Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Where can I get funding to help restore my old house or building?
A. Our colleagues at the Landmark Society of Western New York in Rochester have compiled an easily understood chart of grants, tax credits, and other programs for homeowners, developers, and churches. A few of the programs are specific to Rochester. See:http://www.landmarksociety.org/section.html?id=1&uid=8&pageId=75
See also Tax Incentives for Historic Rehabilitation in Western New York, by Jane Humphrey, commissioned by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Buffalo Branch
Q. Is my house a landmark?
A. Your house might be situated in a preservation district. Here is a comprehensive list of which individual buildings and which neighborhoods have which forms of designation in Buffalo: http://ah.bfn.org/a/landmks/landmks6.html
Q. How come you get to tell people what they can or can't do with their property?
A. Ooops, you might have us confused with the Preservation Board of the City of Buffalo. We're a 501(c)(3) advocacy organization. We have our opinions but we have no regulatory or enforcement powers whatsoever. The Buffalo Preservation Board has oversight over historic districts and designated landmarks. It alone can approve new applications for landmark status. See: http://www.landmark-niagara.org/presbd/presbd.html
Q. Do you have the history of my house?
A. Our files focus mostly on buildings, sites, and neighborhoods which have been the subject of preservation battles, historic district applications, and our walking tours. Most average houses in Buffalo can be researched at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Hereís how to learn more about your house: http://www.buffaloresearch.com/built.html
Q. I think a building in my neighborhood is threatened. What should I do?
A. Boy, do we dream of the day that this is not a Frequently Asked Question. We have some immediate advice here: http://www.buffaloresearch.com/emergency.html
Q. A lovely old church in my neighborhood is threatened with closure. What do we do?
A. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has a program called Sacred Sites which helps with this situation. See:
http://www.nationaltrust.org/help/sacred_sites.html