An effort was launched Friday to list South Buffalo's Old First Ward on the National Register for Historic Places. State Senator Tim Kennedy is stressing the significant role the First Ward neighborhood played in industrial development of Buffalo and Western New York.
"The neighborhood was populated by blue-collar, hard-working families, who came to the United States with a dream of prosperity," Kennedy said. "Buffalo has a strong legacy of hard work, and the foundation of this legacy is the Old First Ward."
Kennedy says if the neighborhood is awarded the historic designation, it would help homeowners and community leaders gain access to historic rehabilitation tax credits. That funding would be used to restore and preserve the Old First Ward.
As part of this effort, Kennedy says he is recommending the formation of a "green" commission to reflect the neighborhood's Irish roots.