Buffalo's Passion for Preservation Restores City's Cultural Relevance

With recent Census data showing Buffalo to be one of the country's poorest cities, Stephen Jermanok tours the western New York city and is surprised to find the area "brimming with energy, from neighborhood sidewalks crowded with al fresco dining options to a farmers’ market selling local produce to the impressive collection of modern art at the Albright-Knox Museum."

"Even more remarkable is that after years of dormancy or neglect, monumental architectural feats like the Darwin Martin House, the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, and Hotel Lafayette are springing back to life thanks to the latest round of local visionaries," says Jermanok. "People here are passionate about preservation. They know that these historic gems could be on the other side of the wrecking ball, like the Wright-designed administration building of the Larkin Co., which is now a parking lot."