Press Release

National Trust for Historic Preservation Announces that Buffalo, New York Will Host the 2011 National Preservation Conference

Washington, D.C. (October 15, 2007) – The National Trust for Historic Preservation is proud to announce that Buffalo, New York will serve as the host city for the National Preservation Conference in 2011. The National Preservation Conference is the largest gathering of its kind in the United States, annually attracting more than 2,000 attendees to participate in a weeklong series of field sessions, education workshops, and tours that showcase outstanding local examples of architecture, historic preservation and community revitalization.  

The 2011 conference will be the 65th annual National Preservation Conference, and the first held in Buffalo. Richard Moe, the president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said today that Buffalo was chosen for a variety of reasons, including the city’s rich architectural heritage.

"Conference attendees are sure to be impressed by Buffalo’s incredible collection of great buildings – but I believe they’ll also be impressed by the city’s inspiring examples of how preservation can be a springboard for sustainable economic revitalization," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Like all communities, Buffalo still faces some serious preservation challenges, and I hope our conference will help inspire action to meet those challenges effectively. We’re looking forward to spending a week in this great city.”

"I was very pleased to inform Mayor Brown of our decision on Friday and to offer our services starting immediately to help in the revitalization efforts already underway,” Moe continued. “We believe that using Buffalo's outstanding historic resources can be a huge catalyst in the city's efforts to again realize its tremendous potential, and I was gratified that the mayor welcomed our involvement. We plan to talk again soon. My visit to Buffalo last summer convinced me, as it has convinced many others, that the city has unique historic assets on which to build for the future, and the National Trust looks forward to a fruitful partnership toward that end."

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), who advocated for Buffalo to host the 2011 conference and has worked closely with local leaders to spearhead preservation and revitalization efforts, welcomed today’s announcement.  “I am delighted that the City of Buffalo has been chosen to host the 2011 National Preservation Conference.  This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Buffalo’s numerous architecturally significant structures and vibrant downtown revitalization efforts.  This honor is a true testament to the hard work underway to enhance the city’s impressive array of architecture and preserve its cultural heritage,” said Senator Clinton. 

"The City of Buffalo is honored to host the National Preservation Conference in 2011," said Mayor Byron W. Brown. "Our City's rich architectural heritage is a tremendous asset and I thank the National Trust for Historic Preservation for choosing Buffalo for their 65th Annual National Preservation Conference. I know the Conference attendees will enjoy seeing the wealth of significant structures designed by our nation's most renowned architects, as well as the creative preservation efforts that have been achieved throughout the City."

From a stunning network of city parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, to a sprawling collection of grain elevators (they were invented in Buffalo in 1842), the breadth of Buffalo’s cultural resources is striking. The city is home to a long list of outstanding works by some of the leading names in American architecture and design, including:

  • The country’s largest intact parks system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.
  • Louis Sullivan’s Guaranty Building—one of the first steel-supported, curtain-walled buildings in the world.
  • Several buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright, including the Darwin Martin House, George Barton House, William Heath House and the Graycliff Estate. In fact, Buffalo has more Frank Lloyd Wright buildings than any city other than Chicago.
  • The H.H. Richardson Complex, once the State Asylum for the Insane and the largest commission undertaken by the renowned architect.
  • Eliel and Eero Saarinen’s Kleinhans Music Hall.
  • Buffalo Central Terminal, a massive Art Deco railroad station designed by Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner.    

The region's philanthropic and preservation communities, the City of Buffalo, Erie County, and committed citizens have invested significantly to preserve these and other treasures. The richness of Buffalo's sites and neighborhoods was expertly conveyed by the large coalition that represented the city in the National Trust's selection process, an effort led by the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city's family foundations, community leaders, and historic preservation organizations, including Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier, Preservation Coalition of Erie County, and Campaign for Greater Buffalo.