BUFFALO, N.Y. — Days after a devastating fire that damaged some historic structures in Buffalo's Cobblestone District, a member of the Common Council is still holding out hope they can be saved.
Fillmore District Council Member Mitch Nowakowski was among those who spearheaded an effort by the city in recent years to seize the buildings under eminent domain from an owner whom he claims neglected them, in hopes they could be adaptively reused.
Then came Tuesday's fire.
The buildings are under an emergency stabilization order in part so that fire inspectors can do their business to determine a cause.
The future of the buildings after that is still undetermined.
"It's my overall intent to make sure the structures that can be save are, and that the structure is adaptively reused," Nowakowski told WGRZ-TV.
But not at all costs.
"No, I have to be able to rely on the department of permits and inspections and the law department and the fire department to make those determinations if they can be salvageable or not," Nowakowski said.
Part of what gives Nowakowski hope for the buildings, which are among the oldest in the city, is what he heard from some interested parties since the fire occurred.
"What surprised me was the amount of developers and the amount of people in the business community that said look we've done this before on other projects ... this could happen," Nowakowski said.
2 On Your Side left a message for one developer identified by Nowakowski, but we did not hear back from them by Friday evening.
As hopeful as he may be that the buildings which were already abandoned and derelict prior to the fire could still be saved, he also said he would not stand in opposition to demolishing them if the city determines that's the best course in terms of public safety.
"I'm certainly not going to be out there being contrary," Nowakowski said. "I have to rely on the expertise of those folks at city hall that are making those determinations."