My Favorite Buildings: More Than a Foundation
At Canal Side, designers went to great lengths uncovering and restoring long buried foundations of Canal Era buildings. The foundations are now part of a historical interpretive park which now promises (based on early comments) to be one of WNY's favorite places. The foundations are unremarkable except that they give ghostly form to what once occurred at this important place in the history of both Buffalo and the United States.
After reading about the new historical park with many references to these foundations, I could not help wondering how we could lavish so much attention on what was, while nearby buildings of the same vintage, still in existence, wait to be demolished.
This great little example of Canal Era Buffalo may be very close to its end and as far as I know there is no plan to save it. It has been in a declining state for the past few decades even as its surrounding neighborhood has seen a dramatic upswing in recent years. West Coast Perspective reported here a on a schematic concept for this and adjacent properties which explored options for new development on this site. Notice that the concept does not include retaining this building.
This building brings great scale and detail to the street scape. Unlike the preserved foundations at Canal SIde It carries with it all the history of this site while offering the potential for new uses which can enliven the street and add the complexity that great streets have. Hopefully, the irony of preserving the ruins of the very same type building just blocks away will resonate with the owners of this treasure before they finalize any plan for the block which removes such a rare and precious piece of Buffalo's historical heritage. The tipping point has been reached. Buffalo can no longer afford to erase the very thing that will make it special in the future.
Thanks to WCP for the pictures
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BuffaloTshirts
While it would be great to see someone take a chance on this building, is it more reasonable to expect changes closer to Canal Side first and then radiate outward? There are plenty of boarded up/abandoned buildings close to the demo ball in close proximity to the recently opened Harborfront. I recently explored the area around the Canal and would love to see this area revitalized and on the tax rolls. I took some images of the area in question: http://bflotees.blogspot.com/2008/05/buffalo-t-shirts-waterfront-pics.html In any event, I agree that there should be efforts to save these historic structures from the wrecking ball. With all the revitalization going on downtown, we are in a much better spot to choose what plans go forward as spec'd and which ones need to be re-examined to incorporate existing historic structures.
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TownLine
I've often wondered about the feasibility of actually moving buildings like these. Buffalo has a ton scattered throughout neighborhoods where they will likely be eventually demoed. How cool would it be if we could transport a cluster of these buildings to the Inner Harbor. It would give a new life to these endangered structures. Perhaps there are some national grant programs that could fund the effort?
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Matthewjohnp
Yeah, they could move them brick by brick...
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Biniszkiewicz
well said, STEEL.
The prospect of moving a building such as this might not be crazy. Perhaps a shorter move (say to Michigan Ave, close to other similarly aged structures) would be doable. The Coit House was moved (granted that's frame, but my understanding is that brick buildings can be moved, too). Anybody know true moving costs for a structure such as this assuming no electric lines or overhead obstructions impede the transport?
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JohnB
How old exactly are the buildings? Don't some cities/places have regulations/laws stating that buildings built before a certain date must go through extremely intensive review before they can be demoed or whatever?
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nick
My guess is that there wouldn't be a lot of grant money out there to move buildings. The creation of a district of these buildings would be seen as falsifying history, sort of a Genessee Country Village of sorts. While it would create a coherent district I'm not sure any of the non-profits or government entitites with grants would support the move. They tend to prefer the buildings be preserved in situ and compatible, not neccisarily fake historic, infill be constructed. The continuum of a changing landscape is more valued than a cobbled neighborhood.
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driz716
As long as no 'public' money is involved, anyone can tear down a building of any age. Think H/O Oats. The only thing that protects a building from demo is Local Landmark status or being located in a Local Historic District.
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sonyactivision
I'm guessing 'mid 1840ish'.
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sbrof
And even those two criteria often are not enough to stop someone from demolishing something. Look at the Watson and franklin street buildings. Both in historic preservation districts. Both gone. There are probably another dozen buildings like them just waiting for the wrecking crews.
There are no real laws protecting any historic building. Everything in the end is up to the owner.. no matter how many people sign a petition or fight to stop it. (see the Atwater err Pano's new parking lot...)
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vgs
better yet demo all the crap around the ones worth saving and infill with honest intrepretations of the particular period. The keyword of course is honest.
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