SALAMANCA, N.Y. — Oscar Massagli owns Oak's Barber Shop and has been cutting hair for 13 years, the last several months from River Place Salamanca, in the city's historic Charles Nies Building, built in 1891, named after the prominent pharmacist and business leader.

What You Need To Know

  • The state recently released the latest round of buildings and projects part of the historic preservation register

  • The Nies building in Salamanca is on the list

  • There are more than a dozen other historic sites on the register

Massagli moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S. at age 10 and is also opening Abuela's Cafe, with his abuela, or grandmother in Spanish, in front of his shop.

"Dream come true," said Massagli. "That was just my number one goal, that's what we were shooting for. We're trying to get more people to come down to the Main Street downtown. I'm very glad that we were able to do it."

Building owner and developer Gary Marchiori, of Buffalo, purchased it five years ago and has since made a long list of repairs. He and his team have transformed the 25,000-square-foot facility into a multi-use building, with 18 market-level apartments rented to working professionals, and five commercial retail spaces.

"Serving needs downtown and for the residents of the building and bringing population back downtown which was traditionally a good place to live or shop," said Marchiori.

His work, thanks in part to state and federal tax credits, has earned the building a spot on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, one of 17 recently added.

Its history dates back to the Seneca Nation of Indians negotiating treaties, long-term agreements and land leases with local governments.

"We have growth but it's to the west side of the city, around the existing casinos that are here, so it's good commerce on that end of town. But the historic downtown was largely ignored," said Marchiori.

Another of his storefronts features and promotes Native American culture. 

Marchiori is working with the city leaders who hope the effort will spur further development.

"That is a plus for us because then it brings more people downtown which brings, you know, helps us economically as a city," said Salamanca Mayor Sandy Magiera.

"At first, we were a little bit overwhelmed, but now it's just, we're glad we're here," said Massagli.

Other recently named historic sites can be found in Albany, Rensselaer, Onondaga, Herkimer and Erie counties.