I have not done a Buffalo street tour story in a while, so I thought I would jump back in with one of the city's very best and most diverse streets. It is a relatively short street, running from a distinctive and quirky, blue-green 1960's apartment tower on Delaware Avenue at the east end, to the popular Spot Coffee sidewalk cafe at Elmwood on the west end. The approximately ΒΌ-mile long street holds two highly respected schools, an exclusive social club, a converted historic fire station and many great houses in several architectural styles, all shaded by a forest of trees. It is a street that represents everything great about the Elmwood Village. It is no surprise that this is one of the most highly sought after streets in the city.
I find myself very attracted to this compact part of the city. At least five of my past BRO stories have focused on Cleveland Avenue sites and those of the streets that branch off of it. (See the end of the story for some links) Part of what makes the street so interesting is the way it was built in waves. Early in its history, Cleveland served the back gates of West Ferry estates, most notably that of the massive Kellogg mansion and grounds. The tall red brick wall of this most grand of Buffalo residences still stands along much of the street's west section. It now serves as an enclosure for the charming and secluded Saint Catherine's Court. This street (as well as nearby Tudor Place, I believe) was carved out of the Kellogg estate. Many of the houses located just outside this back wall are typical wood frame Elmwood area houses. They have some elegant stock-Victorian detailing, but they are relatively modest. They were likely built for upwardly mobile, but not-quite-there-yet, families. This (Elmwood) end of the street hit the skids in the second half of the 1900s. Although never a slum, the west part of Cleveland suffered from some absentee ownership and spotty maintenance on several houses. Today this trend has been reversed quite substantially, making it hard to imagine a street that was once in crisis.
Nardin Academy and the Garret Club sit side by side at the street's midpoint, defining a subtle shift in character. At this point the street makes a slight bend and the architectural character changes. The houses on the north side, though still made of wood, present a more formal aristocratic face. On the south side the houses are all composed of stone and stucco with an English "cottage" feeling. I believe these houses were built for wealthy families some time in Buffalo's 1920s boom. As with Saint Catherine's Court, they were also likely carved form a larger West Ferry estate. This end of the street never suffered any decline and has always been one of Buffalo's most exclusive addresses. To the chagrin of many nearby residents, Canisius High School's new expansion on Cleveland is not quite as sympathetic to the elegant street as they had hoped. We will have to wait for completion to make a full and fair assessment of that project.
Oddly, as much as I am attracted to this street I have unfortunately neglected to fully document its treasures. You will need to be satisfied with these few images for now. As soon as I get more pictures I will do an update story. Or, you can get a coffee at Spot and take a leisurely stroll through this shady enclave-like street. Pictures cannot do it justice.
A few links:
I have always loved that street. I saw recently that there's a house next to Spot for sale. What a great location to live.