Historic church has a chance to be saved
http://buffalo.ynn.com/content/search/692458/historic-church-has-a-chance-to-be-saved/
- By: Anna Hoffmann
- 09/01/2013 11:51 AM
YNN Buffalo: Historic church has a chance to be saved Play now
BUFFALO, N.Y. — There is a glimmer of hope for a historic church in downtown Buffalo.
The Catholic Diocese slated St. Ann’s for demolition in mid-August.
Those plans are now on hold, as the diocese and Preservation Buffalo Niagara partner up to try to find a developer willing to shoulder the millions of dollars it would cost to save the 127-year-old building.
Up to 40 percent of the cost of rehabilitating the building could be covered with tax credits, and a condition of the purchase would be to keep the church in-tact.
Preservationists say the other buildings on the property could provide revenue for the cost of preserving the church.
“The spaces are at times difficult to adapt, and so that’s why we positively really feel that leveraging the other structures on the camp us will allow the church to be saved,” said Jason Wilson, director of operations at Preservation Buffalo Niagara.
The diocese said they hope to find a developer as quickly as possible to protect the church from another winter.
Even if the building is saved, the diocese said it will not serve as a Catholic church.
The diocese said it would cost $8 to 12 million to fully rehab the church.
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