December, 2008
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Dear Johnny,

I am very pleased to welcome you as a charter member of Preservation Buffalo Niagara and thank you for being a supporter of historic preservation through your membership in the Landmark Society.  Enclosed is your Preservation Buffalo Niagara membership card.

The Landmark Society’s October 17th joint meeting with the Preservation Coalition was exhilarating!  We created a ‘new’ organization, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, though one with an incredible forty year history. You may also know that our #1 strategy is to quickly become an effective, professional preservation organization serving Western New York. To date, we have received grant awards of $ 337,500.  A search is now underway for an executive director.

Our vision for Preservation Buffalo Niagara, with professional staff and volunteer expertise, is to energize Buffalo’s preservation movement; build a large constituency for preservation; provide leadership; create alliances; spread preservation’s message and techniques to allied organizations; publicize the fact that the greenest building is an existing building; improve the public’s understanding and appreciation of Buffalo’s architecture; and serve as an important advocate for Buffalo and its unique region. 

I know you join me in recognizing the importance of our work. With our wealth of historic resources, Buffalo needs and deserves to have a vibrant historic preservation movement. 

In just these few months, I can report this progress:
•    The National Trust for Historic Preservation has designated us a Local Partner.  No small thing, this designation will enable us to work very closely with the Trust staff and be part of a national network that shares information and ideas. It will save research time and money.
•    The New York Times article, Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty, published on Sunday, November 16th is a direct result of our Trustees showing Buffalo’s treasures to Nicolai Ouroussoff.  Wasn’t it inspirational to hear from an eminent architecture critic and writer that our city is indeed very special! 


•    Our Buffalo Tours program and Educational Coordinator, Fred Schrock, designed an exciting project to educate hundreds of area college students on our historic architecture, creating a new revenue source for the organization.  He is working with our dedicated Buffalo Tours docents and volunteers as we launch the 2009 season. He reports that it will be another banner year, so plan now to take a tour!

•    We have developed very productive relationships with the Preservation League of New York State and our SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office).  Officials from both joined us at our October annual meeting to help launch Preservation Buffalo Niagara.

•    The City of Buffalo is in the early stages of developing a “preservation strategy” and is looking forward to collaborating with Preservation Buffalo Niagara in this effort.  Working closely with the City is an extraordinary opportunity that will hopefully lead to better use of scarce resources in a manner that is not only more productive and efficient, but also consistent with the mission of our organization.  Our mutual goal is open communication with regular and consistent collaborative dialogue that supports a positive working relationship that truly benefits our community.
This list is just a start, but I am confident that together with our friends and alliances we will address Buffalo’s preservation challenges.  We will be implementing successful ideas from across the country and initiating some of our own.  I will be consulting with you and all our members as we undertake this important process. 

Working to keep our landmarks, homes and neighborhoods vibrant—can there be a better cause? 

I look forward to working with you as we move forward.  You can help by becoming more involved, by providing us with critically needed financial resources, and by encouraging friends and family to join.   However you decide to assist will be greatly appreciated.    

Sincerely, 



Catherine Schweitzer,
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Preservation Buffalo Niagara

PS  I have enclosed information on several ways members can help and urge you to consider it seriously.  These next months will be critical for Preservation Buffalo Niagara and we will need to rely on persons like you that already know that historic preservation can be a vital movement for our region.