Results of Architectural Survey

Number of buildings/structures within project area: 571
Number of National Register listed buildings/structures: 27
Number of identified potentially individually eligible buildings/structures: 93
Number of identified potentially eligible historic districts: 16 (2 of which are recommended as possible expansion of existing historic district)

•   163-167 Broadway Historic District
•   Buffalo X-Ray Historic District
•   Court St Corridor Historic District/ Possible expansion of Certified Local Joseph
•   Ellicott Historic District
•   173-181 Elm St Historic District.
•   Ferguson Electric Historic District
•   Fougeron-Belt Line Historic District
•   Potential expansion of Certified Local Genesee Gateway Local Historic District
•   Liberty Bank Historic District
•   Lower Delaware Ave Historic District
•   Potential expansion of Certified Local 500 Block of Main Street
•   Northland-Belt Line Historic District
•   136-140 Seneca St Historic District
•   340-378 Seneca St Historic District
•   Sycamore St-Michigan Ave Historic District
•   West Chippewa Historic District
•   YMCA/YWCA H.D./ Possible expansion of Certified Local Joseph Ellicott Historic District

Number of National Register Listed Historic Districts: 3

•   Allentown Historic District (also locally certified)
•   West Village Historic District (also locally certified)
•   J.N. Adams/AM&A Historic District

Number of Certified Local Historic Districts: 5

•   Certified Local Joseph Ellicott Historic District
•   Certified Local Theater Historic District
•   Certified Local 500 Block Main Street Historic District
•   Certified Local Genesee Gateway Historic District1
•   Certified Local Cobblestone Historic District

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1.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The City of Buffalo contracted Panamerican Consultants, Inc. (Panamerican) to conduct a Reconnaissance Level Preservation Ready Survey of the historic building stock in the central business district (Downtown) of Buffalo and two industrial clusters along the rail line known as the "Belt Line." The goal of the project was to identify properties that may be eligible for various incentive programs and historic preservation tax credits to assist with revitalization of those areas of the City.

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1.2 SURVEY AREA AND SETTING

Downtown Survey Area.
The Downtown survey area encompasses the City’s central business district which extends north from the Buffalo River to Goodell and Edward streets between Michigan Avenue to the east and South Elmwood Avenue to the west. The New York State Thruway I-190 divides the southern portion of the Downtown survey area. A section of the survey area extends north of I-190 to Seneca Street, between Michigan Avenue and Hamburg Street. South of I-190, the survey area embraces part of the First Ward neighborhood from I-190 (Perry Street) south to the Buffalo River with Louisiana Street delineating the eastern boundary.

Belt Line – Node 1 (Northland) Survey Area.
The two Belt Line nodes were identified by the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Buffalo Urban Development Corporation as having future development potential. Node I is roughly bounded by East Delavan and Northland avenues on the north, Grider Street on the east, the Belt Line railroad and East Ferry Street on the south, and Fillmore Avenue on the west. Properties included in the survey consist of light to medium manufacturing facilities, all of early to mid-twentieth-century construction. Some of the former and present industries included Otis Elevator, Buffalo Stainless Casting, Northland Rubber, Niagara Machine and Tool Works, Buffalo Foundry and Machine, Bufloval Equipment, Curtiss Wright and Houde Engineering. The area is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and Scajaquada Creek flows through a buried conduit which crosses the southern portion of the survey area.

Belt Line – Node 2 (Fougeron/Urban) Survey Area.
This area is roughly bounded by French and Urban streets on the north, Barthel Street and the Belt Line railroad on the east, Genesee Street on the south, and residential blocks east of Kent Street on the west. The survey also includes the parcel at the northwest corner of Kent and Urban streets (Figure 1.4). Properties included in the survey consist of light manufacturing facilities, all of early to mid-twentieth- century construction except for the former Flierl Planing Mill on Genesee Street which dates to the late nineteenth century. In addition to the former planning mill, some of the former and present industries included the National Biscuit Company, Ward & Ward Bakery, Valdutten Hoper, Sons Shoe factory (U.S. Shoe Co.), and Buffalo Shirt Company. Like Node 1, the survey area is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and is intersected by the Belt Line railroad.

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2.2 ARCHITECTURAL RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY

The City’s “Preservation Ready” Survey is a reconnaissance level survey. The National Park Service defines a reconnaissance level survey as a "once over lightly" inspection of an area, the purpose of which is to characterize the area generally as the basis for more detailed survey efforts. General historical research is conducted, such as the study of aerial photographs, historical maps, and written histories. This research is followed by field work that identifies the basic characteristics of the study area such as extant property types, architectural styles, and street patterns.