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A proposal is currently under review to designate a large portion of South Buffalo as the McKinley Parkway Historic District, a move that would establish the largest National Register Historic District in New York State.

A Vision for South Buffalo

Centered around the iconic McKinley Parkway, the proposed district encompasses approximately 6,000 properties. This initiative is not only a recognition of the area’s architectural and cultural significance but also a strategic investment in the community’s future. By securing National Register designation, property owners will gain access to valuable historic tax credits, encouraging thoughtful restoration and economic revitalization.

Why Historic Designation Matters

For a deeper understanding of the role and impact of historic districts in Buffalo, including key statistics and case studies, readers are encouraged to explore the digital publication Everyone’s Heritage: The Impact of Historic Preservation in Buffalo. This comprehensive report, available through Preservation Buffalo Niagara, offers valuable insights into how historic designation supports economic development, community identity, and sustainable urban planning. The full report can be accessed here.

Community Engagement: Public Meeting Details

To ensure transparency and community involvement, the City of Buffalo’s Office of Strategic Planning, in collaboration with the New York State Historic Preservation Office (NYSHPO), is hosting a public meeting to discuss the proposal:

Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Location: Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road

Virtual Access: Join via Webex
Meeting Number: 2330 514 7707
Password: McKinley

This meeting offers residents a valuable opportunity to explore the nomination process, discover the many benefits of historic designation, including Historic Tax Credits, and learn how it can enhance and support the long-term value of their properties.

To learn more about Historic Tax Credits, please CLICK HERE.

The Gay Places Initiative is not just about bricks and mortar—it’s about memory, identity, and queer resilience. In a world where LGBTQ+ histories have often been erased or ignored, this project sets out to map and honor the places that helped shape queer life in Buffalo and Western New York. And thanks to historian Dr. Jeff Iovannone, these places are coming alive through a powerful blog series that reads like a love letter to our past.

🌈 69 Johnson Park
69 Johnson Park is a striking Second Empire–style home built around 1865. Originally owned by the Chamot family, French immigrants who lived there for decades, the house is architecturally significant for its mansard roof and ornate Victorian details. But its importance extends beyond architecture—it was the longtime residence of gay rights activists Dr. James Haynes and Donald Licht. The couple restored the home in the 1980s. It was used as a hub for Buffalo’s LGBTQ community, co-founding key organizations like the Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier and the Western New York AIDS Program.

🌈 9500 Clarence Center Road
9500 Clarence Center Road is more than a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture—it’s a landmark in Western New York’s LGBTQ+ history. Built around 1835, the house became home to Peggie Ames, one of the region’s first publicly out transgender women. After transitioning in the 1970s, Peggie faced harassment and rejection, but remained in her home, where she opened a crafts shop, offered peer counseling, and became a key contact for national trans support networks. Through decades of quiet persistence, Peggie transformed 9500 Clarence Center Road into a place of advocacy, refuge, and pride—laying groundwork for the trans community in WNY and beyond.

🌈 510 Tacoma Avenue
510 Tacoma Avenue is a classic Buffalo double with Prairie Style influences, but it also holds a deeper cultural significance. In the 1960s, it was home to Leslie Feinberg—celebrated author of Stone Butch Blues and a pioneering voice in transgender and working-class queer activism. Feinberg’s early years in Buffalo were shaped by rejection, economic struggle, and harassment. Yet the city’s factories, bars, and queer community also gave her a sense of pride, purpose, and identity. While Tacoma Avenue was not a place of comfort for her, it was a place of transformation and sanctuary.

🌈 330 Franklin Street
330 Franklin Street is a striking example of late Federal townhouse architecture. Built in 1854, it housed both residences and businesses over the years, including Boyle Brothers Plumbing, The Radio Doctor repair shop, and O’Neill’s Grill. But beyond its architectural significance, 330 Franklin also played a vital role in Buffalo’s queer history. In the late 1960s, Jim Garrow’s establishment, the Tiki, became a hub for the city’s LGBTQ+ community, offering a welcoming space even without a liquor license. With good coffee, turkey sandwiches, and jukebox dancing, the Tiki was more than a café—it was a safe haven at a time when bars catering to queer patrons faced intense scrutiny.

🌈 140 North Street
140 North Street, home to the historic Lenox Hotel, has stood as a landmark in Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood since 1896. Originally built as an apartment house, the Lenox transformed into a luxury hotel in 1901 to accommodate visitors attending the Pan-American Exposition. Over the decades, Allentown became a cultural and social hub, attracting artists, musicians, and Buffalo’s growing LGBTQ+ community. Among its residents was Bobby Uplinger, an openly gay man who fought for the right of queer people to exist freely in public spaces. His legal battle, People v. Uplinger, helped dismantle discriminatory laws that targeted LGBTQ+ individuals, leaving a lasting impact on civil rights in New York.

