The Preservation League of NYS is thrilled to announce its biennial listing of the most at-risk historic sites around the state. The 2025-2026 Seven to Save list includes buildings and landscapes, represents communities both urban and rural, and showcases many eras of our state’s history. The listings themselves are both singular and representative — illustrating pervasive issues impacting not just these sites, but sites like them across the state and beyond. For instance, the Wells College campus in Aurora features an extraordinary collection of buildings situated in an important historic landscape, but it can also be seen as an example of the challenges faced by other small liberal arts colleges that are similarly at risk of closure. Likewise, the stately Church of the Mediator in the Bronx is an exceptional example of Gothic architecture, but it is also a prime illustration of the challenges that countless houses of worship face when dwindling congregations cannot afford to maintain their large buildings. Inclusion on the Seven to Save list allows us to shine a light on these individual places and work toward solutions to these larger challenges at the same time.

Also in New York City, the New York Amsterdam News Headquarters Building in Harlem is an important part of the City’s Black history, and its stewards have exciting plans for restoring and reinventing the site not just as a newspaper, but as a true community hub. In Albany, the Guild House has a similar goal — to restore the building in order to provide essential community services, honoring the building’s original purpose. Nearby, the Lower River Street Buildings in Troy are at risk of demolition by neglect, but are prime for reinvestment in the heart of Troy’s historic downtown. To the north, Hepbron Hall on the campus of the Silver Bay YMCA faces significant structural issues — but there is a very strong desire among the people of Silver Bay to bring this shining example of rustic Adirondack architecture back to life. And finally, the former Humboldt Parkway/current Kensington Expressway in Buffalo represents the legacy of redlining and urban renewal in the city, with local advocates taking the lead to ensure an equitable redevelopment plan for a traffic corridor that they believe can — and should — be a community asset once more.

2025-2026 Seven to Save List

Guild House, Albany, Albany County

Threat: Demolition, Deterioration, Lack of Public Awareness, Loss of Visual/Architectural Integrity, Vacancy | Click here for the press release

*Aerial image showing how the Guild House is situated behind Albany’s Cathedral of All Saints and next to the State Education Building.*

Situated behind the Neo-Gothic Cathedral of All Saints, the similarly styled Guild House was built in 1902 as an Immigrant Settlement House and school. Although the Cathedral has been well maintained, the Guild House has fallen into disrepair over the years and now is in dire need of rehabilitation to bring it back to its former glory – and return it to providing space for much-needed social services. Inclusion on the League’s Seven to Save list will enhance community outreach and increase public visibility of the Guild House. Supporting this collaborative effort will visibly demonstrate to legislators and policymakers – who work just a block away at the NYS Capitol – the value of continued investment in historic preservation.

Church of the Mediator, Bronx, Bronx County

Threat: Demolition | Click here for the press release

*Looking west across Kingsbridge Avenue at Church of the Mediator (Bronx, New York) on a sunny midday, 2009. Credit: Jim.henderson, Public domain, via* *Wikimedia Commons*

The Church of the Mediator is at imminent risk of demolition. High costs of maintenance have made it difficult for the congregation to sustain their grand building. The deterioration of houses of worship is a nationwide problem. But even within New York City, there are creative examples that could guide potential redevelopment. Current plans would demolish the church and build new housing on its lot, with a smaller church included in that development. It is the hope of local advocates that an alternative can be found to both preserve the church building and support the creation of housing at the same time.

Wells College Campus, Aurora, Cayuga County

Threat: Vacancy | Click here for the press release

*Wells College MacMillan Building. Photo credit: Ken Larson*

Currently, Wells College faces threats resulting from its sudden closure in the spring of 2024. The closure threatens the preservation of the campus’s historic structures and the cultural continuity they represent. Beyond the architectural loss, the college's closing seriously affects the local economy and community identity, which are closely intertwined with the institution. Recognizing this moment on a statewide level underscores the importance of safeguarding New York's educational and architectural heritage, while raising awareness about the broader challenges small liberal arts colleges face. Proper preservation planning and strategizing adaptive reuse of the campus could inspire solutions for other struggling institutions, providing both economic and cultural benefits. Through the work of a partnership group including Preservation Association of Central New York, Historic Ithaca, the Landmark Society of Western New York (Wells was also added to Landmark’s 2025 Five to Revive List), and the Preservation League, outreach has already begun to the community, college administration, and the state government to ensure protection and continued use of this incredible property.

