Buffalo lawmaker hopes historic structures in Cobblestone District damaged by fire can be saved

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Days after a devastating fire damaged some historic structures in Buffalo’s Cobblestone District, a Common Council member is still hopeful they can be saved.

Fillmore District Council member Mitch Nowakowski was among those who led the city’s efforts in recent years to seize buildings under eminent domain from an owner who he said had neglected them, hoping that they could be reused adaptively.

Then came Tuesday’s fire.

The buildings are under an emergency stabilization order, in part so fire inspectors can do their work to determine the cause.

The future of the buildings is still undetermined.

“My general intention is to make sure that structures that can be saved are saved and that the structure is reused adaptively,” Nowakowski told WGRZ-TV.

“No, I have to be able to rely on the department of permits and inspections, as well as legal services and the fire department to determine whether they can be salvaged or not,” Nowakowski said.

Part of what gives Nowakowski hope for the buildings, which are among the city’s oldest, is what he’s heard from some interested parties since the fire.

“What surprised me was how many developers and how many people in the business community said we’ve done this before on other projects…this could happen,” Nowakowski said .

2 On Your Side left a message with a developer identified by Nowakowski, but we did not hear back from him as of Friday evening.

Although he hopes that buildings that were already abandoned before the fire can still be saved, he also said that he would not oppose their demolition if the city determines that it is the best solution in terms of public security.

“I’m definitely not going to be the opposite,” Nowakowski said. “I have to rely on the expertise of the people at town hall who make these decisions.”