Jax Stumpes: Architecture in Buffalo (7/14/09)

Having lived and worked in Buffalo, there are many "landmarks" we have taken for granted and others we have not seen. When asked to take friends on a quick tour of our "City of Good Neighbors" and knowing that they were interested in architecture, we researched a few-hour tour to see the highlights. No wonder Buffalo was called the "Queen City of the Great Lakes"! It is one of the "44 Places to Go in 2009" as listed in The New York Times.

On a practice run of the tour, we took some photos, and will add more when we have opportunities to sightsee. Anyone who wants more information specifically about architecture in Buffalo, should check out the Buffalo Architecture and History website.

First, at 1047 Main Street, is Frank & Teressa's Anchor Bar, where the Original Buffalo Wings were made and are still served.

The Anchor Bar

Oakland Place: A unique one-block long avenue of "gracious living".
70 Oakland Place is the home of former NFL Buffalo Bills J P Losman.

Losman House

77 Oakland Place is the Georgia Forman House, also known as the Bishop's House, being the rectory of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, hence the cross finial. Built in 1928, Jacobean/Tudor style. Architect Albert Hart Hopkins of Edward B. Green and Sons, Inc.

Georgia Foreman House

126 Oakland Place is the John W Cowper House, Cowper being the president of the engineering and contracting company bearing his name, which built Buffalo City Hall. House built in 1929, Jacobean Revival/Tudor Revival style. Architects Hudson & Hudson.

John W Cowper House

Millionaires' Row on Delaware Avenue:
888 Delaware Avenue, Goodyear Mansion. Charles W Goodyear was an attorney/politician who became a lumber baron. House built in 1903, French Renaissance Revival. Architects Green & Wicks.

Goodyear Mansio

877 Delaware Avenue, Silverthorne House. Asa K Silverthorne was a lumber merchant. House built in 1906, Renaissance Revival style. Architects Esenwein & Johnson.

Silverthorne Mansion

864 Delaware Avenue, Curtiss Mansion. Harlow C Curtiss was a lawyer and incorporator of the University Club. House built in 1898, Georgian Revival style. Architects Esenwein & Johnson.844 Delaware Avenue,

Curtiss Mansion

Richmond-Lockwood House. Jewett M Richmond was a Buffalo businessman in the grain storage and elevator industry; was president of Marine Bank, Buffalo & Jamestown Railroad Co., and Buffalo Mutual Gas Light Co.; also founded the Buffalo Club. Thomas B Lockwood was a Buffalo lawyer, and director of Third National Bank and Federal Telephone Company; known for donating his book collection and library to the University of Buffalo. House built in 1918, English Tudor Revival. Architects Esenwein & Johnson.

Richmond-Lockwood House

830 Delaware Avenue, Matthews House. George B Matthews was a partner of Jacob Schoellkopf in a flour mill. House built in 1902, Elizabethan Revival (Late Tudor/early Renaissance) style. Architect E B Green (Green & Wicks). 805 Delaware Avenue,

Matthews House

Temple Beth Zion. Built in 1967. Architect Max Abramowitz of Harrison & Abramowitz.

Temple Beth Zion

824 Delaware Avenue, Forman-Cabana House. George V Forman was an oil magnate (Eastern Oil Co of WV). Oliver F Cabana founded Buffalo Specialty Co. to market a belt fastener and mender invented by his half-brother. Multiple businesses and director of 35 companies. He was chairman of Liberty Bank of Buffalo and helped develop Canisius College. House built in 1893, Beaux Arts Classical style. Architect E B Green (Green & Wicks).

Forman-Cabana House

800 Delaware Avenue, Knox Mansion. Grace Millard Knox was the widow of Seymour H Knox, who was first vice-presient of E W Woolworth Co. House built in 1918, French Renaissance style. Architect Charles Pierrepont H Gilbert.

Knox Mansion

Found on Millionaires' Row:

Dead rat

786 Delaware Avenue, Clement House. Carolyn Tripp Clement was widow of Stephen M Clement, president of Marine Bank. Built in 1914, English Todor Revival style. Architect E B Green (Green & Wicks).

Clement House

724 Delaware Avenue, Westminster Presbyterian Church. Built in 1859, Norman Romanesque Revival style. Architect Harlow M Wilcox.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

690 Delaware Avenue, Williams-Pratt House. Charles Williams was a banker on the boards of three banks. His daughter Jeannie Jewett Williams married Frederick L Pratt, manager of his family's properties. House built in 1896, Neo-Classical style. Architect Stanford White.

