“It showed that people would come over there and that the grain was a feature and not a handicap,” Tielman said. “It has shown that our industrial architecture is a good business card.”

The years since the convention have seen redeveloped historic buildings near Larkin Square, with public spaces and businesses centered in the southeast of downtown along Seneca Street, and more recently along Chandler. Street in Black Rock.

Major renovations in the city that are completed, underway, or planned include the Statler Campus, Richardson Olmsted, and the old Pierce-Arrow Administration Building, as well as smaller projects such as the Parkside Candy Restoration.

Since the conference, seven neighborhoods have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Fargo Estate Historic District, Hamlin Park Historic District and University Park Historic District.

Homeowners living in historic neighborhoods, including Broadway Fillmore, have also taken advantage of historic tax credits to renovate their homes.

Since 2011, 568 rehabilitation projects have totaled $ 24.1 million in Buffalo, according to the New York State Historic Preservation Office.

It took a concerted effort to bring the country’s leading preservation organization, based in Washington, DC, to Buffalo. It was also necessary to raise $ 350,000 to host the conference, with the help of local philanthropists.