MSAAHC Commission Awarded A Preserve NY Grant From Preservation League of NYS
Grant will fund a Condition Report of Rev. J. Edward Nash House Museum
Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission is one of this year’s Preserve New York (PNY) grantees. Their grant of $14,000 will fund a Condition Report of The Rev. J. Edward Nash House Museum. The Preservation League of NYS and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) are thrilled to help fund this important work.
“We are grateful to receive this grant to preserve the integrity of the Nash House Museum,” said Sharon Holley, President of the Michigan Street Preservation Corporation, the non-for-profit organization that oversees the Nash House Museum. “This grant will enable us to further our mission to promote, educate, encourage and preserve historical research with respect to the history of the African American community in Buffalo, New York and throughout the country.”
The Nash House Museum will complete a Building Condition Report in partnership with the Heritage Corridor. The comprehensive document will provide a thorough understanding of visible condition issues and how to address them to help create a roadmap for the larger rehabilitation and expansion project set to begin in 2025 with funding from Empire State Development. The plan, to be completed by Clinton Brown Company Architecture, will include:
Brief architectural analysis of the resource's overall current condition (interior and/ or exterior)
Illustrations, either drawings (may include sketches and measured drawings) or photographs
Prioritized recommendations for the resource's restoration, rehabilitation, or treatment
Preliminary cost estimates for improvements
Preliminary sketch of two possible options for an elevator to enhance accessibility.
“As an advocate for the community, we endeavor to integrate the African American cultural significance and impact on Buffalo’s history through community education that will inspire the appreciation of our culture and the preservation of our sacred sites,” said Terry Alford, Executive Director of the Heritage Corridor Commission.” We are fully grateful to the Preservation League of NYS for recognizing our collective efforts in the preservation of the story of the Nash family and the beautiful home they resided in over six decades.
Once the home of Rev. Edward Nash, the longest-serving pastor of the Michigan Street Baptist Church, the Nash House has been operating as a museum since 2007. Many of Rev. Nash’s sermons and letters that are a crucial part of Buffalo’s African American community history were written here and artifacts from the Nash family are on display.
“Projects funded through Preserve New York often mark the beginning of bigger preservation efforts, and the League takes tremendous pride in helping to jumpstart this important work,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of NYS. “We can’t wait to see how this year’s grantees tackle these projects and look forward to continuing to be a resource into the future. We are grateful for the continued partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts, as well as the additional support from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which makes these grants possible.”
At its 2024 meeting, an independent grant panel selected 21 applicants in 17 counties to receive support totaling $262,041. For details and photos of all the 2024 Preserve New York grantees, please visit: preservenys.org/blog/preserve-new-york-grants-2024