Courthouse Getting Glassy Skin

All the glass going up around the city making things look great, like pictures of a big city.

Perhaps the least thoughtful comment ever posted on BRO. "Like pictures of a big city." Buffalo as Beijing. Great. Just great.

I for one, am really glad to see the building finally start to look like the finished product.

The only thing I don't like about this project is the steel going onto Mohawk Street making it a one-lane street. I just hope they don't end up blocking this part of Mohawk Street too after it's completed. That was NOT mentioned at all in the announcements, it's just being done before our eyes. Other than that, the rest of the building is looking cool.

As one Niagara Square building fades, another one rises. R.I.P. Statler. But I'm not sure yet that this was an even trade. I sincerely hope that the city can grow in population and make the Statler more vital and relevant, so we can keep both. Until then, this is just bitter sweet news to me. If I had to choose keeping the Statler or see this building go up, I'd still choose the Statler.

The Statler will be saved.

Why is the glass installation taking so long? They started almost 2 months ago and they only have a few rows done. And they have yet to start on the round part of the building.

The reason for the stated delay of the installation of the glass was for security concerns.

sorry for interrupting the big gushing love fest but this building just doesn't deserve it. when people talk about their favorite buildings in buffalo, its funny how none of the many glass boxes (or in this case cylinders) that we already have ever make the cut.

the only glass boxes that offer any real appeal are greenhouses and conservatories (south park, the late lamented winter garden in niagara falls).

it's an ok building. it just isn't worthy of its site.

if only the statler failed 7 or 8 years ago. it would have made a dignified courthouse and we wouldn't have had to sacrifice the erlanger theater and the balcom chandler house.

I hate to get all snobby with my Architectural-ness...but here goes. Cities are comprised of all different types of buildings, with all kinds of different purposes designed by all different types of architects. This building simple put, is the most significant building constructed downtown since the Sasaki M&T building...period. It has presence, and reinforces niagara sguare as a place and it is also designed by one of the preminent Urban architecture firms of the late twentieth century; Kohn PEDERSON Fox (sorry had to correct that, or KPF for short.) I for one welcome this addition to our skyline, and would like to see more.

Well said. I was skeptical at first but the more I see, the more I like of this building.

It is a good addition to our downtown and skyline, adds some bright flare... but if everything were like this (as in Toronto) it would get very old, very quick. The Avant and this are great, compliment Delaware and will add to downtown. I think this building is a good fit for the square. Now we need to make sure to keep the rest of our historical downtown in tact.

I like this building, it’s much better than the derelict corner there previously. Plus, think of the vibrancy of people that will be down there daily once it opens. That’s a lot of new people shuffling around downtown that will make developers see the viability in adding more residences and amenities downtown.

The Statler would never have worked as a federal courthouse simply because of the security requirements that it could not possibly meet like being too close to the street and having to alter the façade the accommodate other structural requirements such as windows and glass.

In my opinion, the best cities have a variety of architecture and landscapes that make them unique, this adds to that nicely.

The Empire State Building took 13 1/2 months to complete. This travesty has been going on for years. Several months ago someone wrote on this blog that the delay in construction was the result of the federal government stopping construction continuously to inspect the construction so far completed. How much longer do taxpayers have to suffer from federal government paranoia ?? If this were being built in the private sector, the building would have been completed two years ago. No excuses can be offered to justify this boondogle.

I know some of you will be mad about this idea and jump all over me AGAIN, but I feel if the Stadler was covered in glass, updated it would be a full building. Imagine the court house and Statler mirroring images off each0ther. It WOULD be beautiful!!!

Nice variety of architectural styles around Niagara Square; Art Deco (City Hall, the courthouses), Renaissance Revival (Statler, BAC), Brutalism (City Court), and now something more contemporary to complete enclosing the circle.

Once again a reasonable story about a building getting some glass which then gets inundated, quickly, with posts by the lazy malcontents who sit in front of their notebooks in a cafe somewhere on Elmwood and make themselves mad, first at the post then at each other. Kind of pathetic actually and not very intelligent. My hope for you is a new 57 story tower downtown to keep you off the streets for the next 4 years.