If you're one who thinks that the grain elevators are just ugly, useless architectural shells that should be torn down, then listen to what NY film producer/videographer Jenna Ricker, who is filming "The American Side" here in Buffalo (see Facebook), has to say about the iconic structures.
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Jenna recently chose to shoot a music video at Silo City with musician Maddie Larkin (see below), in order to capture a look that she says can be very hard to find in modern day America. "Damn that is such a cinematic beauty of a location!" Jenna wrote to me. "Can't wait to shoot there with The American Side. Maddie Larkin is a local musician and when I saw her play for the first time, I was really taken by her talent. She and I agreed to collaborate on a video around the same time I had been exploring the elevators for a major scene in The American Side. When Maddie chose "You Won't Love Me", I was inspired by the lyrics to tell this story of longing for lost love and felt that the grain elevators captured the haunting emptiness of another time. Maddie was immediately onboard and fell in love with the elevators, as well. I wanted to utilize the provocative architecture of the hollowed buildings to project the memories of her relationship as she moves through them and eventually to a place of letting go of the past. From a visual standpoint, the elevators are just an incredible canvas to create with!"
We're starting to see these grain elevators popping up on our radar more and more each year, with uses ranging from music recordings and outdoor cinema, to beekeeping and public art. I suppose that it is apropos that the name of Maddie's music video is "You Won't Love Me".
As far as the Silos and the waterfront are concerned, I think that the ADM building is the signature building on the waterfront ripe for redevelopment.
The historic Great Northern with its metal exterior and internal metal silos needs to be repurposed. Perhaps put in interior columns to support the roof and side walls allowing all but the tops of the interior silos to be cut out.
I dont know but the Fairmont Cremery and the ADM Buildings are huge waterfront prizes waiting for redevelopment.