Through Dr. Jeff’s storytelling and the Gay Places Initiative’s preservation work, these spaces are no longer hidden or forgotten. They’re being woven back into the larger story of Buffalo—right where they belong. This isn’t just history—it’s our history. It’s the stories of quiet bravery and bold visibility. Of lovers, fighters, and family—chosen and found. And it deserves to be seen, celebrated, and preserved.

To learn more or get involved, visit the full Gay Places Initiative page. Because our places matter, and our stories are worth saving.

Preservation Buffalo Niagara’s Save Our Sacred Sites (SOSS) initiative was launched in 2024 as a response to the widespread closures announced by the Diocese of Buffalo. SOSS supports community members, congregations, and neighborhood advocates in preserving sacred sites that define our local history, architecture, and identity.

Newly Landmarked and Protected Churches

We are proud to share that the following churches have been, or are currently in the process of being, locally landmarked through the Save Our Sacred Sites initiative:

• St. Jude Shrine – part of the Hospital Hill Historic District (in progress)

• St. Martin of Tours – Abbott Road (in progress)

• Our Lady of Perpetual Help – O’Connell Street (locally landmarked, and DOE secured!)

• All Saints – Chadduck Avenue

• St. Michael – Washington Street

• St. Thomas Aquinas – Abbott Road

• St. John Kanty – Swinburne Street

• St. Rose of Lima – Parker Avenue

We’re also honored to include Delaine-Waring AME Church (Swan Street). Though not directly affected by the Diocese closures, Pastor Perrin was eager to join the SOSS effort, recognizing the importance of protecting historic sacred spaces across faith traditions.

Ongoing Work & How You Can Help

Churches are added to this list as they face closure or are identified as historically significant and at risk. Because this is an evolving situation, please check back frequently for updates on newly added churches and preservation progress. Donations to a specific church or the general fund in the SOSS initiative can be made here.

If you are a church leader and have questions about the historic status of your church or want to explore potential protections, please reach out:
📧 emily@pbnsaves.org

Together, we are not only preserving buildings—we are sustaining stories, legacies, and the heart of our neighborhoods. Thank you for being part of this mission.

🔗 Learn more about the Save Our Sacred Sites initiative: https://preservationbuffaloniagara.org/special-projects/saveoursacredsites/

Preservation Buffalo Niagara has joined forces with over two dozen preservation organizations across the state to call on our Congressional delegation to act—before irreversible damage is done to the programs that protect our shared history.

At the heart of this urgent call is the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a federal lifeline that supports historic preservation efforts nationwide. The President’s proposed FY 2026 budget slashes HPF funding by a staggering $197 million—a cut that would effectively dismantle the fund and devastate preservation work throughout New York.

The HPF provides critical support to the New York State Historic Preservation Office (NY SHPO), enabling the agency to carry out responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. These include reviewing and supporting historic tax credit projects, listing properties on the National Register of Historic Places, conducting preservation reviews for federal undertakings, and issuing grants to local municipalities. Without adequate funding, the capacity to support economic development, affordable housing, and heritage tourism — especially in historically underrepresented communities— will collapse.

Already, the situation is precarious. Although Congress appropriated FY 2025 HPF funds in March, those funds have yet to be released. For New York, this delay threatens one of the most productive preservation programs in the country: NY SHPO handles over 11,000 federal consultation reviews annually, has supported more than $7 billion in rehabilitation investment through the Historic Tax Credit program since 2018, and maintains nearly 130,000 National Register listings. Without immediate federal action, these achievements—and future progress—are at risk.

Compounding the threat are staffing cuts and layoffs at the National Park Service, further slowing down project reviews and jeopardizing private investment and local revitalization efforts. If not reversed, these bottlenecks will be felt from the largest urban centers to the most rural towns across New York.

As we approach America’s 250th birthday in 2026, we must reaffirm our commitment to honoring and preserving the full breadth of our national story. We urge Congress to:

• Restore full funding to the Historic Preservation Fund in the FY 2026 budget
• Immediately release appropriated FY 2025 HPF funds
• Reinstate vital National Park Service staff to support preservation programs.

Preservation is not just about the past—it’s about the future we build together. These historic buildings, districts, and landscapes are not simply relics; they are foundations for community, equity, sustainability, and economic opportunity.

We ask you to stand with us. Raise your voice, contact your representatives, and help us ensure that New York’s legacy continues to thrive for generations to come.

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To read the full sign-on letter and learn more about this advocacy effort, visit preservenys.org.