Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Efforts are being made in Buffalo to formally designate a staple of the city's past as a local landmark.
Earlier this month, the Buffalo Common Council was presented an application from the Buffalo Preservation Board to designate the American Grain Complex as a local landmark along the Buffalo River. The application was put together by Paul Lang, managing principal with the local architectural firm Carmina Wood Design.
"As the architects on the project since the beginning, the developers utilizing historic tax credits, the site's been on the National Register since 2012. And the renovation is being done within SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office Grants) and National Park Service guidelines, so it's really turning out rather remarkably," said Lang in an interview with WBEN. "Given some of the recent challenges in the area, as far as preservation, it's kind of a misnomer. Just because a building's on a National Register doesn't mean it's protected from demolition. The only thing that really protects that is a local landmark designation."
Lang says while it's nobody's intention to demolish the building any time soon, especially after the investment that has already taken place, it was one of the final designations he felt the site could achieve to protect the building in perpetuity. He adds it would allow the city a chance to celebrate some of the historic fabric that still remains in the community.
The application was eventually sent to the Council’s Legislation Committee, where they will hold a public hearing on the matter on Tuesday, July 16. This is a significant step toward recognizing and preserving the historical and architectural importance of the site.
"It would mean that any alteration to the elevator, which is the oldest in the city, before any changes are made, they would be reviewed by the Preservation Board for appropriateness or, perhaps, guidance, which is the function of the Preservation Board," said Tim Tielman, preservationist with the Campaign for Greater Buffalo. "Certainly, it would forestall any demolition of the elevator except under extreme circumstances."
The American Grain Complex, constructed in phases from 1905 to 1931, is considered a vital representation of Buffalo’s rich history in grain transportation, handling, and storage. Its evolution from the American Malting Company to the Russell Miller Milling Company, and eventually under Conagra’s ownership, reflects the industrial advancements and economic shifts that have shaped Buffalo over the past century.
The complex includes notable structures such as the Malt House (1905-06), Flour Mill (1922-1924), and the Elevator Building (1905-1931), along with the Peavey Office and the Moveable Marine Tower. Each of these elements contributes to the site’s historical and architectural significance, exemplifying the industrial ingenuity and economic importance of Buffalo’s grain industry during the 20th century.
"The American Elevator is very solid. It's reinforced concrete, it's the oldest reinforced concrete elevator in the City of Buffalo. And by itself, even in its abandoned state, could survive for centuries. So unless someone takes some mechanical equipment to it, it will be there for a long time," said Tielman of the complex.
The designation application is said to meet several criteria for local landmark status in the city, including its value as part of Buffalo's development, its location within a historically significant area along the Buffalo River, and its embodiment of architectural styles and construction methods that influenced modernist architecture.
While the local landmark designation may not do anything besides bring attention to the project and protect the site, it has been a substantial investment for the community by the Generation Development Group.
"It's providing 168 low income or affordable housing options and a mixed-use project," Lang said. "We're also hoping that through the local landmark designation and the general reuse of the project, we hope it's kind of the catalyst to see the redevelopment of the rest of the Silo City campus. We would love to be able to proceed with local landmarking and preservation of the balance of the campus here in the next couple of years."
As for Tielman, he's hoping this designation for the American Grain Complex becomes a center of grain elevator tourism and education in the city, where people can get a better understanding of how it all worked.
"There's a lot of latitude we've seen internationally to put other uses in grain elevators. Whether it's in the substantial basements, whether it's up on the roof, or even - with great amount of care - in the grain bins themselves, the rounded structures can be adapted for various uses. This would allow all that to happen with the guidance of the Buffalo Preservation Board, which is a real indispensable body," Tielman said.
By the time the Common Council is set to hold its public hearing for the local landmark designation for the site on July 16, Lang is hoping the community and city lawmakers see the value of the architecture Buffalo has, and the opportunities that the historic buildings have for the city's future.
"We're finally kind of getting to a critical mass or a critical investment in our region, where these more challenging projects are able to be undertaken, because that's all that's left on the table. So we're really hoping that this can be kind of a demonstration piece of what you can do with some ingenuity, community support and political buy in," Lang said.
Meanwhile, Tielman is hoping to hear widespread acclamation throughout the city in favor of the designation.
"It's a fantastic landmark, and it acts as a landmark today. As it stands, it meets the definition of 'landmark'," he said. "It certainly marks the land, and that stretch of the Buffalo River - some people call it 'Elevator Alley', it's a very important and distinctive part of it. It defines the Southern flank of the river very well. When I do bus tours, boat tours, kayak tours, bike tours or walking tours, it's there. It's prominent, and it allows us to explain all the elements of a grain elevator. And people certainly traveling the river now, you see the river being transformed from an industrial river into a recreational river.
"This is one of the things that makes the Buffalo River special, this alley of tremendous grain elevators. This is a hopeful sign that the American elevator may outlive us all."