I first stumbled on this little building as a curious high schooler back in the 1970's. I was wandering around (amazed) in this neighborhood that was quite a bit scarier than it is today. The row of buildings (connected to this one seen here and now collectively called Granite Works since a major renovation) was then a hang out for a contingent of Buffalo's less than desirable population. I seem to remember that there was a liquor store in one of the buildings which catered to the local alcoholic crowd. The street was a dirty remnant of Buffalo's glory days but the buildings had a very beautiful aged roughness. They were not yet abandoned, but teetered very near that edge. The little building at the north end of this tight cluster of 19th century commercial buildings was a standout and immediately caught my attention. My first reaction was to walk up past a bum or two and run my hand down its smooth granite face.
That smooth granite is what makes this building so attractive and unusual. There is no other building like it in the city. Granite itself is an unusual material to find covering a building. It is a hard stone that requires a lot of labor to mine and to work into the forms of a building skin and was therefore very expensive. Terra cotta, wood, Iron, and tin are materials that were commonly used as substitutes. The company that made its home in this building eons ago used this facade to advertise their product which just happened to be granite work. Carved into two stone slabs above the door one can read:
Left side: MANUFACTURERS & QUARRY OWNERS DEALERS IN EVERY VARIETY OF - GRANITE WORK - MONUMENTAL AND BUILDING.
Right side: STATUARY AND WORK OF ART. WORKS AND QUARRY AT - QUINCY MASS.- ESTABLISHED 1857
The small but highly detailed stone front is unusual in its form as well. The ornament and technique are more reminiscent of cemetery architecture than of typical street side buildings. It is likely that this company did most of its business making monuments for grave sites. The toughness and permanence of granite makes it perfect for a memorial to the dead meant to last forever. A walk through Forest Lawn reveals a vast majority of the monuments to be made of granite. Completing the composition the north side of the building is distinctive as well with is low mansard roof and polished granite lintels over tall windows set in a more common brick wall.
A thought about the building today: It came very close to being demolished and was rescued at the very last moment in typical Buffalo fashion. Today it stands as good as new. Part of it actually is new as it has been incorporated into a multi story addition at the rear. Little needed to be done to the hard granite front facade in the renovation process. Overall this building and the whole row of Granite Works is a testament to the power of preservation. Lets be thankful that the obstructionists did not get there wish for more shovel ready property here. I have one nit to pick however. What is it with these little shrubs that I see more and more often planted in front of storefront windows in Buffalo? Is there some strange idea that commercial display windows need to be separated from the public by a miniscule shrub garden? Perhaps we don't like to see the building connect with the ground? I may be missing something but I hope this is a passing fad.