Fall/Winter 2003 Table of Contents

President's Letter
from Robert Shibley

Dear Friends: Our members are among our most valuable assets and your membership support during the past year has helped us to provide numerous educational programs presenting many important preservation issues, while protecting, through restoration and advocacy, the unique collection of architecture that makes our region culturally significant. There has been much work done in 2003 by our dedicated group of trustees and volunteers and programs are being developed for 2004!

The Landmark Society's new leadership is ready, willing, and able to be the catalyst for a change in the way the Niagara Frontier views preservation. The Landmark Society has started work to facilitate the Buffalo Preservation Plan process. We are working to prevent the buildings that make our region unique, the same structures that our community often takes for granted, from being torn down in the middle of the night. We want to change the process. And we need your help to do it.

Right now we are busy writing grants to continue to preserve one of the oldest stone structures in Erie County to create a learning experience for your children and grandchildren. The restoration of the c.1810 Warren & Polly Hull House in Lancaster continues thanks to your support and a $125,000 grant from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. We are thrilled to announce that Phase One: Exterior Stabilization is complete and we look forward to starting Phase Two as soon as possible. A major project during Phase One was the restoration of the front facade to its original stone appearance. What a dramatic difference! See for yourself; take a ride by 5976 Genesee Street!

We are also pleased to announce that the community is really taking advantage of our Tuesday lunchtime lecture/tour series. These lectures have been at the newly created Buffalo Architecture Center on the first floor of the Market Arcade Complex on Main Street. The Landmark Society created the Buffalo Architecture Center to stimulate discussion and awareness about the importance of Buffalo architecture to this community. We have discussed many preservation topics and look forward to more invigorating dialogue!

Thanks to a grant from the Preservation League of NYS and the NYS Council on the Art, the Society has successfully nominated two Buffalo Grain Elevators to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Many Landmark Society members worked long hours to accomplish this.

We are also implementing our new Business Plan, which will take us to a new level of service. Our goal is to educate people to the need for preservation, as well as preserving our architectural past. Historic preservation has been the catalyst for economic resurgence in many American cities.

The Landmark Society has created the only Master Calendar website to list the schedule of all preservation activities and events within the Niagara Frontier. This calendar is kept current by the hard work of our membership!

The Landmark Society is also in the process of deeding two Frank Lloyd Wright windows to their original home, the Darwin Martin House. We purchased them at auction for the purpose of protecting them until the restored Martin House was ready for them.

All of these contributions to our community could not be done without the support of our membership and friends. I ask you to please consider giving generously to the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier's year-end appeal, so that we may continue to provide the educational programming and advocacy for the landmarks you value. Thank you very much for your continued support and from everyone at the LSNF may you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.