Lancaster Municipal Building
Also known as: Lancaster Village Hall
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Why it's listed
Built in 1940 at 5423 Broadway, this two-story municipal building houses the government offices of the Village of Lancaster, west of Buffalo's eastern suburbs in Erie County, New York. Faced in buff brick with smooth limestone trim and a flat roof, it shows the Moderne style's strong horizontal emphasis, a symmetrical bay arrangement, and stringcourses in place of ornament. A projecting center bay holds the main entrances, and the police and fire departments occupy the wings. The site previously held the 1896 fire hall, which was removed in 1936 for a highway improvement project. A village referendum approved the new building by a vote of 400 to 397, and it was completed for $127,500, including land. The Buffalo firm Hudson and Hudson designed it, and it is the only identified example of their work in the village. It has served continuously as the seat of village government, and a 1988 renovation left its overall character intact.
Significance in brief: The building reflects the pattern of local government in the village from 1940 onward (Criterion A). It is also a locally distinctive example of Moderne design and the village's only identified work of the Buffalo architectural firm Hudson and Hudson (Criterion C).
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99001420, listed November 30, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5423 Broadway, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 30, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001420 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Hudson & Hudson, architects; Wing, Charles H., builder |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/Moderne |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to serve as the village hall, housing government offices and the police and fire departments; renovated in 1988 and retains a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.90017, -78.67038 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99001420.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6483229
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.