Hotel Views and 'News'
For the last two weeks Bill Zimmermann has been saying that I needed to get a photo of the now un-obscured Statler view. "It's really amazing to see it this way," he said. "It looks so different..." Last evening we were driving by and I saw what he meant. To see this different hotel perspective made me think of an old Buffalo postcard. I was tempted to take the shot in black and white, but the color of the building contrasting with the brilliant blue sky was perfect. From this angle the three 'towers' are very apparent. When Bashar Issa first spoke about adding a fourth tower to the building (an additional tower had been proposed at conception), it is easy to see how clearly the hotel is divided when standing at a distance.
In other hotel 'news', we also noticed that a big yellow Hunt sign has appeared in street-level window of the Hotel Lafayette. The sign broadcasts ‘Retail Space for Lease’ in the 'New Lafayette Hotel'. We stared at the sign, and then looked around to see if we could see anything 'new' about the building. Everything looked the same to us. Maybe the solicitation for a commercial tenant is 'new'. Anyhow, the sign states that the commercial space is between 600 and 3000sq.' and the listing agent is Clarke Thrasher (Hunt: 854-5943). It would be nice to see a retailer move into the building... though I can hardly imagine what sort of shape the space is in. Maybe a start-up might want to take a gander - I can only imagine that the price is cheap.
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STEEL
Take a walk through the lobby of this building. It will amaze you. The front section was remodeled to an art deco design in the 30's. If you walk down the long east corridor you see what the old hotel was like in its glory days. It is like a time warp. Old restaurants and meeting rooms are untouched and beautiful
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RPreskop
The Statler is an absolutely beautiful landmark high-rise. I am very happy that a prominent young developer bought this fine, historic building and is returning it to its former granduer. The Statler should have never been allowed to deteriorate in the first place and it should have been kept a first class luxury hotel not arbitrarily cut up into class B office space. It would have made a good anchor hotel for the convention center. The Lafayette Hotel is another beautiful, historic downtown landmark whose deterioration and disinvestment should have never occured. This is another fine downtown building that needs repair and restoration as soon as possible. Here is hoping that the current owners are willing to invest time and money into the historic Lafayette Hotel and return it to its former glory.
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comptart_lws
I'm glad "Zimm" got you to capture that view of the Statler while the opportunity existed. The awnings are down, I think the kiosk is down(?) is that why you got a clear shot? That construction site in the foreground — what came down? is it where the courthouse or a new Fed Bldg is going to go? (silly me that I can't keep track of all this and, thank goodness BRO keeps me up to date!)
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Keith
How about some pictures from inside? I would love to see those old room.
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bghahn
comptart_lws - the construction site is for the new federal courthouse. it formerly was the location of the old erlanger theater (converted to an office building), some old houses, and some parking.
bashar issa's work on the statler should serve as an example for resurrecting the Lafayette Hotel. the Lafayette was once one of the top 15 hotels in the country, and I can only hope that it will regain that position someday.
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RonR
Does anyone know how bad the Lafayette is at this point in regards to damage due to neglect?
It was announced that Starwood Hotels are building an "aloft" hotel near the airport. If that goes well, I wonder if they could convert the Lafayette into a "W" hotel. I have stayed in a couple of "W" hotels and they are all very modern but lack some of the details that I am sure a Lafayette would bring.
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georgethomasapfel
Looking down from City Hall Observation Deck July 7:
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rickyrick
A NICE clothing store would be nice. Something for both men and women can buy for WORK and PLAY with ALL SIZES. The current retail (lack of) only offers to the hip hop or old men.
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brokeleg
RPreskop- The reason we have the giant lego-brick of a conventiion center where it is is because the Statler was the only mojor hotel in downtown. A few years after it opened the owner of the Statler sold the hotel to a Kuwaiti interest, if I'm not mistaken.
The Lafayette Hotel has to be turned back into the world-class hotel it once was. If we demolish the Central Library and build the old one Lafayette square would rival with European city squares.
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bghahn
demolishing the central library is not going to happen, especially given all the recent and upcoming renovations. however, if those renovations were to be extended to the exterior of the building, then there would be a huge improvement in the look of lafayette square.
going further, refurbishing the lafayette hotel (or at least painting over that hideous blue) and a new building on the northeast corner of broadway and washington would be fantastic.
