The DL&W’s architectural merit.
Part 2: How a landmark becomes a lynchpin.
Before receiving its initial National Register recognition in 2023, the DL&W train shed had already demonstrated its value through its stability and enduring presence. Built in 1917 and still in use by the NFTA today, the building remains an active part of Buffalo’s light rail system. Its reinforced concrete platforms, vented roof, and steel structural system are built to withstand heavy use.
The DL&W is an example of reinforced concrete engineering developed by DL&W’s chief engineer, Lincoln Bush. The resulting double-deck configuration allowed express freight trains to pass through at grade, while passenger trains were loaded above on a raised concrete platform. A series of vents carried steam and smoke up and out of the shed, improving conditions for passengers and extending the life of the building’s materials. Skylights adjacent to this unique venting system allowed natural light to enter. It was elegant in its logic and modest in its ornament.
Inspirational design images from Eimer's architectural plans for the DL&W’s second floor.
More than a century later, the building’s purpose is more apparent than ever. The structure continues to serve Metro Rail operations while anchoring a future phase of development that will bring the second floor back into year-round public use. This continued functionality helped make the case for preservation.
The train shed qualified for National Register designation under Criterion C, which recognizes buildings that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction. It is a rare surviving example of early twentieth-century Bush-style infrastructure and the only one of its kind in Buffalo. The structure’s concrete decks, steel supports, and arched skylight frames remain intact. Even the original smoke vent locations remain visible on the interior.
KTA Preservation Specialists led the research and documentation process required for the designation, preparing the National Register forms, coordinating with the State Historic Preservation Office, and shepherding Part I and Part II of the federal review process.
In the context of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, Part 2 approval refers to the National Park Service’s review and certification of the proposed rehabilitation work to ensure it meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. This means the NPS has closely reviewed and formally approved Savarino DL&W’s proposed rehabilitation of the second floor, finding those uses consistent with the building’s historic character and preservation goals.
Preservation doesn’t always mean creating a hermetic seal around a historic building or other significant built environment. In this case, it is keeping a building in use and serving the public. The DL&W train shed is a civic-scale structure built for movement, light, and change. Under Savarino DL&W’s watch, that’s still the plan.
