Last week I featured the Allendale Theater at 201 Allen Street in my "They Did Build That" series in which I noted that at one point the theater marquee had fallen to the street after decades of neglect and, if memory serves, a heavy wet snowfall. SInce that story ran a Facebook a friend posted a huge treasure trove of historic Buffalo images from the 70s and 80s. The images give an intriguing peek into the recent past and will form the basis of several "Then and Now" stories on BRO in the coming weeks.
One of the images in particular shows the Allendale with its marquee collapsed on the sidewalk. The building was a real wreck at this point. Many wanted it torn down but notice the real estate sign on top of the crumpled marquee which sports a "sold" tag. This accident seems to have occurred after the building was purchased by the Allentown Association. I am sure that the sight of this destruction must have given the new owners a bit of pause as they contemplated their new challenge. It would have been easy to give up on the building at this low point. Sometimes it takes great vision and courage to push forward on historic preservation projects. Those who clearly see the tremendous payoff and are willing to make the sacrifice to bring these irreplaceable buildings back from the brink deserve thanks from all of us.
*Side note: There is an effort underway to raise money in order to replace the historic marquee. Also notice that there are no longer tree plot/s in the front of the building? The one visible in the photo is filled in.
^ After
^ Before
Isn't it ironic that the Allendale hosts the opening of a PRESERVATION CONFERENCE next Monday night? You can still register for it at PresPlusBuffalo.com. The evening's keynote speaker is Eric Freed, author of "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies."
Are you confusing "irony" with "coincidence" in this case? I think you are, Angel Pants.
It is neither irony nor coincidence. It is a logical sequence of events. You preserve the building and then you have a conference about preservation there. I suppose they could have held it at Mighty Taco, but it seems more intelligent to use a building that makes the sponsor's point, and in a grand fashion. Snipe me baby!