HPC.03.04.2026.AgendaPacket (full text)

Town of West Seneca Historic Commission West Seneca Town Hall 1250 Union Road West Seneca, New York 14224 HISTORIC COMMISSION LOCAL LANDMARK STATUS REVIEW REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS The Town of West Seneca Historical Commission will review your application for local landmark status at a regularly scheduled public hearing. The Local Landmark designation process is administered by the West Seneca Historical Commission (HC) to protect significant buildings that are in the public’s interest to preserve. When the HC determines that a building is significant and should be preserved, Local Landmark status can be granted conveying all rights and protection defined by Chapter 78C of Town Code. Five copies of the following materials must be submitted to the West Seneca Historical Commission ( West Seneca Town Hall, 1250 Union Road West Seneca, NY 14224) in order for the landmark review to proceed, in copies no larger than 11” x 17”, by the Additional Information Deadline of the corresponding scheduled public hearing (see attached Meeting Schedule). PLEASE NOTE: ONE COMPLETE COPY OF YOUR SUBMITTAL MUST BE RECEIVED BY OUR OFFICE ON THE FILING DEADLINE DATE. IF ONE COMPLETE COPY IS NOT RECEIVED YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE HEARD AT THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING. ▪ Completion of attached general information and contact form ▪ A narrative description of the landmark that substantiates its historical, architectural, geographical, cultural and / or archaeological significance. A bibliography of sources is required. ▪ A summary demonstrating that the landmark meets one or more criteria for designation, per Section 78C-11, Criteria for Designation of Landmarks or Historic Districts, of Town Code. A proposed landmark must meet at least one criterion to be eligible. ▪ Photographs showing all exterior elevations of the property. Interior photographs may also be submitted if appropriate. ▪ A map, survey or site plan that indicates in sufficient detail what parcel or part of parcels is being proposed as a landmark. Make note of any non-contributing elements that do not add to the historic integrity or architectural qualities making the landmark site significant. ▪ Supplemental material, such as articles, pamphlets, maps, historical photographs, and other documentation. This material is encouraged but not required. Scope of Review, Per 78C of the Town Code, The Town Historic Commission will make an advisory recommendation, within 45 days of receipt of a complete application, on any Landmark submission in the Town of West Seneca.

Town of West Seneca Historic Commission West Seneca Town Hall 1250 Union Road West Seneca, New York 14224 HISTORIC HISTORICCOMMISSION COMMISSIONLANDMARK APPLICATION DEMOLITION REVIEW GENERAL INFORMATION & CONTACT FORM GENERAL INFORMATION & CONTACT FORM Assessment Address : _________________________________________________________________________ 919 Mill Road Property Owner : _____________________________________________________________________________ Town of West Seneca Owner Mailing Address : _______________________________________________________________________ 1250 Union Road, West Seneca, NY 14224 Year(s) of Construction : _________________________ 1843-1855 Architect / Builder : __________________________ Unknown / Ebenezer Society Original / Current Use : __________________________ Residence Architectural Style : _________________________ Period of Significance : _________________________________________________________________________ 1843 -1855 ( Moved 1957 ) Is the property eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places ? ( Circle One ) Undetermined / Not Eligible / Eligible / Listed Has the property been documented in any historic resource survey ? If yes, include the documentation with this application. ( Circle One ) Yes / No / Unknown Is the property owner aware of this landmark application ? If No or Unknown, please provide evidence of contact / awareness efforts. ( Circle One ) Yes / No / Unknown Is the property owner in favor of this landmark application ? If yes, and applicant isn’t owner, please include signed statement of support ( Circle One ) Yes / No / Unknown Application Fee : A $250 50 application fee is required upon submission. If applicant is proposed landmark owner, this fee does not apply. Applicant : __________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address : _____________________________________________________________________________ Phone : ________________________________________ E-mail : _____________________________________ Signature : ______________________________________ Date: _______________________________________

