As expected, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is seeking an emergency demolition of the Great Northern Elevator on Ganson Street. The City Department of Permit and Inspection Services is evaluating the request and a decision is expected today. It’s not looking good.
ADM, which has owned the complex since 1993 and had sought to demolish the structure in 1993 and 2003, calls the site a safety hazard and is seeking an expedited demolition permit. The northern façade of the building suffered a partial collapse over the weekend.
Congressman Brian Higgins is having none of it. In a letter to ADM, he called for rehabilitation of the structure and pushed the company to utilize historic preservation tax credits to restore it. Built in 1897, the Great Northern was designed by engineer Max Toltz and is the oldest elevator in Buffalo
Preservation Buffalo Niagara and Peg Overdorf, Old First Ward resident and Valley Community Association Executive Director, also object to any demolition.
Campaign for Greater Buffalo has raised questions about the process:
ADM must be pretty certain it will get its 30-year record of malignant neglect at the landmark Great Northern grain elevator rewarded with an emergency demolition order from the Brown Administration: It didn’t even bother filling out the standard application to request demolition, but submitted a custom request for an emergency demolition to Commissioner of Permits and Inspection Services James Comerford.
This is, of course, to evade public review, rodent baiting, asbestos removal and a Preservation Board hearing and review by independent experts. And who wouldn’t want to avoid public review of the slipshod logic and demonstrably untrue assertions that litter ADM’s papers? ADM offers, among other things, the results of its 30-year neglect as reason for the demo.
Photo by Peg Overdorf