Since moving to Buffalo three years ago, I’ve watched with great interest the astonishing development of the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus. I’ve watched the stunning Gates Vascular Institute rise from an empty lot to rival the new federal courthouse as the most talked about pieces of modern architecture in Buffalo. I’ve toured the iconic Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute with Dr. Duax and the amazingly talented high school research interns he oversees, and attended amazing community events there. During my recent AmeriCorps service year, I worked (in part) on Green Infrastructure plans for Buffalo, and frequently checked in on the medical campus’ new greenway along Ellicott Street as it developed.
In fact, just days after my move to Buffalo, I attended a networking event on the Medical Campus where I had the opportunity to tour the new Innovation Center, then still under development. That success story is an example of a great reuse of a large industrial building, along with the M. Wile building nearby, which is already adding a major eye-catching new wing.
Ellicott Street, especially, and Washington Street, as well, are rapidly transforming into important visual links between downtown and the Medical Campus. Any developments I didn’t catch in person, I could be sure to see on Buffalo Rising. A quick look through the Buffalo Rising archive shows blow-by-blow coverage of the growth and development of the Medical Campus.
And what of the unmistakable landmark of that visual link — and prominent visual gateway building — the Trico Plant #1?
The last several months – basically, since the conclusion of last fall’s preservation conference – have been crucial for discussions of the building’s future. BNMC has been in discussions with preservation interests in the community. Preservation interests encouraging reuse of this building listed in the National Register of Historic Places — and offering technical and fundraising assistance — while BNMC has been discussing plans to demolish much of the building.
This week the news and developments in this situation have been coming fast and furious. With PBN issuing a statement which was covered on Buffalo Rising here.
The same day, the Campaign for Greater Buffalo also issued a statement, which, in its entirety, is below:
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, in concert with the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation, chaired by Mayor Byron Brown, is proposing a demolition schedule for the huge and iconic Trico Plant Number 1, which occupies almost two square blocks on the northern edge of downtown. BUDC and the BNMC propose to start demolition in mid-April, internal documents show. Public records show the building is owned by BUDC. The Campaign for Greater Buffalo strenuously opposes any demolition of the National Register-listed building, and will pursue all means to preserve the landmark.
Trico Plant No. 1. has a great deal of meaning for thousands of Western New Yorkers, those who worked there and their children, many of whom owe their college educations and careers to the generosity of Trico founder John Oishei. It occupies a full city block and more at a strategic location between downtown, the Fruitbelt, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, (BNMC) and Allentown.
As such, the building could serve as a catalyst for physical and social renewal. Instead, while BUDC has been a terrible steward of the building. Rather than rehabilitate it like similar buildings across the street and across the city, BUDC and BNMC decided under the previous administration that, for their purposes, the building should be demolished and become a parking lot pending possible development. The building, where work had begun to transform it into a multi-use complex featuring condominiums, had several bidders at an auction upon the death of the previous owner. BUDC ended up with it, for the sole purpose of facilitating its demolishing . It has made no attempt to repair or maintain the building despite pre-purchase knowledge of conditions.
The proposal for demolition beginning on April 15th is absurd and illegal. No public notices have been issued, and no required communication, let alone an application for demolition, has been made to the Preservation Board, which would require a public hearing. We urge the mayor, Common Council, and all elected representatives to put a stop to this immediately and to put the building on the road to rehabilitation in a way that serves not only the BNMC, but the adjacent residential neighborhoods and downtown businesses. What the city needs is a building that integrates itself into the fabric of the community and strengthens it, not another gaping hole in that fabric.
The building is structurally sound and is in no danger of collapse. It is a strong building that can endure. The building could easily be converted to new uses that would benefit the community and the owners. Many similar factory buildings in Buffalo, and elsewhere, have been adapted for other purposes, like the Trico plant on Main Street that is now the Tri-Main Center, the Larkin at Exchange building, 79 Perry Street in the Cobblestone District, and, indeed, the M. Wile Building directly across Washington Street.
In addition, as the building is on the National Register and meets many criteria for local listing as well, any project the adversely effects the building would require a full Environmental Impact Statement under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Similarly, if there is any Federal funding or regulatory action involved, a demolition project would require review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. It would also have to be in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act. Finally, if any state funding is involved, or any action by a state agency, a review by the State historic preservation officer, under the New York State Historic Preservation Act, is necessary.
The Campaign has also started a Facebook page devoted to preservation of the Trico building.
On Tuesday, in response to PBN’s statement, Matt Enstice, President and Chief Executive Officer of the BNMC made this statement, which we’ll repeat here:
“I was surprised to see some of the comments in the statement released by Preservation Buffalo Niagara earlier today. I have met with PBN and other preservation organizations regularly over the past 2 1/2 months, shared everything requested and feel like we are working as good partners. We were in the middle of discussions when this was released. Until we speak with these partners, we will have no further comment.”
And it doesn’t stop there — we’ll be hearing more about this issue in the days and weeks to come. Today (Thursday), at their regularly scheduled meeting, the Buffalo Preservation Board will take the first formal step to consider designating the Trico building as a local landmark.
Stay tuned…
Entry Image: Citysky Photography by Nate Farnsworth