The Nash Lofts rehabilitation has received a 2023 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS. Since 1984, the League's annual Excellence Awards program has shined a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better —through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction. This year’s Award winners will be recognized at a public reception at the Century Association in NYC on Monday, December 4.

“This project began as a collection of aging structures that were nearing complete structural failure,” said Project Architect and Co-Developer Steven J. Carmina. “The five partners who took on the task of investing time, energy, and mostly money to reverse their likely demise are not professional developers, just the right collection of personalities with the right mix of experience who committed to do whatever it took. The result is one that we all look on with pride and more than just a sense of accomplishment, but gratification that we were able to do for our East Buffalo Community what was necessary to preserve and protect important history.”

The Nash Lofts building sits at a prominent place in the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor. Constructed as four separate buildings that are now connected, this adaptive reuse project tackled challenging logistical issues and found creative solutions – including utilizing a former vehicle ramp within a tiered residential unit. In addition to creating high quality apartments, the Nash Lofts house commercial space on the first floor and will provide free office space to the local NAACP branch in perpetuity, just steps from where the organization first began.

The support received from the State of New York, Empire State Development was key to saving, restoring and adapting this property. The project was funded in part thanks to State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The final development includes 18 units that are marketed as Workforce Development at 90% AMI to provide a fair opportunity for people of all income levels. Being situated in the heart of the “Corridor,” it was incumbent on our team to serve the greater East Buffalo Community. The property also has 8,400SF of Retail/Commercial Space with a goal to provide access to minority start-ups. Mayor Byron Brown of the City of Buffalo supported this project through every method possible.

“The 2023 Excellence Award winners span the state, from Olean to Brooklyn,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “They represent how historic preservation addresses critical issues, from climate action to affordable housing, from spurring economic development to uplifting underrepresented histories. We are honored to recognize the incredible work each Award winner has done for their communities and beyond.”