WASHINGTON, D.C. – Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chair Sara C. Bronin and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman today presented Public School 75 in Buffalo, New York, with the 2024 ACHP/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. The award was presented during a ceremony at HUD headquarters in Washington, D.C.

This annual award recognizes a single project that has successfully advanced the goals of historic preservation, while at the same time providing affordable housing for low- and/or moderate-income families and individuals.

“We commend the visionary partners in the School 75 project for reusing a historic building to house veterans and military service-disabled residents as part of their broader investment in the neighborhood,” Chair Bronin said. “This project proves that early 20th century schoolhouses–which are being mothballed or demolished at alarming rates – can be successfully rehabbed to serve the housing needs of the communities they once educated.” 

“The ACHP/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation is a wonderful representation of HUD’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes,” HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said. “Today, we honor School 75 and thank them for being a catalyst for the revitalization of their community by providing affordable housing while also supporting our nation’s veterans.”

Gigi Grizanti Cooke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western New York Veterans Housing Coalition, Inc., accepted the award on behalf of the School 75 project.

“For 37 years now, we have provided affordable permanent supportive housing to homeless veterans and those in need,” Cooke said. “The completion of the School 75 project was an important part of continuing our mission. This historic rehab was no easy task, and we are thrilled that the details put into this project are being recognized with this prestigious award.”

Buffalo New York Public School 75 opened in 1925 and acted as a neighborhood anchor and asset for more than 50 years in the William-Emslie section of town. It closed in 1979 and, after serving other purposes, shut its doors for good in the early 2000s. Sitting vacant for two decades, the building fell into a serious state of disrepair. Despite the building’s deteriorated condition, the Western New York Veterans Housing Coalition saw the potential to support local veterans and families by restoring the school into housing, and building new apartments in the surrounding area, as part of a larger City of Buffalo investment on the city’s east side.

The Coalition teamed up with Norstar Development USA, Stieglitz Snyder Architecture, a LaBella Company, M&T Bank, and others to preserve Public School 75 and create 47 apartments, a mix of studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom homes, including 33 with supportive services for veterans and military service-disabled individuals. Twelve new residential buildings with 18 affordable homes utilized vacant parcels in the surrounding neighborhood. The project was completed in December 2022.

A great effort was made to preserve the three-story building’s historic features, including its unique courtyard-style design. All windows and four entry doors were replaced with replicas matching the period look. Historic classroom chalk boards and closets are integrated into the homes. The original wood and glass classroom door and transom light combination serves as the front door to each apartment. The hallways feature restoration of wood storage spaces, terrazzo floors, and plaster walls. Part of the auditorium is now the main entrance and community room, while another part houses the headquarters of the Western New York Veterans Housing Coalition. Communal spaces are available for use by residents of the surrounding community.

The project advanced resiliency and sustainability strategies through its design and construction. All apartments are Energy Star-rated, which will significantly decrease utility costs for both tenants and the Coalition.

There was extensive community involvement in the development of the project. A series of community meetings took place over the course of a year. An advisory committee comprised of community members was established to obtain community input and feedback. This process provided the opportunity to answer resident questions and helped to shape the project for the better.

Public School 75 is now called the Charlie Bush Building in honor of U.S. Army Specialist Charles E. Bush Jr., a Buffalo native who was killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Residents receive rental subsidy through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative program and HUD’s Continuum of Care program. The households also are linked with comprehensive on-site services provided by the Coalition.

Financing for the $29 million development included investments from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the City of Buffalo, HUD HOME program, and the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. The project also utilized Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credits and federal and state historic tax credit equity.

This project helps to realize some of the goals the ACHP set out in its recently adopted Policy Statement on Housing and Historic Preservation, which advances a multi-pronged strategy, at all levels of government, to encourage rehabilitation of historic buildings for housing and accelerate permitting and environmental review. The policy statement also provides a critical tool for community groups, nonprofit organizations, developers, and others in the private sector to use in advancing preservation values while proactively expediting housing creation and retention.


About the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov,www.huduser.gov, and http://espanol.hud.gov.

About the ACHP: An independent federal agency, the ACHP promotes the economic, educational, environmental, sustainability, and cultural values of historic preservation and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. It also influences federal activities, programs, and policies that affect historic and cultural properties. The ACHP Policy Statement on Housing and Historic Preservation can be found online here: https://www.achp.gov/initiatives/housing. See www.achp.gov for more information.