72 Sycamore – She’s Still Got It!

We are just $300,000 away from saving one of the oldest historic buildings in downtown Buffalo and quite possibly the oldest surviving building in the city built by a woman – Mrs. Eliza Quirk. You can donate or purchase event tickets to our campaign here.

The Why
This historic building has sat vacant for decades. With this renovation, this will be the first time in our 40-year history, Preservation Buffalo Niagara will own its own home. This building will provide long-term stability through rental income and equity, allowing us to become a stronger, more resilient organization focused on what matters most: protecting the places that make Western New York unique.

The Community Benefit
When complete, The Eliza Quirk House will become the home of Preservation Buffalo Niagara and the region’s first Preservation Resource Center. It will be a place where homeowners can learn how to care for historic properties, researchers can explore Buffalo’s architectural history, neighbors can gather, and preservation professionals and skilled craftspeople can teach the techniques needed to restore our city’s remarkable historic buildings.

The Unique History of 72 Sycamore & Eliza Quirk
Built between 1846 – 1848 by Irish immigrant Eliza Quirk, this remarkable building has witnessed nearly two centuries of Buffalo’s history. Eliza was a notorious woman, her obituary said she lived a “bold bad life” running a house of ill repute. As an Irish immigrant, she came to America with very little and grew to be very wealthy – including owning several properties in Buffalo between 1845 – 1858. In the 1860’s census, she was  the wealthiest woman in the neighborhood based on her real estate and cash assets. Originally 72 Sycamore was built as a brothel and later operated as a rooming house, it has adapted through generations of change. After sitting vacant for more than a decade, it now has a chance at a new life. We listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits in a local historic district adjacent to the Michigan Street African American Heritage Area.

What we like about 72 Sycamore is how intact the building still is – doors, trim, layout, wallpaper and much more is still there inside the house. You can read more about Eliza here: The Story of 72 Sycamore

Why This Place?
Located on a largely vacant stretch of Sycamore Street, within the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, the Eliza Quirk House has the potential to spark additional investment while preserving an irreplaceable piece of Buffalo’s history. Its restoration will help anchor the neighborhood, complement decades of investment in the surrounding historic district, and demonstrate how historic preservation can serve as a catalyst for revitalization.

Our Goal
Thanks to the incredible support of public and private partners, we have already secured $1.8 million toward this transformational project. We are now raising the final $300,000 needed to bring the Eliza Quirk House back to life. The main reason why we are fundraising this money is because the grant funds we have are reimbursable which means we have to spend the money to get the grant funding. This means we need cash on hand to get work started and the reimbursement cycle going!

How can you help? We are looking for donations – of all sizes. We have larger projects such as the build out of the Preservation Resource Center, the fireplace project and the wallpapering and build out of the community room. We will be building out a special space for Eliza as well as honoring past preservationists and other preservation memorabilia. You can donate directly here: https://givebutter.com/save72sycamore . If you’re like to do a larger donation, please reach out to bernice@pbnsaves.org or give us a call anytime.

Your Impact
Preservation is not simply about protecting the past. It is an investment in Buffalo’s future. By investing in the Eliza Quirk House, you are doing more than restoring a historic building. You are creating a permanent home for preservation in Buffalo, strengthening Preservation Buffalo Niagara for generations to come, and ensuring that this remarkable piece of our city’s history continues to serve the community for the next 180 years.

About Preservation Buffalo Niagara
For more than 40 years, Preservation Buffalo Niagara has been leading the effort to protect the places that tell Western New York’s story. Our roots trace back to helping save Buffalo’s oldest surviving home, the Coit House. We were critical in the rebuilding of the Guaranty and led the charge to save Trico. We have worked hard to build the momentum around historic preservation including helping to establish nationally recognized historic districts such as the Delaware Historic District, the Sycamore Michigan Historic District, and the Broadway-Fillmore Historic District, and several others in Buffalo and across WNY. These districts are imperative as they help stop demolitions and give property owners access to funding to address repairs and renovations.

Today, our work extends far beyond advocacy. Over the last decade alone, Preservation Buffalo Niagara has helped invest more than $5 million in the stabilization and rehabilitation of historic buildings across Western New York. We stabilize vacant historic buildings, designate dozens of local landmarks each year, guide homeowners and developers through the historic tax credit process, and provide education and technical assistance to thousands of people annually. We believe preservation is about more than saving old buildings. It is about strengthening neighborhoods, creating economic opportunity, preserving the stories that define our community, and building vibrant places for future generations.

Buffalo now leads New York State in historic tax credit applications, and New York’s program is recognized as one of the strongest in the nation. Preservation Buffalo Niagara is proud to be at the forefront of that movement, helping property owners, communities, and public agencies transform historic buildings into assets that drive revitalization.

Our research confirms that preservation is also a powerful economic engine. According to our Everyone’s Heritage study, 13.4% of visitors to Buffalo come for our history and architecture, generating more than $658 million in annual local spending and supporting over 8,100 jobs through direct and indirect economic activity. Preservation is not simply about protecting the past. It is an investment in Buffalo’s future.

The Work Ahead
Our work is far from finished.

There are still more than a dozen historic districts waiting to be recognized and protected. Thousands of vacant historic buildings remain in need of stabilization and reinvestment. We continue to advocate for improvements to the Historic Tax Credit program so that retirees and low- to moderate-income homeowners can fully benefit from preserving their historic properties.

Across Western New York, historic churches are closing, presenting once-in-a-generation opportunities to create housing, community spaces, and new centers for entrepreneurship. We are expanding our research on Buffalo’s Green Book sites to document and protect these irreplaceable places before they are lost. We are also working to ensure that LGBTQ+ history is recognized and preserved as part of our shared story, while advocating for the protection of significant landmarks that remain at risk, including Buffalo’s last surviving building designed by Calvert Vaux.

These are just a few of the challenges ahead. With a permanent home and a stronger, more sustainable organization, Preservation Buffalo Niagara will be better equipped than ever to lead this work and ensure that the stories, places, and neighborhoods that define Western New York endure for generations to come.

Thank you for your attention and hopefully for your donation to our save 72 Sycamore campaign! Give today to preserve tomorrow.