We have great news in our local landmark making efforts!
As of 2:37pm today on April 15th, 2025, the Vaux Barn Local Landmark has been APPROVED!!!! Thank you to the Buffalo Common Council for moving this forward. We are thrilled! You can read about our multi-year effort to complete this local landmark application here.
Local landmarking is a special preservation tool because it ensures the Buffalo Preservation Board will oversee any exterior changes made therefore adding an important layer of protection to our most historic sites across Buffalo.
Buffalo has a long history of great architects coming to Buffalo and showing off their best work. Calvert Vaux came to Buffalo with Frederick Law Olmsted, and together, they designed the Olmsted Parks and Parkway System that we cherish today. Vaux has one remaining structure he designed left – this barn. We are thankful to the Buffalo Common Council for agreeing with us that it is indeed local landmark worthy. We are excited to see what the future holds for the Vaux Barn!
Bernice Radle, Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara.
Today, the local landmark status for St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church (651 Washington St.) and All Saints Roman Catholic Church (205 Esser Ave.) was approved at the Legislative Council meeting!
We are so grateful for continued support from the City of Buffalo Common Council. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Councilman Joseph Golombek and Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope for their support in making this happen. Most importantly, we want to thank the parishioners of both churches for their dedication, passion, and commitment to preserving the history and legacy of these beloved landmarks.
As a reminder to our church goers and owners, achieving the City of Buffalo local landmark status means means you are eligible to apply for grant funding for repairs and renovation needs via the New York Landmarks Conversancy for Sacred Sites funding and the Fund for Sacred Spaces.
The research and status also helps to pave the way to getting the churches on the National Register of Historic Places, which has brought larger funding to churches throughout our region as we have recently seen with the Universal Unitarian Church on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.
If you know or work within a church that is looking to submit a local landmark application, please reach out. We would love to help. As a non profit, we can research and apply at a reasonable cost to you and that helps keep our organization going, too!
St. Michael’s Church
Next Up on the Local Landmark Effort – Saint Martin of Tours at 1140 Abbott Rd. in South Buffalo. The City of Buffalo public hearing is March 11th at 1pm in the City of Buffalo Common Council Chambers. If you want to show your support, email info@pbnsaves.org and we will be happy to share those with the Council.
On Thursday, December 19, the Preservation Board will consider local landmark status for three remarkable churches—All Saints Roman Catholic Church, St. Martin of Tours, and St. Michael’s Church—as well as the Brewers Hill Historic District. These sites reflect the architectural beauty, cultural significance, and historical depth of Buffalo, and this public hearing offers a chance to support their recognition and protection.
Each local landmark application was researched, drafted, and submitted through our Save of Sacred Sites initiative launched in June 2024 as a result of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo closing 78 churches in WNY. The City of Buffalo Preservation Board is meeting Thursday, December 19th at 3 pm in Room 901. You can read through the meeting agenda here.
Brewers Hill Historic District
PBN has submitted the Brewers Hill Historic District for local historic designation as part of the Save Our Sacred Sites initiative! This nomination was inspired by the closing of the St. Jude Center, now listed for sale by the Catholic Diocese. You can find the application data here.
Located just north of downtown Buffalo near the medical campus, the Brewers Hill district features eight historic buildings on Washington and Ellicott Streets. These structures, dating back to the mid-19th century, are the last remnants of a once-thriving residential neighborhood. The proposed district showcases a variety of architectural styles, including Italianate, Second Empire, and Queen Anne. Read about all about the proposed local historic district here.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Buffalo, St. Michael’s Church stands not just as a place of worship, but as a symbol of historic preservation. Designed by architect Patrick C. Keeley, this Romanesque Revival masterpiece showcases 19th-century craftsmanship through its use of indigenous materials like Buffalo limestone, Lockport silver limestone, and Albion sandstone. Keeley, whose prolific career included over 600 churches nationwide, left an indelible mark on American religious architecture, with St. Michael’s exemplifying his visionary skill.
The church’s resilience is further highlighted by its reconstruction after a devastating fire caused by a lightning storm in 1962. Under the guidance of architect Roswell E. Pfohl, the restoration preserved the historic exterior while incorporating innovative elements such as steel trusses and a concrete roof deck. The integration of 19th-century stained-glass windows, alongside new duplicates crafted by Franz Mayer’s studio, underscores the church’s blend of historical preservation and modern restoration techniques.
