Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding sixteen properties — including four in Western New York — to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
“These nominations showcase the New York spirit of innovation, adaptation, and community building that has existed for generations and continues to inspire us today,” Governor Hochul said. “Adding these sites to our historic registers broadens our understanding of New York history and encourages us to learn more about our diverse, collective past.”
State and National Register listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and incentives, such as matching State grants and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.
New York State continues to lead the nation in use of historic tax credits, with $4.5 billion in total rehabilitation costs from 2017-2021. Since 2011, the historic tax credit program has stimulated over $12 billion in project expenditures in New York State, creating significant investment and new jobs. According to a report, between 2017-2021 the credits in New York State generated 69,769 jobs and generated over $1.3 billion in local, state, and federal taxes.
The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects, and sites significant in the history, architecture, archaeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are more than 120,000 historic properties throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, individually or as components of historic districts. Property owners, municipalities, and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.
Once recommendations are approved by the Commissioner, who serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed by the National Park Service, and, once approved, entered on the National Register. More information, with photos of the nominations, is available on the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website.
Western New York
DL&W Train Shed, Erie County – The Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western (DL&W) Train Shed is a long, narrow, rectangular double-deck train shed that was built in 1917 as part of a four-building railroad terminal complex located in a dense commercial district in downtown Buffalo. The shed is the only remaining structure from that complex and is not only a rare example of a Lincoln Bush-style Train Shed in New York State but also one of the oldest examples remaining extant nationwide. Patented in 1905, the Bush Train Shed offered an economical alternative to large-span glass train sheds, with a roof exhaust system designed to discharge smoke above the trains which helped to increase the lifespan of the building, reduced the cost of maintenance, and improved the quality of air for passengers. The design was an important development in twentieth-century railroad facility technology and represents an innovative use of reinforced concrete and steel. The DL&W Train Shed was determined National Register Eligible by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1982. Currently, the building accommodates light rail trains on the first floor for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA).
Lakewood Village Hall, Chautauqua County – Lakewood Village Hall, also known as the Anthony C. Caprino Municipal Building, is a modest Craftsman-style municipal building originally constructed in 1915. The building is significant for its long association with the establishment and expansion of Lakewood’s civic and municipal services- including serving as the home for the Lakewood fire department for eighty years- and has also been a location to host community meetings and events. Throughout its over one hundred years of use, the building has undergone renovations and additions to address the changing needs of the community. It reflects the village’s evolution from a temporary destination for vacationers to a formally established suburban enclave in the twentieth century. The building currently houses governmental offices, the Lakewood Police Department, and the Lakewood History Museum.
Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church Historic District, Erie County – Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church Historic District (commonly referred to as OLV) in Lackawanna is a large, historically associated complex of twelve contributing resources – religious, educational, office, medical, and other buildings- built in stages between 1857 and 1978. The Our Lady of Victory Basilica, which forms the core of the district and draws thousands of tourists annually, is a stunning, massive, Beaux Arts-style church that is unparalleled in size, scale, style, and opulence in Western New York. Built between 1921-1926, the building is adorned with elaborate Baroque-inspired murals, sculptures, and colorful stained glass. Construction of the basilica was spearheaded by Father Nelson H. Baker, who, after taking over parish leadership in 1882, overhauled and expanded an existing orphanage and led efforts to establish a hospital and elementary school. Known locally as “Padre of the Poor,” Father Baker was a major local figure in the social and religious history of Western New York and familiar to Catholic communities throughout the United States. In 2011, he was designated as Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI, which is the first step towards sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. The variety of building functions and architectural styles in OLV Historic District today represent the evolution of a major religious institution as it adapted over time to meet the needs of its parishioners and the community at large.
Wood and Brooks Company Factory Complex, Erie County – The Wood and Brooks Company Factory is a four-building complex- which includes the main factory, ivory vault, lumber storage building, and garage- in the town of Tonawanda. The factory’s location provided close access to electrical power, rail transportation, and workers, all of which gave Wood and Brooks operational advantages that led to rapid growth. Wood and Brooks became one of the most important manufacturers of ivory piano keys and actions in the United States and played a significant role during World War II as a subcontractor for military production of the Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP). The factory is an intact representation of a manufacturing facility designed and built in the first half of the twentieth century and is a good example of evolving industrial architecture and engineering trends. With initial construction in 1902 and subsequent expansions over the next six decades, the factory includes an early post and beam mill style building, as well as examples of reinforced concrete construction, which both helped create an environment that manufacturing facilities needed: features designed to prevent and contain fire, a sturdy open plan, high levels of daylight, and natural ventilation. The reinforced concrete additions to the factory complex were constructed by H.C. Turner of Turner Construction, a pioneer of multi-story reinforced concrete buildings and structures in the northeast in the early twentieth century.
Additionally, one property in the Southern Tier was included in the list:
Southern Tier
Village of Hammondsport Historic District, Steuben County – The Village of Hammondsport Historic District is a cohesive collection of almost 450 architecturally intact resources spanning from 1823 to 1975, including residential properties reflecting Victorian, Queen Anne, Classical Revival, and Craftsman styles, as well as kit homes with American Foursquare design. The history of the village, which is located on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes region, is deeply connected with the history of the Erie Canal and the historic wine industry, both with roots to the 1820s. There is a common visual theme of wine and grape motifs referencing the area’s history of wine production and reflecting the village’s tourism industry, which continues today. The village was also the manufacturing site for Hammondsport native Glenn H. Curtiss’s refinement and production of aircraft. Curtiss is credited with developing and successfully testing the first seaplane in 1911. The Curtiss Aircraft Corporation held test flights for its aircraft on Lake Keuka from 1910-1916, and a flight school was established locally to train test pilots. Both the wine and aviation industries in this village had an enormous impact on New York’s economy and made significant contributions to American cultivation, industrial, and military history.
