One of Western New York’s most historic and architecturally beautiful buildings is currently being demolished. As soon as a stay of demolition was lifted by the court last Friday demolition equipment ripped violently into the delicate and intricately detailed copper roof dormers of the Bethlehem Steel North Administration Building, moving soon after on to the delicate terracotta masonry trim work. Within just a few hours much of the distinctive historic detailing was stripped away and destroyed, leaving gaping holes and a building no longer recognizable. The event triggered a flurry of Facebook posts with big comment responses. The WBEN Radio FaceBook Page took in 180 comments and counting to a post leading with a picture of the Bethlehem Steel building and the question:
“Do we try to save too much in this town?”
It is an odd question to ask when you are showing a building that is actively being demolished. Perhaps the picture should have been Shea’s Buffalo Theater, or the Guaranty Building or one of several Delaware Avenue mansions that were saved from the wreckers. While many defenders of historic buildings chimed in with reasons to save historic architecture with proof, that no, we don’t save nearly enough, the conversation was mostly driven by those who see little to no value in saving historic buildings. The comments from the demo crowd had a tone of anger and vindication. It’s as if they are fighting a battle against the old buildings and destruction of this irreplaceable building was a great moral victory.
Brad George
….have u been in the east side lately? around the train terminal? the west side around the peace bridge area yeah bring in the tourist to see those sights!!!!!
Judy Kaczor Marcotte
We cannot save everything, there needs to be room for new ideas and new plans. Yes, we try to “save”too much in this town.
Rita Sales
…. who cares about an ugly dirty abandon building? preservation of what???? tear them all down Bffalo is full of old delapidated buildings that need to be gone.
Jennifer Bowers Viverito
Maybe if we stop saving every “historically significant” building in buffalo, we can finally move live up to our potential!
John Carriero
Everyone wants to save these buildings with someone else’s money. I live in Lackawanna, and the bottom line is that the building is nothing more than a death trap at this point. IT WOULD COST LESS MONEY TO DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING AND BUILD A NEW ONE than to fix that one up to standards.
Ron Storfer
it’s time to move into the 21st century with architecture and building materials. i’m sure the majority of people are tired of these eyesores and want to see them razed. how many worthwhile projects have been delayed or shelved because a handful of people are into relic worship? of which the trico building is a prime example.
Lisa Busch
The problem is when a buliding is scheduled for demolition, “everyone” comes out to try to “save” it. All the while it sits and sits and becomes in disrepair. If there was such interest in the buliding why can’t the “parties” trying to save it, buy it and keep it up?
Robert BuffaloSouljah Short
A building that is just sitting. Empty. If people wanted this building to stay up, they would pool their money together and buy it….instead they complain about it being torn down…..tear it down.
Jay Curtis
Make room for a nice waterfront shooting range! I think the next taxpayer money trap to go should be the psych towers!
Jason LaBruna
Yes indeed. I was in that building during the bidding process for the demolition. There was no saving that building. The money it would have cost just to “make safe” and Abate would have been astronomical. I wonder if the people that want to save every building in or around the city have ever set foot in them
Hank Chlebowski
I am a true lover of Buffalo and its rich history and
indeed there are structures here that are worth saving and that i would be opposed to demolishing .However Buffalo proper is approximately 6 sq. miles and if we are to grow or entice new business ventures we need to pretty up a bit and allow space for that to occur . Perhaps in the future we will not lose so many of our young to the larger cities .I respect your passion Kathy but we are a small town that needs changes that are visible
Carl Burke
I live in Buffalo and I say tear these eye-sores down. It’s not like these buildings and grain elevators are 1,000-year old buildings. They’re junk that was built less than 100 years ago. Bulldoze the entire waterfront and develop the entire thing and lets enjoy our resources.
most of these places say “Recent Events and Actions Taken”….with nothing happening. TEAR IT DOWN!! you preservationists need to get a life. when was the last time you visited ANY of these places? NEVER! and you all know it. you’re all so quick to save the rat infested buildings, but what are YOU doing to help? NOTHING!
Ed Pettitt Sr.
As usual, Buffalo is focused on the past instead of the future. I guess we have had such a stagnant economy for so long that it has become our culture and way of life. Let’s get in the way of progress and desperately cling onto the past. Sad.
John Lutz
I drive around this city every day with my job and most of these buildings need to go, I understand the need to preserve some parts of our city’s heritage but there’s too much to do and no money to do it, so in the name of progress fire up the wrecking ball and demo crews and get to work