St. Michael’s Church at 651 Washington Street.
All Saints Roman Catholic Church
205 Esser Avenue Buffalo, NY
Located at 205 Esser Avenue, All Saints Roman Catholic Church is a multi-building complex constructed between 1911 and 1959. Founded by Bishop Charles H. Colton, the parish began with a small frame church built in 1911 that tragically burned down just two years later. The parish quickly rebuilt, erecting a Collegiate Gothic-style school and church designed by Esenwein & Johnson, which became a cornerstone of the Riverside community. In 1938, a new Colonial Revival-style church, featuring a stunning Wurlitzer Pipe Organ from the Hotel Statler ballroom, was added to accommodate a growing population. A Colonial Revival-style convent, designed in 1951 by George A. Dietel and Edward A. Pauly, served as a residence for 18 nuns and later became the parish rectory. Over the decades, additional structures, including a two-story school expansion in 1958, further solidified their role as a community hub for worship, education, and fellowship.
All Saints Roman Catholic Church
St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church
1112 Abbott Road Buffalo, NY
St. Martin of Tours, located at 1112 Abbott Road, was designed in the Mid-Century Modern architectural style. Built between 1949 and 1959 by Backus, Crane, and Love, the church features a front-gabled roof, brick exterior, and an exposed frame bell tower housing bells salvaged from St. Patrick’s Church after its demolition in 1982. The parish was established in 1926 to meet the spiritual needs of the rapidly growing community, with land donated by the Kinsey Real Estate Company. The original frame church, designed by George Dietel, was replaced in 1959 with the current structure to accommodate the burgeoning parish of 1,800 families.
Our December Events Calendar is PACKED! We have advocacy, education, art, and exercise (bowling!) this month! See our events below.
Local Landmark Hearings at the City of Buffalo Preservation Board – 12/19
Join us at City Hall on 12/19 at 3 pm (Room 902) to support and advocate for the local landmark applications for St. Martin of Tours, All Saints, St. Michaels, and the Brewers Hill Historic District. These hearings are open to the public and each application will be reviewed and decided on by the City of Buffalo Preservation Board. If the applications are approved, they will go onto the Buffalo Common Council for a decision in early 2025.
Can’t come? Send an email of support to info@pbnsaves.org. The email doesn’t have to be long or include fancy language – just a reminder that our history matters and we want to celebrate and protect it.
Do you own a historic home in a historic district – join us on 12/19? (Elmwood, Allentown, Hamlin Park & More)
Join us on 12/19 for our Historic Homeowner Tax Credit Workshop! This virtual event is FREE and will have Tom Yots from Preservation Studios and Francis Stern from SHPO available to answer questions. We will review the application process and discuss what repairs and rehab work qualify for the tax credit. Let us help you save money on those repairs for 2025!
Preservation in Focus: Photography From The 2024 Tour Season at the Richardson Campus.
Join us on Friday, December 20th from 6pm – 8pm in the Lipsey Architecture Center at 444 Forest Ave. Buffalo NY. This event is free but we ask that you sign up here so we have a proper headcount for refreshments!
Bowling & Pierogi: A Fundraiser for Corpus Christi & Preservation Buffalo Niagara
When: Saturday, December 28, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM Where: Bowling: Corpus Christi Church Athletic Club –165 Sears Street, Polonia District, Buffalo, New York Tours: Corpus Christi Church — 199 Clark St, Buffalo, NY 14212
Step back in time and bowl on Corpus Christi’s vintage bowling lanes, which are now open for the first time in years! Your ticket includes a guided tour of this stunning church, a game of bowling, shoe rental, and a serving of Babcia’s Pierogi.
Extras: Babcia’s Pierogi will have additional food available for purchase. A craft table will keep the kids entertained while you enjoy the event.
Proceeds support both Corpus Christi Church and Preservation Buffalo Niagara’s vital work.
Team Bowling: Have a group of 4 or more? Email Emily@pbnsaves.org to reserve your lane, as there are limited lanes available (first come, first served).
Join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and preservation in action. See you there!
