The Campaign for Greater Buffalo is holding a rally to save the threatened Ernest Franks House at 284 West Utica St., Buffalo on Saturday, February 22 at 9:00am. We'll have information on the house, explain the demolition request for a too-big Sinatra-Paladino townhouse development, and what citizens can do. You can download the flyer and our newsletter on the Franks House: Download Save Franks House Download Greater Buffalo #28.1.02131515 Continue reading

The Ernest Franks House at 184 West Utica Street is a rare Flemish Revival style house, and perhaps the first house designed by noted architect Albert Schallmo The Campaign for Greater Buffalo has filed a City of Buffalo landmark application to protect a rare Flemish Revival style house at 184 West Utica Street in the Elmwood West National Historic District. Sinatra Development, which owns the house and an adjoining parking lot, has applied for a demolition permit for an 18-unit townhouse development that it is partnering on with Carl Paladino's Ellicott Development. Neighbors and concerned citizens opposed to the demolition... Continue reading

The Squier Mansion, 2003, during restoration. A lot of things and people go into a successful campaign to save a building. This is Tim Tielman's eyewitness account, based on notes, legal documents, and media stories, of the saving of one landmark, Buffalo's Squier Mansion. It had been a concern of preservationists for over a decade, and came to a head in one day, December 21, 2001. Between 10:00am and 4:50 pm, building on the work and hard-earned reputation of an organization of dedicated citizens with many other victories to its credit, and with the unhesitating aid of others, an attempt... Continue reading

Beth Kauffman, center left, and Meg Robinson-Albers received the inaugural President's Award for service to Buffalo preservation from Campaign for Greater Buffalo President Paul McDonnell, right. Campaign Executive Director Tim Tielman, left, joined them on the staircase of the Herbert Hewitt House at The Campaign's 2019 Solstice Party The Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture recognized three board members for their long-time service to preservation and the City of Buffalo at its 2019 Solstice Party, held at the Herbert Hewitt house on Lafayette Avenue. The inaugural President's Award, was presented by Campaign President Paul McDonnell to Campaign board... Continue reading

Buffalo Common Council refused three times to act on landmark designation of Frank Lloyd Wright's William Heath House on Soldiers Circle. A judge has ordered it to act in accordance with the city's Preservation Ordinance, a victory for The Campaign for Greater Buffalo The Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture has won a significant court decision to protect two houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The William Heath House, on Soldiers' Circle, and the Walter Davidson House, on Tillinghast Place, must be voted on for local landmark designation by the Buffalo Common Council, rather than thrown in a... Continue reading

Buffalo architectural masters Williams Lansing and Max Beierl designed 619 Lafayette Avenue for rubber and brass baron Herbert Hewitt, who moved in in 1898. It will host the 2019 Solstice Party of The Campaign for Greater Buffalo on December 21. The Campaign is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the launching of the legal battle to save the Canal District and its 2019 campaigns and victories. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo and Executive Director Tim Tielman are hosting their annual holiday party for preservationists and friends on Saturday, December 21, 2019 from 4:44pm—sundown on the shortest day of the year—to 7:44pm... Continue reading

One of Black Rock's landmark buildings, 399 Amherst Street, is endangered. Quick action by The Campaign for Greater Buffalo has averted demolition, at least for now, of a distinctive, center-towered commercial and residential building designed and built by Wladislaw Zawadzki, perhaps Buffalo Polonia's most notable designer of the early 20th century. The building was to be the subject of a demolition application review at the city Preservation Board on Thursday, November 21. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo learned of the endangerment when the application was posted on the city's website on Friday, November 15, and posted a notice on its... Continue reading

Young Pioneer: Ev Janish poses in of 265 Yorkshire in the summer of 1954. Her parents bought a new ranch house in the mammoth Pearce & Pearce development of Green Acres in the Town of Tonawanda The staggering archives of house builders Pearce & Pearce—including over 4,000 file folders stuffed architectural renderings, paint specifications, finishing options, costs, sale prices, and more, plus hundreds of blueprints–saved through the efforts of Campaign for Greater Buffalo Executive Director Tim Tielman in 2017, have now been digitally indexed by The Buffalo History Museum, where the invaluable collection resides. Tielman first laid eyes on the... Continue reading

