Now if we could do this 12,000 times over.

Buffalo Rising today This house at 15 S. Putnam has stood victim to the elements – it’s been vandalized, looted, and its leaking roof has made it uninhabitable. In June 2006, the structure was condemned by the city due to structural problems, destined for demo.

But now – thanks to cooperation between the University of Buffalo School of Architecture, Harvey Garrett, and home owner Dennetta Stickel – new, and decidedly unique, life will be breathed into the otherwise abandoned house. Under the direction of Professors Frank Fantauzzi and Brad Wales, the project architect, 14 graduate students will be working creatively to revitalize the structure. It is a unique opportunity for the students to use their classroom architecture training in a real-life application.

Professor Fantauzzi has worked on such projects in the past, including a house in Springville, but never with the goal of completely saving a crumbling structure. “This is a unique project because the building will be refurbished and saved,” Fantauzzi said. “Regardless of what we do, there’s the thinking that this building will be rehabilitated, and that means we can be daring with our project. We hope it will capture peoples’ imagination, and everyone in the city will do a double-take. It’s rare in architecture that you’re given that latitude.”

Each of the students will design models and jointly brainstorm ideas for structural changes to the house. Buffalo Rising will be following the progress of this project closely, as it will provide a unique look into both the practical aspects of architecture and the rehabilitation of a West side home and, hopefully, the stabilization of the community.

“It will clean up and hopefully save a project that was going to come down,” said Garrett, who helped find the house and move the project forward. “We’re hoping it’s a good opportunity to help residents in Buffalo better understand the value of their properties. And, not unimportant, it further attaches these students to the neighborhoods and to Buffalo. Anything we can do to help attach college students to the city is good.”