Preservation

Some might consider the timing a bittersweet irony. Just blocks away from where thousands of Dyngus Day revelers were renewing the annual post-Easter tradition, the hall where the Chopin Singing Society first hosted local Polish celebrations more than half a century ago was quietly being torn down.

It is proving to be a busy year for the Buffalo-Niagara film industry. Three major productions are currently shooting scenes in the area and a highly anticipated movie filmed at several local sites will be released next month.

It used to be home to the Wildroot hair product company. Local preservationists see the abandoned building on Buffalo's East Side as having great potential for reuse. On Monday, they hosted a block party to hear the community's ideas for how to do it.

While the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus has demolished two buildings on the former home of Osmose Holdings on Ellicott Street, the city Preservation Board still wants the remaining buildings listed as city landmarks. This may lead to changes in what information has to be on the application for a demolition.

Buffalo has two more historic landmark buildings, as the city looks at creating more historic neighborhoods.

It wasn't a comfortable room for developers of a planned project for the corner of Elmwood and Potomac Thursday night. Ciminelli Real Estate presented the latest version of its Reverie project to Elmwood Village residents steadfast in their opposition to the development.

One of the oldest structures in our region is being carefully dismantled so that it can be rebuilt in a more accessible place. The Old Stone Chimney in Niagara Falls dates to the French and Indian War. Buffalo Spree editor Elizabeth Licata talks about this landmark in our Press Pass conversation with WBFO's Mark Scott.

The Board of Trustees for the Chautauqua Institution voted to take bids on the reconstruction of the historic amphitheater.

The March issue of Buffalo Spree is labeled "The Interview Issue."  The magazine's writers sat down with 20 prominent Western New Yorkers, asking them questions on a range of topics.  WBFO's Mark Scott has more in this week's Press Pass with Buffalo Spree Editor Elizabeth Licata.

The push is on to save a large piece of Buffalo's industrial heritage. Preservationists are urging city lawmakers to give the Trico building landmark status.

A North Buffalo landmark will soon be just a memory. The city is not going to prevent the demolition of a fire-damaged former church.

An historic building at Main and Allen Streets in Buffalo was months, if not weeks,  away from collapsing.  But as we hear in this week's Press Pass, it's now on a path to being saved.

The building at 918 and 920 Main Street was constructed in 1891 to house a company known as the Bosche Carriage Repository.  Buffalo Spree Editor Elizabeth Licata wrote about the landmark in her monthly Preservation Ready column in the September issue.  She says it was designed by architect Cyrus Porter who is known for several famous buildings locally, including the Cyclorama.

The massive Trico plant complex on Goodell is now the object of a familiar community debate: preserve or demolish?

Hours after the city Preservation Board recommended last night the vast complex be listed as a historic landmark, Preservation Buffalo Niagara held a public meeting in the Common Council Chambers to talk about what to do with the deteriorating industrial complex.

Trico is a hodge-podge of buildings from different times built for different uses and the roof is shot, letting water and snow inside.

The new, ten story federal courthouse officially opens for business Monday.  As WBFO's Mark Scott reports, federal officials are hailing the new building's design.  But not everyone is enamored by it.

The new courthouse in Niagara Square across from City Hall is finally finished.  Its opening was delayed for many months when a moisture problem was discovered.  Federal court staffers have spent the past several weeks moving in.  And Monday morning, a ceremonial flag raising was held to mark the first day of business. 

A vacant library building has been shuttered for six years in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood.  The Fairfield was closed as part of consolidation.  But Buffalo Spree editor Elizabeth Licata says neighbors are frustrated and the city doesn't seem to be revealing future redevelopment plans.

WBFO'S Eileen Buckley welcomes Licata to our weekly Press Pass interview line-up as they discuss Licata's on-going Buffalo Spree series called "Preservation Ready" that focuses on the Fairfield Library.

A 19th century building on Buffalo's West Side is being transformed into a 14-unit apartment building.

West Side residents and local officials gathered at White's Livery Stable Monday afternoon on Buffalo's West Side to celebrate the commencement of a rehabilitation project that will convert the structure into fourteen new apartments.

Mayor Byron Brown thanked neighborhood residents for their patience and appreciation of the historic building which had posed a safety issue when it began crumbling a few years ago.

 More than 2,000 people are expected to participate in this week's National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in Buffalo.   While the formal opening ceremony takes place Wednesday, students at Buffalo's Waterfront Elementary School were busy Tuesday raising a scaled-down classic American structure, a barn.  Among those watching the barn raising was Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic preservation.