Humboldt Parkway/Kensington Expressway, Buffalo, Erie County

Threat: Deterioration, Development Pressure, Lack of Public Awareness, Loss of Visual/Architectural Integrity | Click here for the press release

*Two hands holding a bright pink paper heart with the words “Restore Me!” overlooking the Kensington Expressway in Buffalo*

Constructed at the height of Urban Renewal, Buffalo’s Kensington Expressway tore through neighborhoods and destroyed the Olmsted-designed Humboldt Parkway. Now, with the New York State Department of Transportation planning to redevelop the expressway, local advocates, including the East Side Parkways Coalition, are leading efforts to ensure community voices are heard and that any redevelopment prioritizes the restoration of the parkway as a vital public space — not just a traffic corridor. Their work represents a model for how grassroots advocacy can guide large-scale infrastructure projects toward equitable, restorative, and community-centered outcomes. ESPC envisions a future where Olmsted’s original design flourishes anew, reconnecting neighborhoods, honoring Buffalo’s history, and empowering residents to shape the place they call home. By recognizing the lasting harm caused by the Kensington Expressway and stressing the importance of community voices in the redevelopment process, they highlight this project as an opportunity to both honor the Olmsted-designed Parkway and uplift the surrounding neighborhoods.

**The New York Amsterdam News HQ Building, Harlem, New York County**

Threat: Deterioration, Lack of Public Awareness, Vacancy | Click here for the press release

*A photo looking up at the front facade of the* NYAN building at a sharp angle.

The Amsterdam News and its headquarters have never just been a newspaper and a building. Rather, they have both always been vital institutions committed to empowering the Black and Brown community through fearless journalism and innovative storytelling. Now the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation is focused on converting this iconic institution, arguably the most treasured building in Harlem, into a public gathering place and museum. Historic places important to Black heritage and culture are chronically under-represented. The League will work with the Foundation to increase public awareness of this historic landmark, drawing attention to its importance and potential to celebrate a unique piece of NYC history.

Lower River Street Buildings, Troy, Rensselaer County

Threat: Demolition, Lack of Public Awareness, Vacancy | Click here for the press release

*213-223 River Street in Troy are vacant, but make up part of an intact historic streetscape in Troy’s bustling downtown — buildings on both sides are in active use.*

This Seven to Save listing will bring statewide attention to the Lower River Street buildings at 213-223 River Street in Troy, which are important within the larger context of the history of the Capital Region, spotlighting New York State's early commercial and industrial heritage. The facades of the three buildings fronting River Street reflect Troy's commercial growth in the 19th and early 20th centuries, while the rear buildings fronting on the Hudson River are rare survivors from among the early 19th century stores and warehouses that once lined the Hudson River and propelled the city's early growth. These buildings have been vacant and left to deteriorate while the owner threatens demolition for a shovel-ready development site. This listing is emblematic of the need for economic revitalization of post-industrial downtowns statewide.

Hepbron Hall, Silver Bay, Warren County

Threat: Demolition, Deterioration, Lack of Public Awareness, Vacancy | Click here for the press release

The Silver Bay YMCA campus is an important grouping of Adirondack vernacular resort structures situated in a spectacular natural setting. Hepbron Hall, formerly known as Forest Lodge, represents an architectural style that captures early Adirondack rustic construction. It is one of 32 significant buildings on the campus. Currently, the structure’s foundation supports are deteriorating, and the building has become unstable. The building is now condemned due to its structural failing and stands at a crossroad facing demolition unless it can be stabilized and repurposed. Silver Bay's hope is to convert the building into affordable lodging for families once it is fully stabilized.

Since 1999, the Preservation League has highlighted New York’s most endangered historic sites through its Seven to Save program. The League works closely with local advocates over the course of the two-year listing and beyond, raising visibility, assisting with advocacy, and providing extensive technical services.

The League collaborates with property owners, elected officials, and other stakeholders to craft preservation strategies and put these plans into action. Through partnerships with groups and individuals, threats to dozens of at-risk buildings, landscapes, downtowns, and neighborhoods have been reduced, and in many cases, eliminated by the Preservation League’s Seven to Save listing and subsequent actions.

Interviews with representatives from the Preservation League and all the Seven to Save sites are available by request.

About the Preservation League of New York State

Since its founding in 1974, the Preservation League of NYS has built a reputation for action and effectiveness. Our goal has been to preserve our historic buildings, districts, and landscapes and to build a better New York, one community at a time. The League empowers all New Yorkers to use historic preservation to enrich their communities, protect their heritage, and build a sustainable future. We lead advocacy, economic development, and education programs across the state.

Connect with us at preservenys.org, facebook.com/preservenys, youtube.com/c/PreservationLeague and instagram.com/preservenys

Seven to Save: 2025-2026 Edition