Buffalo Rising Online

Jul 30th, 10:59am By STEEL

Until recently I had only seen 149-155 Swan Street from a distance of several blocks or when passing quickly by in a car. I had always wondered about this building from afar but the real pay off is in getting up close to appreciate its subtle detail and texture. It is a solid and slightly grim building housing Service Canvas Company Inc. The company has been around since 1947, quite likely at this location that entire time. The building has been around since 1896 and originally housed Sibley & Holmwood Manufacturing Confectioners. As this part of downtown is now mostly composed of parking lots, there is little reason to venture over to its neighborhood. Recently I was in the area and decided to get up close for some pictures because it was an early on a summer morning, meaning I had some rare soft sunlight grazing its powerful north (front) facade.

From a distance the building is a dark red block of masonry, its pointed arches barely revealing themselves. Up close those arches are defined by simple details and fine craft-work. I love the very basic dart shaped stones between the windows. Notice the very thin mortar joints. This is a beautiful masonry detail which was common in buildings of this vintage - virtually impossible to achieve in today's construction. Notice also that the bricks in the arch are wedge shaped to create the arch geometry. To those seeking to create imitation historic buildings, "This is how it is done!"

While digging around for information on 149 Swan I found nothing. But, I did find an immense amount of information on the adjacent 159 Swan (inset black and white image). 159 Swan started out life as an elegant row house which was eliminated in 1998. Before this neighborhood was converted to ‘parking heaven’ it was a densely packed industrial and warehousing district. Before that it was the place where Buffalo's wealthy set up home. Built some time in the 1820's, 159 Swan was converted in 1879 for use as the nation's first day care center. At the time its neighborhood was heading into its second life. The house was donated to Maria Maltby Love by Benjamin Fitch, a wealthy philanthropist for use as a child nursery to aid single working mothers. It became known as the Fitch Creche. At a time when it was common for people to die young and without warning, a widowed woman from even a well off family could be left destitute with few options to provide for her children. The Creche offered much needed support for these mothers. Maria Love came from one of Buffalo's most elite families using here clout and influence to help the children of Buffalo's poor. You can read more about Ms. Love here at Western New York Heritage Press. You may also recognize the Fitch Creche as one of the back stories in Lauren Belfer's book "City of Light"

Today Maria Love's legacy lives on in the form of the Maria M. Love Convalescent Fund. The Creche building was demolished after an extended vacancy for additional parking. The price paid for that parking is the loss of one more piece of Buffalo's irreplaceable urban heritage. Keep chipping away without a plan and eventually all that is left of a great stone is dust. With a plan 149-155 Swan could some day form the anchor of a vibrant new neighborhood in this part of town. Then again we do need more parking!

Black and White image is from Western New York Heritage Press