Historic St. Stephens R.C. Church Complex

Historic St. Stephens R.C. Church Complex. . St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church Complex served as an anchor in "The Valley" for over 125 years before closing in 2016. The parish was founded in 1875, following Bishop Ryan's appointment of Reverend Eugene McDermott to lead the congregation. McDermott was known for helping the less fortunate of the neighborhood, including buying rail car loads of coal and distributing it to the poor for heat during lean times. The current stone church was built in 1889, replacing a small temporary church. ST. Stephen's School opned in 1896 and was operated by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, one of the largest teaching orders in the early-to-mid 20th century, at the height of Buffalo's Catholic school system. The school served several generations of students until finally closing in 1970. The Sisters of Mercy Convent was constructed on site in 1893 but was demolished in 1980. , A representative example of the Late Victorian Gothic Revival style, the Complex is architecturally significant and retains a high level of historic integrity. The school itself is a rare remaining example of a late nineteenth century parocial school building in the City of Buffalo. In 2018 the Complex was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and in the same year the school was converted to residences and commercial space, under the moniker "McDermott Lofts". The Complex will continue to serve as a neighborhood hub, embodying the story of a working-class, local parish, a center of life and services within the community.