Seven to Save 2000

Across New York State and the nation, communities are facing difficult, often divisive decisions concerning the fate of older school buildings. While some municipalities are choosing to rehabilitate their schools, others are favoring new construction and abandoning buildings that have functioned as neighborhood anchors for generations. The City of Niagara Falls is in the midst of such a controversy regarding the future of the 1924 Niagara Falls High School, vacated in June 2000 after a new high school opened elsewhere in the city. What's at stake in Niagara Falls is whether the landmark-quality school will be demolished and replaced with a plaza-style shopping mall or retained for new community uses. At present, city government, the local school board, students, and high school alumni disagree on the merits of the building and the viability of potential new uses. What is clear is that unless city government and the Niagara Falls School Board can agree to the desired outcome for the building and site, the Classical Revival style school will be leveled and a shopping mall will be built in its place.

The Niagara Falls High School was designed by William B. Ittner of St. Louis Missouri and constructed in 1924 to replace the previous building which was lost to fire in 1922. The 89,000 square-foot school served the city well for 76 years with new additions built in 1963 and 1970 to accommodate the growing school body. The handsome three-story concrete, steel and stone building occupies a prominent site on Portage Road, in the heart of the city's "Little Italy" neighborhood and minutes away from its internationally famous falls. Sited on a rise of land and set back on a broad lawn, the school is graced by classical architectural ornament. The interior is distinguished by original oak woodwork and an ornate 1,200-seat auditorium.

According to the city's grants director, Melisa Green, "the old Niagara Falls High School was designed and built with pride and an important goal - to provide a good education so that families would put down roots and raise their children here."

Between 1997-1999, the Niagara Falls School Board investigated the cost of rehabilitating the High School. Finding the estimates– over $11 million– prohibitive, the board elected to sell the building and its 3.3 acre site to Benderson Development Corporation of Buffalo, a private firm specializing in suburban retail development. However, for any commercial project to go forward, the one-block parcel would need to be rezoned.

In January 1999, the Niagara Falls High School Preservation and Development Task Force was formed and has conducted community forums and an opinion survey on the former school's future. Of 773 residents surveyed, 82% stated that the building should be preserved. Favored uses include one's that support cultural, family and youth activities, and education. A group of area arts organizations has identified the need for theater space, which could be met by the school's auditorium. At present there is no conclusion on how much it would actually cost to reuse the building.

Despite the specter of demolition if Benderson goes forward with its plan, Mayor Irene J. Elia remains confident that a "collaboration of citizens, the Board of Education and the City of Niagara Falls can lead to a viable alternative for this important asset that will benefit our community, without burdening the taxpayer." Scott P. Heyl, President of the Preservation League of New York State, agrees. "School buildings, whether serving their original purpose or adaptively used, are important community centers. Throughout New York State, the Preservation League has seen 19th and 20th century schools reused for commercial, residential, and office purposes. Our state's stock of historic school buildings is particularly well-suited for new, economically viable uses." According to Heyl, "No opportunity for reuse of the historic Niagara Falls High School should be closed off prematurely. The Preservation League pledges its support to work with the city and school officials toward a solution that respects the building's character and ensures its benefit to the neighborhood and the city."

Contacts:

Melisa Green, Grants Director, City of Niagara Falls, 716-286-4325

Scott P. Heyl, President, Preservation League of New York State, 518-462-5658, ext. 19

Tania Werbizky, Director of Technical and Grant Programs, Preservation League of New York State, 607-272-6510