Cemetery teams with Buffalo’s Arc Building Partners for construction  of new $3M community mausoleum

(Buffalo, New York) – Leaders of Forest Lawn Cemetery, joined by representatives of Arc Building Partners, the Erie Niagara Funeral Directors Association (ENFDA), members of the Cemetery’s Board of Trustees and elected officials broke ground today on the construction of Forest Lawn’s seventh community mausoleum, “Legacy.”

A form of interment originating centuries ago, a mausoleum is an above-ground, free-standing building that holds the casketed or cremated remains of the deceased in either crypts (caskets) or niches (cremated remains). A “private” mausoleum is built for the members of a particular family, while interment in a “community” mausoleum is available to all.

Forest Lawn is home to more than 90 private mausoleums, many built for Buffalo’s most prominent families in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The new Legacy Mausoleum is the first community mausoleum to be added on its grounds since 2004, when the renowned Blue Sky Mausoleum, the only funerary design by legendary architect Frank Llyod Wright, was dedicated.

“As we celebrate Forest Lawn’s past during this 175th anniversary year, today we make an important investment in our future by breaking ground on the construction of Legacy Mausoleum,” said Julie R. Snyder, CEO of the Forest Lawn Cemetery Group. “Many of the families we serve are looking for above-ground space for either cremation or casketed interment. Demand has exceeded our current supply. We are very pleased to provide more Western New York families with this additional option within our 269 acres.”

Constructed of granite, Legacy Mausoleum will be an open air, “garden style” mausoleum, accented by natural landscapes with manicured trees and flowers. It will include 384 crypts for casketed burial (288 for single caskets and 92 “tandem” crypts which can accommodate two caskets), as well as 400 niches for cremation urns. The $3M project was approved by the Cemetery Group’s Board of Trustees as well as the New York State Cemetery Board, the entity charged with regulatory oversight of not-for-profit cemeteries, including Forest Lawn.

Construction and project management was awarded to Arc Building Partners. The Buffalo firm has a strong family connection to Forest Lawn and an impressive portfolio of projects such as the Darwin Martin House, the Hotel Henry, Highmark Stadium renovations and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, for which Arc was the owner’s representative. JST Architects of Texas, a firm with a longstanding reputation for cemetery design, has completed the renderings and specifications for the structure. (See attached renderings.)
“The Legacy Mausoleum represents more than just a construction project – it’s a continuation of a family tradition that began decades ago,” said Frank L. Ciminelli, II, President and CEO of Arc Building Partners. “Some of the earliest commercial projects we took on as we grew beyond concrete flatwork and plant work were mausoleums. My first field experience as a freshman in college was working on a mausoleum, learning the craftsmanship and discipline that defined our approach to construction. We had no advanced technology – just meticulous planning and flawless execution, following the mantra ‘plan the work, work the plan.’ This project brings me full circle, connecting our family’s past to the present, and reinforcing the legacy of quality and ingenuity that has defined our work in this community.”

Anthony Basile, President of the Erie Niagara Funeral Directors Association and owner of the John J. Kaczor Funeral Homes noted, “As funeral directors, we respectfully serve families that place their trust in us for our expertise and guidance through the most difficult times in their lives. Above-ground options are a very popular choice in today’s world and we look forward to this significant investment Forest Lawn is making with their Legacy Mausoleum to expand these options and offerings to the families of WNY. We are grateful for the commitments Forest Lawn continues to make to better serve families now and into the future.”

It is anticipated that construction of Legacy Mausoleum will be completed by December, 2025. As construction begins, pre-sale of casketed or cremation interment space within the new mausoleum is available for reservation.

“We encourage ‘planning today for tomorrow’ to ensure final wishes are known and honored by all family members,” Snyder said. “For those who would prefer above-ground interment in Legacy Mausoleum, pre-planning will be important, because we anticipate that demand for space there will be high.”

To learn more about the options for casketed or cremation interment space in Legacy Mausoleum, or all options across the Forest Lawn Cemetery Group, the region’s longest standing and largest group, call (716) 885-1600 or go to forest-lawn.com.

About Forest Lawn
Currently celebrating its 175th anniversary, Forest Lawn is one of the first deliberately designed and professionally landscaped rural cemeteries in the United States. Its first interment took place in 1850. Today, more than 170,000 “permanent residents” rest within the gates of this 269-acre, not-for-profit cemetery serving all faiths. Listed on the State and National Registries of Historic Places, and designated as a Level I Arboretum, Forest Lawn is also at the heart of Western New York’s cultural tourism renaissance. A destination enjoyed by thousands of local, national and international visitors each year, drawn by their interest in art, history, nature, recreation and genealogy research, Forest Lawn offers a robust schedule of guided tours and other programs throughout the year. For more information, visit https://forest-lawn.com or find us on Facebook or Instagram.

About Arc Building Partners
Founded in 2017, Arc Building Partners serves a variety of roles for private and commercial clients, including construction manager, developer, design-builder, and Owner’s representative. Arc has offices in Buffalo, NY and Morristown, NJ and active projects that span six states across the Eastern US. An arc, such as the one in their logo, is much like a shield. It represents the proactive role they play in defending the environment and social fabric of their communities. By pairing innovation and a whole lot of hard work with meaningful partnerships, Arc Building Partners helps their clients transform empty lots, vacant spaces, and hazardous brownfields into buildings designed to better serve their neighborhoods and residents.