Preservation Organizations in Buffalo, NY

Short Histories of Not-for-Profit Preservation Organizations in Buffalo, NY - Table of Contents

Talking Points about Preservation Buffalo Niagara

September 2008

What is Happening
The Preservation Coalition of Erie County and the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier are joining force with the goal of creating a much larger, more substantial, professionally staffed organization.   The official ‘merging’ of the two organizations will be presented to a joint members meeting on Oct. 16th

Why Buffalo is frequently involved in preservation crises
Our organizations have been fragile and Buffalo deserves more! Other cities - Rochester, Cleveland - have taken preservation to a higher level.

Why is this needed
Buffalo’s constituency for preservation is very small. Buffalo’s architecture is inadequately understood by city residents. Information about preservation techniques has not been adequately spread to allied agencies and neighborhood organizations. Many areas of Buffalo, especially east side neighborhoods, have seen little preservation activity. Preservationists are seldom consulted early enough in a project’s development to provide constructive input. Buffalo does not have close relations with state and national preservation organizations. Too often, preservationists engage in an issue only at the last minute, earning the reputation of being obstructionists.

Name
Preservation Buffalo Niagara

What is envisioned
A staffed multi-faced preservation organizations - with initial staff of an executive director, preservation specialist, education coordinator and office staff. This will be a critical mass of staff and activities to bring preservation to a new level but a small enough core to have a realistic ability to maintain long-term financial stability.

What steps have been Taken
It’s been a very deliberate process, starting with the Waters report, obtaining Catherine’s/Baird's help, getting Henry McCartney as transition advisor, making a review of organizations across country, facilitating workshops, creating consensus on Governance, staffing, taking a regional approach, choosing a new name and timetable. Eventually this effort might serve as inspiration and a model for other nonprofit mergers.

1st Project: Coordinated Historic Preservation Field Services Program
We’ll act a local contact and essentially as the Buffalo office for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Preservation League of New York State and the SHPO.

What is needed to make this possible
A $700,000 transition fund will support this initiative for three years. We have first grant ($50,000), and applications are out for more.

How can ____________________ help
We would like a letter of support for funders, suggested name(s) for the board and committees, and if possible, access to names of members and organizations we can ask to join us.

If asked
We hope to work closely with Campaign for Buffalo