in fear that “the next” building will be demolished to make way for a Rite Aid (think Voelkers). Or that a historic building will be demolished to accommodate for more parking (think 110 South Park). The Genesee Gateway district certainly saw its fare share of demolition by neglect in 2021, with the destruction of 435 Ellicott Street, and 324 North Oak. For a city that prides itself on our historic buildings, we just can’t seem to catch a break – now we’re faced with the Great Northern dilemma.
Fortunately, there are a number of people and organizations that do have Buffalo’s best interest in mind when it comes to preserving our past.
Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN) recently announced that it is the recipient of a $500,000 Environmental Protection Fund grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation which will go towards preserving 72 Sycamore – the Eliza Quirk Boarding House.
72 Sycamore is one of the few remaining intact boarding houses and pre-Civil War buildings in downtown.
The significant funds will be used to rehabilitate the building into:
- Office space for Preservation Buffalo Niagara and local non-profit affordable housing specialist Heart of the City Neighborhoods
- A Preservation Resource Center where PBN can hold workshops and provide educational experiences
This is phenomenal news in that the building will be rehabilitated, but even further, the pre-Civil War boarding house structure will ultimately contribute to the preservation of other at-risk buildings. The building, acquired in 2019 by PBN, is also significant in that it is located within the Impact Zone of the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor.
After years of fighting to rescue 72 Sycamore, PBN finally managed to securing the building’s listing on the National Register, from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. That designation helped to procure the funds that will now help to shape its future. This is a great win for downtown Buffalo, but there are plenty of other battles that still need to be fought.
“PBN wishes to thank Governor Hochul for her vision in supporting this project. Eliza’s story (as a well-known courtesan who occupied the building until her death in 1868) is thought provoking and gives us insight into the lives that have typically been left out of the official narrative of place. PBN is so excited to rehabilitate this space and become a permanent part of the Michigan Street Corridor next year!”