She's Still Got It! All Hands On Deck For 72 Sycamore.

Built around 1848 by Irish immigrant Eliza Quirk, 72 Sycamore may be the oldest surviving building in Buffalo built by a woman. Eliza arrived with very little and became the wealthiest woman in her neighborhood, running a house of “ill repute” and living what her obituary called a "bold bad life." Her building went on to be a rooming house and then sat vacant for decades - eventually being donated to PBN to stop it from being demolished. Now she's getting her second act as our future home and the Preservation Resource Center!

You can read more about Eliza here: The Story of 72 Sycamore

Look how far we've come! As of September 15th, 2026:

Water is back on
Stabilization is in progress
Permits are approved
Construction bidding is ongoing
$1.8 million in grants is secured
Work has begun!

Why we need you now:

Our grants are reimbursable. Expenses are flying out the door as we ramp up this work. That means we have to spend the money first and get paid back later. Your gift is the cash that keeps the crews working and the project moving!

The Community Benefit

When complete, The Eliza Quirk House will become the home of Preservation Buffalo Niagara and the region's first Preservation Resource Center. It will be a place where homeowners can learn how to care for historic properties, researchers can explore Buffalo's architectural history, neighbors can gather, and preservation professionals and skilled craftspeople can teach the techniques needed to restore our city's remarkable historic buildings.

Why This Place?

Located on a largely vacant stretch of Sycamore Street, within the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, the Eliza Quirk House has the potential to spark additional investment while preserving an irreplaceable piece of Buffalo's history. Its restoration will help anchor the neighborhood, complement decades of investment in the surrounding historic district, and demonstrate how historic preservation can serve as a catalyst for revitalization.

Our Goal

Thanks to the incredible support of public and private partners, we have already secured $1.8 million toward this transformational project. We are now raising the final $300,000 needed to bring the Eliza Quirk House back to life. The main reason why we are fundraising this money is because the grant funds we have are reimbursable which means we have to spend the money to get the grant funding. This means we need cash on hand to get work started and the reimbursement cycle going!

Your Impact

Preservation is not simply about protecting the past. It is an investment in Buffalo's future.

By investing in the Eliza Quirk House, you do more than restore a historic building. You are creating a permanent home for preservation in Buffalo, strengthening Preservation Buffalo Niagara for generations to come, and ensuring that this remarkable piece of our city's history continues to serve the community for the next 180 years.

About Preservation Buffalo Niagara

For more than 40 years, Preservation Buffalo Niagara has been leading the effort to protect the places that tell Western New York's story. Our roots trace back to helping save Buffalo's oldest surviving home, the Coit House. We were critical in the rebuilding of the Guaranty and led the charge to save Trico. We have worked hard to build the momentum around historic preservation including helping to establish nationally recognized historic districts such as the Delaware Historic District, the Sycamore Michigan Historic District, and the Broadway-Fillmore Historic District, and several others in Buffalo and across WNY. These districts are imperative as they help stop demolitions and give property owners access to funding to address repairs and renovations.

Today, our work extends far beyond advocacy. Over the last decade alone, Preservation Buffalo Niagara has helped invest more than $5 million in the stabilization and rehabilitation of historic buildings across Western New York. We stabilize vacant historic buildings, designate dozens of local landmarks each year, guide homeowners and developers through the historic tax credit process, and provide education and technical assistance to thousands of people annually. We believe preservation is about more than saving old buildings. It is about strengthening neighborhoods, creating economic opportunity, preserving the stories that define our community, and building vibrant places for future generations.

Buffalo now leads New York State in historic tax credit applications, and New York's program is recognized as one of the strongest in the nation. Preservation Buffalo Niagara is proud to be at the forefront of that movement, helping property owners, communities, and public agencies transform historic buildings into assets that drive revitalization.

Our research confirms that preservation is also a powerful economic engine. According to our Everyone's Heritage study, 13.4% of visitors to Buffalo come for our history and architecture, generating more than $658 million in annual local spending and supporting over 8,100 jobs through direct and indirect economic activity. Preservation is not simply about protecting the past. It is an investment in Buffalo's future.

The Work Ahead

Our work is far from finished.

There are still more than a dozen historic districts waiting to be recognized and protected. Thousands of vacant historic buildings remain in need of stabilization and reinvestment. We continue to advocate for improvements to the Historic Tax Credit program so that retirees and low- to moderate-income homeowners can fully benefit from preserving their historic properties.

Across Western New York, historic churches are closing, presenting once-in-a-generation opportunities to create housing, community spaces, and new centers for entrepreneurship. We are expanding our research on Buffalo's Green Book sites to document and protect these irreplaceable places before they are lost. We are also working to ensure that LGBTQ+ history is recognized and preserved as part of our shared story, while advocating for the protection of significant landmarks that remain at risk, including Buffalo's last surviving building designed by Calvert Vaux.

These are just a few of the challenges ahead. With a permanent home and a stronger, more sustainable organization, Preservation Buffalo Niagara will be better equipped than ever to lead this work and ensure that the stories, places, and neighborhoods that define Western New York endure for generations to come.

Thank you for your donation!

She's Still Got It! All Hands On Deck For 72 Sycamore.

Help us save the little brothel that could and turn it into the home of Preservation Buffalo Niagara!