It only took 27 years, but the complete reconstruction of Buffalo's Canal District is within sight. Governor Andrew Cuomo initiated a contest last February to develop concepts for the future of the Skyway. The competition was overseen by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC). On September 17, a winner was chosen that clears the path for the reconstruction not only of the Canal District, but other neighborhoods and streets as well. The central idea was to remove the northern viaduct of the Skyway, the Thruway interchange, and the on/off ramps, freeing up acres of land to reconstruct neighborhoods and connections... Continue reading

Postcard with colorized Terrace Park, 1902. North is to the left, south to the right. This is a detail from a 1902 panorama of the city. The original park extended four blocks farther south, but was abandoned by the city for tracks and a station built by the NY Central, seen in the middle of the illustration. POSTCARD FROM BUFFALO: TERRACE PARK 1902. Buffalo's very first public park—going back to Joseph Ellicott's original 1803 survey and platting of New Amsterdam—was The Terrace Park. It ran from Seneca Street northwest to where Court and Jackson Street intersect today. Topography argued for... Continue reading

From Skyway to Skywalk: Campaign proposal preserves the main Skyway spans, the southern viaduct, and the Outer Harbor Embankment to create a new walking and bike artery that doubles as a recreational amenity offering great views of the city, rivers, and Lake Erie. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo has, since its founding, supported removal of the Buffalo Skyway and its interchange with the Thruway. In 2007, it issued an illustrated concept called the Skywalk to mitigate the damage the bridge caused and allow reconstruction of the Canal District, Terrace Park, and the historic neighborhoods around them. The Campaign is working... Continue reading

POSTCARD FROM BUFFALO: WILLIAM STREET NEAR KRETTNER C. 1910. The subject of this postcard is probably the newly constructed Savoy Theatre, which, in 2019, stands in a long-derelict state. Of special interest is the classic commercial-residential wooden structures and the continuous strip of display window along the sidewalk. There are two display cases projecting onto the public sidewalk, one housing a mannequin in a fancy dress at the Slotkin clothing store—much like a cigar store indian—and one in front of a retail space in the Savoy building. Streets such as this provided a person walking along with a new display... Continue reading

The Campaign is fighting together with neighbors to save the Meidenbauer House at 204 High Street in the Fruit Belt, just as we successfully fought to create the High Street Historic District, of which the Meidenbauer House is an integral part. The house has been owned by the city for 14 years, during which it has done nothing to maintain the building, now it wants to demo it. Councilmember Darius Pridgen also wants it demolished. City reaction thus far has been to issue another Request For Proposals (RFP), and effort it would seem destined—if not designed—to fail. It is unclear... Continue reading

As you know, The Campaign for Greater Buffalo and its members were instrumental in saving Buffalo's Canal District in an epic effort that culminated in a March 2000 federal court decision and order that opened the way to saving, rather than destroying and burying, the Commercial Slip, Central Wharf, and the surrounding streets. We've led that effort ever since. In 2016, we unveiled our own plan for development of The Canal District (please don't call it Canalside, a fakey-commercial name decided upon by a former publisher of the Buffalo News). To refresh your memory, or to make first acquaintance, here... Continue reading

There is no better way to learn about Buffalo than to travel around and about Buffalo with the experts of The Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture. They have the Open-Air Autobus, a mobile classroom and part of The Campaign’s Learn About Buffalo outreach— the best way to see, hear, and smell Buffalo (toasted oats, chicken wings, charcoal-grilled hot dogs!). The Campaign is Buffalo’s most dynamic preservation organization. Our trips reflect our character: Passionate, lively, and knowledgeable, led by experts who love exploring the world around them.Our trips are built on 30 years’ worth of architectural and historical... Continue reading

Electric scooters: A boost to urbanism or a danger? Governor Andrew Cuomo has just vetoed a bill that would have legalized electric bikes and scooters for use on public roadways and paths in New York State. The governor claims he vetoed the bill because there was no requirement that riders wear helmets, but there are other reasons for concern. The E.U. has a top speed of 20km/hr (12mph) for e-bikes, which is sound, while the U.S. federal limit is 20mph, which is too fast for most riders and conditions for safe operation. The New York bill did nothing to address... Continue reading

Campaign for Greater Buffalo proposes revealing original Arsenal portal by demolishing utilitarian 1940's addition, and creating a large square on William Street, the sunny side of the building. It would be used as a community center The Buffalo Public Schools, in collaboration with the City of Buffalo, are looking for a field house. Cannon Design has been hired to develop proposals. A public input session was held on December 11. That's when it got complicated. Read about The Campaign for Greater Buffalo's response to building on parkland, and ignoring transit-oriented development, community revitalization, and historic preservation. Download Greater Buffalo #26.3Armory... Continue reading