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Bizzles
With the return to simple geometric shape architecture in recent years the Central Library is actually very modern in its design. All it needs is a new facade that prominently features glass and you would probably think it was built within the last half decade. Of course they can't even secure the funds to continue with the nice (and sorely needed) interior remodeling. Damn Buffalo, so much wasted potential...
Oh and would those fucktards who own the Lafayette sell the damn thing already instead of letting it rot as a tax write-off? Do you have any idea what a gigantic boost it would be for downtown to get that building in its key location properly converted to lofts/condos? Just as important would be getting rid of all the sex fiends and transients who nest there and wander aimlessly through downtown asking for change and scaring away thin-skinned suburban types. Many of downtown's image problems can be taken care of with this one building!
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Edisonic
Umm, virtually the entire facade of the library IS glass! The dark sections are on the storage floors, where glass is not desirable, because sunlight destroys books.
Enough of the Lafayette bashing; if not for the current owner, it would have been abandoned long ago. Enough of the "transient" bashing, for that matter; do YOU have a place for them to go? I thought not.
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Bizzles
the suburbs to even things out a bit
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BAEagen
We stopped just the other day to admire the unobstructed view of the Statler. I've always enjoyed the building, but being able to see the entire front (at least for awhile) is great! The Statler is a fantastic building.
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stephenjames716
I stopped by the library yesterday and saw two guys painting the front entrance way to the hotel...minor improvement, but looked much better.
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42nate
Thank you, Edisonic. The Lafayette owner has kept it on the tax rolls, kept it heated and occupied, kept it out of housing court, and out of a landfill. There are plenty of local property owners who have a much poorer track record. Let's reserve the profanity for them.
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chris69
Well as far as the central library is concerned, let me chime in.
2/3rds of the block bounded by Washington, Clinton and Broadway is unbuilt and thats where the former library stood. Infact, I believe the basement still exists and is used for storage.
To recapture the true spendor of Lafayette Square the Central Library does not need to be demolished but simply fronted on the now empty land by a period building.....which could be used for study rooms for ECC downtown students, meetings/conference rooms for the public for book clubs, signings, etc. I wouldnt use the period addition for books...because with its stunning downtown views...it would be a waste not to take advantage of it.
If your waiting for the downtown central library to be demolished....they wont do it. The county nor the library system has the resources. However....2/3rds of the original site is empty a compromise reconstruction of the portion facing the square would be a wonderful compromise. The modern building in the rear (william, clinton, oak) one cares.
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bghahn
trying to recreate the past is folly. there is no way the county is going to pay to rebuild a solid masonry structure that it demolished more than forty years ago. plus, what other city in the country is rebuilding old long-demolished buildings? buffalo needs to stop trying to recreate its past and instead concentrate on its future!
however, a new addition to the front of the library, designed by a signature architect (norman foster, anyone?) would significantly add to the central library as well as lafayette sq.
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bghahn
and hopefully, one day downtown will expand so that people will care about the rear half of the library. perhaps if ECC expands in that area.
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42nate
Gotta wonder if the people who are lusting after a replica library building or a starchitect addition are the same ones screaming about their high tax bills. The County is under a control board, folks, remember?
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davvid
starchitect library would be great. I would vote for Rem Koolhaas/OMA. They are not only great at designing spaces but also redesigning systems of orgnization that can potentially save money in the long-run and improve the quality of services . If Rem Koolhaas ran Erie County we would surely see cultural and economic renaissance.
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RonR
42 - great point on the County and City being broke.
I remember someone telling me there is an effort to build or establish a Presidential Library for Grover Cleveland. Maybe this could be built on the old site. Add a two for one with something to do with William McKinley and maybe there could be some Federal Funding.
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brokeleg
I wasn't serious about demolishing the library, but it would have been sweet. As for ECC expanding I will say as a student of the city campus expansion won't do a whole lot for downtown. It would be a start though. What if UB decided to create a downtown campus as part of the UB2020 plan? They could have some kind of partnership with Ecc sharing certain facilities, etc. Just throwin em out there.
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RisingDamp666
C'mon folks, admit it. The library is, in its tragic design and very prominent location, more than similar to the Kongresshalle in East Berlin, that fated landmark of Soviet style monumentalism. All that is necessary here is a demolition permit and a contract for Herzog+DeMeuron. Buffalo, you have only your chains to lose!
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MJWorthington
The old library should have never been knocked down in the first place. The current structure should have been a modern addition. The big emplty plaza with dead grass does nothing but make space for TATS port-a-potties.
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