Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - In attempts to save historical churches from being closed down by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, potentially putting them at possible risk of being condemned and torn down, Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN) is launching a campaign to raise funds to submit local landmark applications for the churches at risk.
"If buildings are going to be renovated, if they're going to be torn down, a local landmark status will provide protection of that," explained Bernice Radle, Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara. "When you get local landmark status, you can then open the doors to other grant funding available through New York State."
Specifically, this designation will ensure oversight for the churches, as the city's preservation board must review any changes. If the landmark status was able to be obtained from the state and national levels, more tax credits and grant funding could become available in addition to the tax incentives it would receive when local landmark status is obtained.
One of the 15 churches PBN has identified that needs to be saved is Our Lady of Perpetual Help on O'Connell Street, where they, alongside members of the parish and Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski stood to announce the campaign.
"I'm making the plea on the behalf of my constituents to not close this structure and to understand moving forward, if the Diocese is to make a swift and fast decision, that they have the obligation to the residents of the Old First Ward for adaptive reuse that positively promotes this structure and the community around it," said Nowakowski on Tuesday.
In addition to applying for local landmark status, the PBN is going to do the research required with the funds they raise to submit select churches to the State Historic Preservation Office so these churches can potentially access the needed historic preservation tax credits, and other preservation grants in the future.
"So if these buildings are vacated, developers or community members that want to buy the churches will understand if they have access to historic tax credits," Radle explained. "Almost every single historic building you see renovated is using the historic tax credits, so it's important for all of those things to happen."
The timeframe to expedite a property achieving local landmark status in Buffalo is about 2-3 months, according to estimates made by PBN.