A
neighborhood anchor since its construction in 1891, the former St. Mary of Sorrows
Roman Catholic Church is now at the forefront of early childhood education as
the King Center Charter School . Inspired
by Worms Catherdral, St. Marys style is Rhenish Romanesque Revival, to evoke congregations
of German heritage and tradition. Blue limestone and rustification accentuate
the monumentality of the site. The turretts are a visual delight. Originally
known as the Church of the Seven Dolors (Sorrows),the parish was formed in 1872.
On October 20th of that year a two story brick building was opened for church
and school purposes. In 1884 the church was rebuilt and made much larger. A new
school, convent and rectory were also built in that year. The church in a year
or so again had to be enlarged, or another built! The latter course was decided
upon. The groundbreaking for the new church, the present St. Mary's took place
on August 15, 1896. On
September 11, 1891, the new edifice was dedicated. It had cost about $150,000.
In 1895 a new school was built on Guilford St. A German orphan asylum was opened
in 1874, run by the Franciscan Sisters who conducted the school At
the January 9, 1986, meeting of the Buffalo Landmark and Preservation Board, St.
Mary of Sorrows was officially declared a Buffalo Landmark. The New York State
Office of Historic Preservation also sent a letter declaring the building eligible
for the National Register of Historic Places. An
amazing cross-section of citizens (business people, philanthropists, politicians,
preservationists, neighborhood activists, etc.) joined together to save the former
St. Mary of Sorrows church building and find an adaptive reuse that would bring
new hope to the severely depressed neighborhood surrounding the building. The
American Institute of Architects conferred its First Award for Adaptive Reuse
citing the use of a National Register historic structure to house a model learning
program. Today,
the King Urban Life Center stands as a tribute to the vision and tenacity of those
citizens. It is a model for adaptive reuse of an historic building and creative
use of technology; it brings together public and private resources; and it collaborates
with nearly twenty organizations and agencies to address the needs of children
and families. | 
