By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Local preservationists want to stop a wrecking ball from destroying an historic grain mill in downtown Buffalo. The former H-O Oats complex at Perry, Fulton and Marvin Street is now part of the nine acres of land the Seneca Nation of Indians purchased. Thursday, the Senecas are expected to begin tearing it down as they announce plans for a Buffalo casino to meet Friday's compact deadline.
The former H-O Oats Grain Elevator is 130-feet tall -- a clear symbol of Buffalo's industrial past. It stands in the shadow of HSBC Arena. Historians say the facility traces back to the late 1800s when shipping and the Erie Canal were a major force in this region. But now preservationists fear that the symbol could be destroyed.
"It will be terrible. We will loose part of our industrial heritage," said Tim Tielman, a local preservationist and executive director of Campaign for Greater Buffalo.
Tielman says the grain mill is eligible to be on the National Registry of Historic Places. That eligibility currently protects it from demolition. But now that the Senecas own it, the building stands on sovereign land.
"The Senecas claim that is not necessary," Tielman says. "They say it is sovereign territory, and that US law does not cover them. What we are arguing is that indeed it does."
And that is why the Tielman's group, as well as the Citizens Against Casino Gambling, are planning a lawsuit to stop demolition. Attorney Richard Berger is working on the lawsuit. He says the Senecas must abide by laws that protect the environment and cultural heritage.
"We don't know of any codes or requirements which are being followed in the demolition of the H-O Grain Elevator," Berger said. "And it is significant. We feel Seneca Nation (members) are Americans, they are good Americans, but they have to act in a way which is socially responsible."
But preservationists say even if some sign of demolition occurs, it is not too late to save the structure. They would hope the Senecas opt for a shovel in the ground instead of a wrecking ball at Thursday's casino announcement.