A family space.
Though Annette Daniels Taylor moved out of the 1907 Ernest Frank home, her heart’s still there.
"I have a lot of memories in this house," she said. "As my husband used to say, we took care of this house."
Her husband, Rodney Taylor, an artist, was the last owner of the home at 184 West Utica Street.
He was also the first Buffalo-born African American man to have a permanent collection and exhibit at The Albright Knox.
"He created a lot of work in this house,” she said. “That was one of the criteria the preservation board found which qualified this house to continue to stand and stay as a historic landmark in Buffalo," she explained.
But now, it's gone.
Recently, two local developers, Sinatra Development and Ellicott Development, wanted to make townhomes, so they applied for a permit to demolish the house as part of the new Elmwood Crossing project near the site of the former Women & Children's Hospital.
Protesters on Saturday rallied around Taylor to try and save the historical structure. The Buffalo Preservation Board even voted to deny the demolition permit.
"The preservation board had voted unanimously that this should be a landmark,” said Tim Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture. “The process was underway to go to the Common Council.”
In response, the developers planned to file a lawsuit.
Less than 24 hours after the preservation board meeting, the house was demolished. Tielman, who supported to keep the house up, said he’s angry and disappointed.
"It didn't have to come down. The mayor had the power to stop it. He chose not to," Tielman said.
Tielman, Taylor and many supporters are not only angry at the developers, but also Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
"I am sad to see this go and I am very disappointed in Mayor Brown," Taylor said.
Sinatra Development said it will be making no further comments about the situation.
A request for comment was not immediately returned by Brown’s office or Carl Paladino’s Ellicott Development.