919 Mill Road, West Seneca, NY 14224 Local Landmark Applica on On behalf of the Town of West Seneca Historic Preserva on Commission, I respec ully submit this nomina on for Local Landmark status for the property located at 919 Mill Road, historically known as the Lower Ebenezer Society House and the Community of True Inspira on Residence, and currently home to the West Seneca Historical Society Museum. This nomina on includes a descrip on of the site’s current condi on, documenta on of its historical significance, and related suppor ng materials. Site Descrip on and History: The residence known today as the Lower Ebenezer Society House was constructed in stages between 1843 and 1855 by the Community of True Inspira on, a communal German religious society more commonly referred to locally as the Ebenezer Society. This building is a rare surviving example of their vernacular residen al architecture and communal living prac ces. Originally designed to house two families, the Zuber and Burgy households, the structure s ll retains essen al architectural elements associated with the Ebenezer’s shared-living ideology: a central hallway, shared entrance, and absence of private kitchens, reflec ng a communal food prepara on model typical of the society’s lifestyle. In the late 1800s, following the decline of the communal se9lement, the building was purchased and modified by the Mayer family, who made adapta ons aligned with emerging American domes c expecta ons, including the addi on of a rear kitchen/dining wing in the 1870s. In 1956, the structure was relocated from its original site on Main Street to 919 Mill Road in order to preserve it from demoli on amid increasing development pressures. A small museum annex was added at that me to support its evolving public use. The house was formally transferred to public stewardship in 1962, and it has operated ever since as the West Seneca Historical Society Museum. In 2013, the property was listed on both the State and Na onal Registers of Historic Places due to its architectural and cultural significance. The building is a 1½-story, wood-frame structure with a gable roof, constructed in a vernacular style that clearly expresses the architectural principles of the Ebenezer communal movement. Key original features remain intact, including: A four-paneled front door (slightly modified with modern materials for safety and weatherproofing), Wide plank wood flooring, par cularly visible in the upstairs bedrooms, and the original central hallway and plan that defined its communal purpose. Later changes, including the rear wing (1870s) and display annex (1956), are visually and materially dis nct from the original structure. These addi ons demonstrate a natural evolu on of use and adapta on over me while preserving the building’s architectural integrity.

Criteria for Designa on Compliance: 78C-11 A. Individual Landmark. The Commission may delineate an individual property as an individual landmark if it: 1. Exemplifies or possesses special character, or historic of aesthe$c interest of value as part of the poli$cal, economic, or social history of the Town: a. The structure is one of the few remaining, and most intact, examples of Ebenezer Society residen al architecture in the Town of West Seneca. It embodies the social values and planning of their unique communal society that played a founda onal role in the town’s early development. Its survival provides a tangible link to this first phase of se9lement, offering rare insight into mid-19th century communal life in Western New York. 2. Is iden$fied with persons or events significant in local, state, or na$onal history; a. The property is directly associated with the Community of True Inspira on, one of the most historically significant utopian communal socie es in the United States. This group’s ideals and built environment were precursors to their eventual migra on to Iowa, where they founded the na onally recognized Amana Colonies. The preserva on of this house contributes to the broader understanding of these communi es at both state and na onal levels. 3. Embodies the dis$nguishing characteris$cs of a type, period or method of construc$on or design style, or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or cra+smanship or is representa$ve of the work of a designer, architect or builder a. The design, both in plan and eleva on of the residence is a prime example of the communal living philosophy of the Ebenezer’s. Con nued, accidentally sensi ve u litarian altera on to the building reflec ve of the changing needs and percep ons of occupants is clearly understood by rear addi ons making understanding the evolu on of the building readily understandable, yet reflec ve of the evolu on of the larger town simultaneously. 4. Represents an established and familiar visual feature of the community by virtue of its unique loca$ons or singular physical characteris$c, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the community; or a. Despite it’s reloca$on, the Lower Ebenezer Society Home has gained local recogni$on in it’s current 919 Mill St. loca$on, nestled within a predominately residen$al neighborhood but s$ll in close proximity to other remaining ( altered ) Ebenezer proper$es complimen$ng and anchoring the historic nature of it’s new, current, historic surrounding. 5. Has yielded or may be likely to yield informa$on important in prehistory or history a. N/A While archaeological poten al is not the focus of this nomina on, the building’s documented and layered evolu on through oral history, physical fabric, and associated materials con nues to provide important educa onal value to scholars and the public alike.