The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has offered Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, a grant (CHA-268766) for the repair and restoration of the roof of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Historic 1905 Building.

NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. This public notice is issued as part of NEH’s responsibilities under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, the regulations which implement Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, 16 U.S.C. § 470. NEH, a funding agency, is required by regulation to identify and assess the effects of any proposed actions on historic properties. If any proposed action will have an adverse effect on historic resources, NEH works with the appropriate parties to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects. Additionally, the Section 106 regulations require NEH to consider the views of the public on preservation issues when making final decisions that affect historic properties.

The undertaking will take place at the 1905 building located at 1285 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222. Work to the roof involves retaining the existing sheet metal roof, but replacing the existing membrane (EPDM) with a new reinforced membrane in a color that matches the existing copper patina, which will retain the historic batten-seam aesthetic. The ornamental band of copper, which has deteriorated over time, will be removed delicately and will receive repairs and reinforcement. All new stampings will be of copper mill finish and the natural oxidation will return after approximately 15 years. To waterproof the lower levels of the 1905 building (first floor and basement), historic stones on the hemicycle cornice will be removed and salvaged. The underlying brick masonry will be repaired. The existing EPDM on the walkway under the loggia on the building’s west façade will be replaced.

The 1905 building is a Beaux-Arts masterpiece of white marble in Buffalo, NY, is the oldest and most significant exhibition space on campus and is the foundation for the majority of the museum’s exhibitions and humanities programs. Regarded as the crown jewel of the campus, the 1905 building is Buffalo’s finest example of classical architecture built with a civic purpose. Set in the middle of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park, it is built of the same stone as the Washington Monument and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eighteen galleries of various sizes surround a central sculpture court that is flanked by marble columns. In total, the building contains 102 columns and comprises roughly 60,000 indoor square feet.

The decorative copper roof, which is original to the building, has been patched over the decades and has far outlasted its expected lifespan. The building’s roof is constructed of different elements including an ornamental band of copper that features anthemion and lion heads, built-in gutters, and a connected series of sloped roofs, flat roofs, and the upper temple roof. The roof’s materials are a combination of original copper decoration and sheet metal copper with battens.

On June 26, 2020, Julian W. Adams, Director, Bureau for Community Preservation Services Division for Historic Preservation, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, advised that the project will have No Adverse Effect on historic resources either listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. As required by Section 106, NEH is providing the public with information about this project, as well as an opportunity to comment on any knowledge of, or concerns with, historic properties in the proposed project area, and issues relating to the project’s potential effects on historic properties. Comments may be submitted to the NEH by e-mail to FPO@neh.gov. The deadline for submitting comments is August 15, 2020.