The Administration of Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is about to cost downtown Buffalo 437 jobs and all the economic and social consequences that entails. The Buffalo News on August 13 reported an announcement by a deputy county press secretary that the county is moving the Department of Social Services employees from their long-time home at one of the most equitably accessible locations in Erie County to the out-of-the-way and failed Appletree Mall on Union Road at Bennett Road in Cheektowaga. Prior to 1985, the mall was known as the Como Park Mall, and struggled almost from the day it... Continue reading

The one absolute, non-negotiable asset we must build on the Outer Harbor Waterfront is a large Community Porch overlooking a rolling Olmstedian meadow down to Lake Erie. We deserve nothing less and can accept nothing less, nowhere else. Trowbridge, Wolf, Michaels landscape architects have been given a contract for Buffalo Billion II improvements in the middle section of the Buffalo's Outer Harbor. A general understanding was reached in September 2017 meeting at Empire State Development Corporation offices between ESDC officials and community representatives, including The Campaign for Greater Buffalo, Waterkeeper, the Outer Harbor Coalition, and Assemblyman Sean Ryan, that included... Continue reading

Eagle-eyed readers of the New York Times (that would be us) alerted local state officials in April of New York State Canal Corporation plans to render as surplus "30 decommissioned barges, tugboats and tenders from the Erie Canal and upstate waterways," and have them sunk as part of a series of artificial reefs. Gulp. At the same time the state and localities up and down the canal—not the least of which, Buffalo—are trying to celebrate the canal and their connections to it. During the 200th anniversary period of its construction and opening (1817-1825). The Campaign suggested that the Erie Canal... Continue reading

The Campaign for Greater Buffalo is proposing a series of of structures for the Buffalo Outer Harbor that are linked in a "visibility chain," united in their utilitarian aspect with the historic character of the Outer Harbor, and provide instantly communicated shelter, sustenance, and sociability. The could all be built for $5,000,0000, or one-third the amount the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation has obtained for all Outer Harbor improvements to this stage. The most expressive structure proposed is a snackbar/cafe conceived of as an outpost for beach goers and bicyclists, the so-called “Beach and Bicycle Club” at the entrance to... Continue reading

If you can make your transportation infrastructure picturesque, do so. If you can make your public transportation friction-less, do it. If it can connect people to line-of-sight destinations, do it. Vancouver does it. Not one, but two, ferry companies provide 5-minute headways to Granville Island from downtown Vancouver, a 3-minute ride. Together, an amazing 2-1/2-minute headway on this one route. One literally can go to the dock and immediately board a waiting ferry anytime between 7:00am and 10:00pm. Yes, we have a bicycle ferry and a new ferry landing. It just doesn’t operate frequently or long enough. And it ain’t... Continue reading

The Campaign for Greater Buffalo creates umbrella for educational field trips on Open-Air Autobus, lectures, building information. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture is launching a new brand to help the public more easily identify and access its educational services. LearnAboutBuffalo.org has just been launched by The Campaign, to consolidate and rebrand the non-profit’s public education components: the Open-AirAutobus, its lecture series, building histories, photographs, and digital collections. “This was driven by the need to differentiate our Open-Air Autobus, which for 10 years was the only such vehicle in Western New York, from the commercial services which... Continue reading

The Buffalo Outer Harbor is a long, thin belt of land along the Lake Erie shore largely owned by public entities. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo proposes to create a chain of useful, seasonal structures governed by what people want, need, and can practically get to. This means providing shelter, sustenance, and sociable places in support of those coming to enjoy the primary resource: the scenic qualities of Buffalo’s front yard on Lake Erie. Buffalo has been down this path before: Large piece of open space facing the immensity of Lake Erie, a population hungry for recreational space. In the... Continue reading

Add Assembly Member Erik Bohen to Congressman Brian Higgins and Assembly Member Sean Ryan to the list of local officials who support The Campaign for Greater Buffalo's proposal for a new transit plaza and intermodal hub instead of merely rebuilding Amtrak's existing Exchange Street (BFX) station under a Thruway viaduct. In calling for Governor Andrew Cuomo to re-evaluate the BFX plan and consider the Campaign's proposal for a train station on Washington Street (or "BFW"), south of the Thruway, Bohen said, “After visiting the site and studying both plans from New York State and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo, it... Continue reading