We received our provisional charter from the NYS Education Dept. It is valid for 5 years,
there will be a review of our activities after 3 years. (As per Bill Bradberry, this means we are
incorporated as NFHPS, Inc., but not a 501(c) 3, which is a separate application.)

From October 19-22 our Board members attended “Alternating Currents,” the National Trust
for Historic Preservation Conference held in Buffalo. Members of our Board were involved in
creating “Niagara Day” for the conference. On that day, tour buses ran every 2 hours between
the Buffalo Convention Center and the Niagara Falls State Park so that attendees could easily
visit our city. In fact, busses had to be added, as they filled up quickly. Tours were held in
Niagara County to showcase some of our historic attractions.

Preservation Buffalo Niagara prepared plaques for people and organizations that were
instrumental in the plans for the Conference. In January we invited the Niagara County
recipients to a reception at City hall, to receive their plaques. Tom Yots, former NF City
Historian and current Executive Director of PBN informed the City Council of all the work
that was done to promote our area during the conference. He and Catherine Sweitzer, local
Coordinator of the conference, thanked the recipients for their cooperation in making “Niagara
Day” a success.

During the winter we worked on and finalized the strategic plan for our Society. Next, we will
work on the action plan.

In the spring we were co-sponsors with the History Committee of LaSalle Pride, the Friends
of Local History, and the NF Historic Preservation Commission of a series of workshops led by
Terry Lasher-Winslow and Elaine Timm on Researching the History of Your House. This was
held at the Local History Dept of the Library.
Board members attended the Open House of the Customhouse on Whirlpool St. in April.

In May, we moved our office to the NACC, 3rd Floor. Board Members attended the PBN awards
luncheon in Buffalo. We sent letters of support for the management plans of the NF Heritage
Area Commission and of the Underground Railroad Commission.

In June, Board members attended a meeting held by Harry Stinson, explaining his plans for the
Hotel Niagara. We also attended a City Council meeting and a public hearing in opposition to
NF Memorial Medical Center’s plan to demolish the Evelyn Apts building on their property. It
had been designated a local historic landmark in 2009. We encouraged them to find a reuse for
the building.
We held a scavenger hunt/walking tour of the stone buildings of the Main St (old Suspension
Bridge) area, during the Main St Arts and Music Festival at the end of June. Mary Ann Rolland
coordinated this project.

In July, we heard that the demolition of the Evelyn Apts had been stopped, in accordance with
Federal historic preservation law. NFMMC must revise their plans for the property. However,
the Hamilton Mizer building (former 10th St School) is not designated/protected, and might be
demolished.
Board Members attend a session held by the NF Historic Preservation Comm to listen to Julian
Adams of the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation/State Historic Preservation Office
(“SHPO”) explain preservation regulations and responsibilities for Certified Local Governments.

In August there were discussions of plans to attend 1) the National Trust conference in Spokane
WA in October, 2) PBN’s Preservation Plus conference at the end of Sept, a follow up to last
year’s conference and 3) October conference at Chautauqua Institution on New Urbanism.

We met with Seth Picirillo, Director of the NF Community Development Dept. to discuss his
new program to attract young adults to live the city. The area for the housing is near the Park
Place Historic District. We agreed to work together regarding historic preservation issues. Our
Society would like to add small plaques to the homes in the Park Place Hist Dist that show the
year the house was built. We will investigate designs and cost, and contact homeowners.

Throughout the year, Marge Gillies kept us apprised of the activities of the Niagara Falls
National Heritage Area Commission and of PBN.

We have had contact with various people and organizations in our continuing efforts to
promote historic preservation, including, Gerald Skrlin, owner of the Lavinia Porter Manse on
Buffalo Ave, Peter Fontanarosa, owner of the Adams Transformer Plant on Buffalo Ave., The
DeVeaux Brick Barn Task Force (aka the Carriage House), and Harry Stinson, who is renovating
the Hotel Niagara. We would like to see a house deconstruction program started, to save some
of the historic materials in our old houses.

We missed President Bill Bradberry during the year, due to his extended stay in Florida. He
stayed in contact through the phone and email.

Elaine Timm, Secretary