List of City of Buffalo landmarks and historic districts

The City of Buffalo designates landmarks and historic districts to recognize and protect places of local, state, and national significance.

The NYS General Municipal Law § 119-AA enables local governmental programs for the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the historical, architectural, archaeological, and cultural environment, and was adopted to promote a "spirit of stewardship and trusteeship for future generations."

The City of Buffalo has designated 176 local landmarks and 18 local historic districts, inclusive of about four percent of the parcels in the city. In addition to local designations, Buffalo possesses many properties that are either individually listed, or are contributing resources to historic districts, on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Preservation Board The City of Buffalo established the Preservation Board in 1976. Its powers and responsibilities are derived from Buffalo's Preservation Ordinance, which declares "as a matter of public policy that preservation, protection, conservation, enhancement, perpetuation, and utilization of sites, buildings, improvements, and districts of special character, historical or aesthetic interest, or value are necessary and required in the interest of the health, education, culture, prosperity, safety, and high quality of life of the people."

Designation Criteria The City of Buffalo designates landmarks and historic districts according to a process and criteria established in the Preservation Ordinance. The Preservation Board makes a recommendation, and the Common Council makes a decision, as to whether a proposed landmark, landmark site, or historic district meets one or more of the following criteria:

It has character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation. Its location is a site of a significant local, state, or national event. It exemplifies the historic, aesthetic, architectural, archaeological, educational, economic, or cultural heritage of the city, state, or nation. It is identified with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the city, state, or nation. It embodies distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, type, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials. It is the work of a master builder, engineer, designer, architect, or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the city, state, or nation. It embodies elements of design, detailing, materials, or craftsmanship that render it architecturally significant. It embodies elements that make it structurally or architecturally innovative. It is a unique location or contains singular physical characteristics that make it an established or familiar visual feature within the city.

Any structure, property, or area that meets one or more of the above criteria must also have sufficient integrity of location, design, materials, and workmanship to make it worthy of preservation or restoration.

Project Review Once the City of Buffalo has designated a landmark or historic district, the designated property or properties fall under the jurisdiction of the Preservation Board. The Preservation Board reviews exterior work only, and applies the Secretary of the Interior Standards & Guidelines in making decisions on projects.

