As many people have noticed, the charming, three-story, storefront building at 362 Broadway completely disappeared last week. Plans to incorporate the façade in a new building were changed as the worsening condition of the building forced a demolition due to life safety concerns. Thankfully, the cast iron storefront elements, storefront lintel brackets, some original brick, stone detailing, and cornice/finials were all saved for future reuse and/or replication.
The building was set to be part of a larger project on this corner of Broadway and Hickory, which was previously covered here last year. NYC based non-profit, HELP USA originally called for integrating 362 Broadway and 368 Broadway into one larger redevelopment effort. The non-profit already has a good track record in Buffalo, having previously rehabbed the former Buffalo Awning & Tent building on the opposite corner at Hickory, seventeen years ago.
Project architect Mark Wendel of Flynn Battaglia explains, “When we were first working on the Buffalo Awning & Tent building seventeen years ago, 362 and 368 Broadway were vacant even that far back. Our intent was always to save just the façade of 362 Broadway given its condition. Fortunately the crucial elements of it have been salvaged for reuse or replication. Our intent is to recreate the historic appearance of the façade as closely as possible.”
As recently as a 2012 the deteriorating condition of 362 Broadway was evident to the project team, but the owners had not yet closed on the building so nothing could be done. The north end was deteriorating, specifically the northwest corner which was noticeably sinking. Poor attempts to shore up the corner by the previous owner were not helpful in halting the failing corner.
Funding sources took longer than expected and in the interim, the buildings continued to sit in their current state. Although HELP USA took title to the buildings in August 2014, the funding for the project didn’t close until this past March 2016. •At the time of the funding closing, the interior had collapsed significantly, including the staircase, which had completely fallen into the basement. “The City of Buffalo issued a letter of condemnation in November of 2015, but we were still hopeful for saving the façade,” says Wendel.
“When the contractors were engaged, the structural deficiencies became more and more evident. Mortar joints had basically returned to sand and were no longer supporting the masonry units. Any shoring that could have been put in to hold the façade up would have required someone on the interior to pull the shoring elements through. Due to life safety issues involved in that operation and the mortar deterioration, shoring was no longer a possibility. There was jeopardy of an uncontrolled collapse at the building,” explains Wendel. Regardless, the team evaluated any and all possibilities to save the façade and there was not a viable option. Every time they went down a different path they were told the integrity of the upper masonry would not support shoring and it was too dangerous for anyone to go inside to do it.
The new plan is to replicate the façade as closely as possible. The cast iron elements, stone bandings, and stone arches were all saved. Salvaged brick will be incorporated into the rebuild and the building was well documented before the demolition. Finials and a cornice will be put back up. The original items were salvaged and due to their deteriorated condition, they may need to be replicated out of new materials. It is yet to be seen if the original cornice and finials can be reused, but they can serve as a source for replication.