Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation Landmarks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances landmark nominations for All Saints and St. Michael; sets hearing for St. Martin's church complex
Summary
The council approved local landmark designations for All Saints (205 Esser Ave.) and St. Michael (573 Washington St.) and set a public hearing for St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church complex; Preservation Buffalo Niagara representatives and parishioners spoke in support.
The Buffalo City Council held public hearings and acted on multiple local landmark nominations, approving landmark status for two church properties and setting a future hearing for a third.
Preservation Buffalo Niagara's Emily Geronaut spoke for the All Saints nomination at 205 Esser Avenue and said the property meets multiple criteria under the city's preservation ordinance. "All of the church local applications... were all sponsored, paid for, history was provided by parishioners," Geronaut said, and noted parish support for landmarking. Council member Veronica (surname not provided) said she grew up in the All Saints parish and supported landmarking as a way to protect the complex and open prospects for community reuse.
Emily Dornau of Preservation Buffalo Niagara presented the Saint Michael nomination at 573 Washington Street, noting the site's role in Jesuit education and its historical association with Canisius College. Dornau said local landmarking protects the building’s remaining exterior walls and that Preservation Buffalo Niagara will assist with any questions from the congregation.
For St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church complex at 1087 and 1112 Abbott Road, the council opened the item and set a public hearing for March 11; the motion to set the public hearing was seconded and carried. The council later approved the All Saints and Saint Michael nominations after public testimony from preservation advocates and parishioners.
Council members said landmarking could enable preservation grants and community reuse; parishioners told the council they supported protections for their former churches and hoped landmark status would help future community programming.