List of Local Landmarks A landmark is a structure, object, or site, which the City of Buffalo has designated per the criteria of the Preservation Ordinance, that has been determined to possess individual local, state, and/or national significance. #Local LandmarkBuffalo (N.Y.). Common Council. Common Council proceedings of the City of Buffalo. 1977-present.Assessment Address(es)AdoptedImageNRHP StatusDescriptionNotes1Blessed Trinity R.C. Church317 Leroy Avenue1/13/1977ListedBlessed Trinity Roman Catholic Church, built from 1923 to 1928 and designed by Schmill & Gould, may be the finest example of Lombard-Romanesque architecture in North America.2Darwin Martin Complex125 Jewett Parkway, 143 Jewett Parkway, 118 Summit Avenue3/10/1977National Historic LandmarkThe Darwin D. Martin House Complex was built between 1903 and 1905 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Martin House Complex is among the most important works of Wright's Prairie School period.3Gates Circle Fountain2 Gates Circle3/10/1977Contributing property, Delaware Park–Front Park SystemThe Gates Circle Fountain, designed by E. B. Green, was erected from 1902 to 1903 in the circle known up to that point as Chapin Place. The fountain was funded by Mrs. Charles Pardee in honor of her parents, Mr. & Mrs. George B. Gates.4St. Mary's Seminary125 Edward Street3/10/1977Contributing property, Allentown Historic DistrictSt. Mary's Seminary is a three and four story building with Federal and Italianate style detailing built in 1862, and occupied by the Le Couteulx St. Mary's Institute for Deaf Mutes until 1899.5Franklin Square North556 Franklin Street, 558 Franklin Street, 564 Franklin Street3/10/1977Contributing property, Allentown Historic DistrictFranklin Square North is a site consisting of the Phineas Marsh House, built in 1867 in the Italianate style; Sullivan Drullard House, built in 1862 in the Second Empire style, with a Romanesque addition built in the 1890s; and a rear carriage house.6Guaranty Building (Prudential Building)140 Pearl Street3/30/1977National Historic LandmarkThe Guaranty Building is a skyscraper built from 1895 to 1896 and designed in the Sullivanesque style by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler. The 13 story office building is among the earliest steel-supported, curtain-walled buildings ever built.7Old County Hall100 Franklin Street4/14/1977ListedOld City & County Hall is a historic city hall and courthouse built from 1871 to 1875 and designed in the Late Victorian Romanesque style by Andrew Jackson Warner. The four story granite building features a 270-foot central clock tower.8St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral12 Church Street4/14/1977National Historic LandmarkSt. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral was built from 1849 to 1851 and designed in the Gothic Revival style by Richard Upjohn. Upjohn is said to have considered St. Paul's his best commission, and it is arguably Buffalo's first nationally noteworthy building.9McKinley Monument5 Niagara Square5/12/1977Eligible Contributing property, Joseph Ellicott Historic District [Certified]The McKinley Monument is a 96-foot-tall obelisk dedicated in 1907 to the memory of President William McKinley, who was fatally shot at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901. It was conceptualized by Daniel H. Burnham and designed by Carrère & Hastings.10Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site641 Delaware Avenue5/12/1977ListedThe Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is the location, at the Ansley Wilcox House, where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office as President of the United States on 14 September 1901.11Shea's Buffalo Theatre642 Main Street6/9/1977ListedShea's Buffalo is a movie palace, now a performing arts theater, built from 1925 to 1926 and designed by Rapp & Rapp in a combination of Spanish and French Baroque and Rococo styles, with the interior design by Louis Comfort Tiffany.12Birge Mansion2 Symphony Circle6/14/1977Contributing property, Allentown Historic DistrictThe Birge Mansion was built in 1897 and designed in the Georgian Revival style by Little & Browne of Boston. It was the home of George K. Birge, founder and president of the Pierce Arrow Motor Company.13St. Casimir's R.C. Church138 Cable Street9/8/1977EligibleSt. Casimir's R.C. Church was built from 1926 to 1929 and designed in the Byzantine Revival style by Chester Oakley. Pope John Paul II, then the cardinal of Kraków, stayed two nights at St. Casimir's rectory in 1976.14Albright-Knox Art Gallery1285 Elmwood Avenue11/10/1977ListedThe Albright Knox Art Gallery is an art museum built from 1890 to 1905 and designed in a Neoclassical style (modeled after the Erechtheion) by E. B. Green, with a 1962 addition designed in the Modernist style by Gordon Bunshaft.15St. Vincent de Paul R.C. Church2021 Main Street11/10/1977EligibleSt. Vincent de Paul R.C. Church was built from 1924 to 1926 and designed in a Byzantine/Romanesque style by Thomas, Perry, & McMullen.16The Church of the Good Shepherd96 Jewett Parkway11/10/1977Contributing property, Parkside East Historic DistrictThe Church of the Good Shepherd was built from 1887 to 1888 and designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Marling & Burdett.17Trinity Episcopal Church371 Delaware Avenue1/12/1978ListedTrinity Episcopal Church was built from 1884 to 1886 in a Victorian Gothic style by Cyrus K. Porter, and is best known for stained glass windows by John LaFarge and Tiffany studios. The Christ Chapel, built in 1869, is the oldest part of the complex.18Asbury Methodist Church341 Delaware Avenue1/12/1978ListedThe Delaware Asbury Methodist Church was built in phases from 1871 to 1876 in the Gothic Revival style by John H. Selkirk. Originally the Delaware Avenue Methodist Church, the name was changed in 1917 when it merged with the Asbury Methodist congregation.19Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane444 Forest Avenue1/12/1978National Historic LandmarkThe Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane was built in phases from 1870 to 1895 and designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Henry Hobson Richardson, with the grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.Includes only Buildings 38, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 10, 9, and 1220Old Post Office (ECC City Campus)70 Swan Street1/12/1978ListedThe Old Post Office was built from 1897 to 1901 and designed with Romanesque Revival, Chateauesque, and French Gothic features by James Knox Taylor. The building features a 244-foot tower and central light court.21Buffalo City Hall65 Niagara Square1/12/1978ListedBuffalo City Hall is a 32-story government building built from 1929 to 1931 and designed in the Art Deco style by Dietel, Wade, & Jones. At 378 feet in height, it is Buffalo's second tallest building and the fourth tallest city hall in the U.S.22St. Louis R.C. Church782 Main Street1/12/1978Contributing property, Allentown Historic DistrictSt. Louis R.C. Church was built from 1886 to 1889 and designed in the Gothic style by Schikel & Ditmars. The 245 foot tower is intended to recall the tower of the Cathedral of Cologne.23St. John's Grace Episcopal Church13 Bidwell Parkway2/9/1978Contributing property, Elmwood Historic District–WestSt. John's Grace Episcopal Church was built from 1925 to 1927 and designed in the English Perpendicular Gothic style by Mayers, Murray, & Philip with Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue.24Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church598 Lafayette Avenue2/9/1978Contributing property, Elmwood Historic District–EastLafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church was built from 1894 to 1896 and designed in the Romanesque Revival style by Lansing & Beierl. Bouck Street was renamed to Lafayette Avenue in honor of the church.25Central Park United Methodist Church216 Morris Avenue2/9/1978EligibleThe Central Park United Methodist Church was built from 1921 to 1923 and designed in the Perpendicular Gothic style by Charles Bolton & Sons.26First Presbyterian Church393 Pennsylvania Avenue2/9/1978Contributing property, Allentown Historic DistrictFirst Presbyterian Church was built from 1889 to 1891 and designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Green & Wicks. Its offset, 163 foot tall tower is the predominant visual feature looking south along Olmsted's Richmond Avenue.27Unitarian Universalist Church646 West Ferry Street3/9/1978ListedThe Unitarian Universalist Church was built from 1904 to 1906 and designed in the English Perpendicular Gothic style by Edward Austin Kent. The Buffalo Nine, a group of Vietnam War protestors, were arrested at the church on 19 August 1968.28Market Arcade615 Main Street5/11/1978Eligible