Williams-Pratt House

672 Delaware Avenue, Williams-Butler House. George L Williams, brother to Charles, was a banker and investor. House built in 1898, Neo-Classical, Beaux Arts Classical style. Architect Stanford White.

Williams-Butler House

641 Delaware Avenue, Wilcox Mansion. Ansley Wilcox was a lawyer and philanthropist, and served on state commissions with Theodore Roosevelt. When President William McKinley was assassinated at the Pan American Exposition in 1901, Roosevelt took the oath of office in the library of the Wilcox Mansion. House built in 1838, Greek Revival style. Designed and built by US Army Engineers.

Wilcox Mansion

471-499 Delaware Avenue, Midway Row Houses, the only row houses in Buffalo.

Midway Row Houses

341 Delaware Avenue, Asbury Delaware Avenue Methodist Church. Built in 1876, Gothic Revival. Architect John Selkirk. Now Babeville, owned by Ani DiFranco/Righteous Babe Records.

Asbury Delaware Avenue Methodist Church

Niagara Square:
65 Niagara Square, Buffalo City Hall. Completed in 1931, Art Deco style. Architects George J Dietel & John J Wade.

Remarkable ornamentation:

East frieze:

2 Niagara Square, Robert H Jackson United States Courthouse. Completed in 2011, contemporary modern style. Architect Kohn Pederson Fox Associates. Of note is that the glass entry pavilion is etched with the words of the entire U.S. Constitution:

City Court Building. Completed 1974, in Brutalism style. Architect Pfohl, Roberts and Biggie.

Main Street:
617 Main Street is Shea's Performing Arts Center, a European-style opera house. Built in 1926. Architects Cornelius and G W Rapp.

Shea's Theater

617 Main Street is the Market Arcade. Built in 1892, Beaux Arts Classical/Neo-Classical/Classical Revival style. Architects Green & Wicks.

Market Arcade

Market Arcade interior

35 Washington Street is the Electric Building Tower (as seen from Main Street). Built in 1912 in Beaux Arts Classical Revival style, it was inspired by Pharos of Alexandria (the Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt). Architects Esenwein & Johnson.

Electric Building Tower

545 Main Street is the gold-domed Buffalo Savings Bank. Built in 1901, Classical Revival/Beaux Arts Classicism style. Architect E B Green.

Buffalo Savings Bank

424 Main Street, Liberty Bank Building. Built in 1925, Beaux Arts/Second Renaissance Revival Skyscraper. Architect Alfred Bossom.

Liberty Bank Building

1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Built in 1963.

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Downtown:
125 Pearl Street is St Paul's Cathedral. Built in 1851, American Gothic style. Architect Richard Upjohn.

St Paul's Cathedral

28 Church Street, Guaranty Building. Built in 1895, a prototype skyscraper. Architect Louis Sullivan.

Guaranty Building

Guaranty Building detail

121 Ellicott Street, Old Post Office Building. Built in 1901, Victorian Gothic/Richardson Romanseque style. Architects Jeremiah O'Rourke, William Akin, James Knox Taylor. Now Erie County Community College - Downtown Campus.

Old Post Office Building

295 Main Street is Ellicott Square Building, the tallest office building in the world in its time. Built in 1896, Italian Renaissance Revivial style. Architect Charles Atwood of D H Burnham & Co.

Ellicott Square Building

Ellicott Square Building atrium

(You are not supposed to take photos inside...). Known for the central atrium with glass ceiling, wrought ironwork, and mosaic tile floors.

275 Washington Street, Coca-Cola Field. Home of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Built in 1988. Architect H.O.K. Architects of Kansas City Missouri.

Coca-Cola Field

One HSBC Center, former Marine Midland Tower. Built in 1972. Architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP.

One Seymour Knox III Plaza, HSBC Arena. Built in 1996. Architect Ellerbe Becket.

HSBC Arena

Erie Canal Harbor, Western Terminus of the Erie Canal.

Western Terminus of the Erie Canal

Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park.

USS Little Rock

Erie Basin Marina, Test Gardens (one of only 25 for All-American Rose Selection).

Test Gardens

Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo:
125 Jewett Parkway, Darwin D Martin House. Built in 1905.

Darwin D Martin House

188 Summit Avenue, The Barton House (Darwin D Martin House Complex). built in 1903.

The Barton House

285 Woodward Avenue, Gardener's Cottage (Darwin D Martin House Complex). Built in 1905.

Gardener's Cottage

194 Porter Avenue is Fontana Boathouse, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905 for the Wisconsin University Boat Club, but never built. Built in 2007 for the West Side Rowing Club.

Fontana Boathouse

76 Soldiers Place, Heath House. Built in 1905. Note "back" of house placed close to street to allow more yard on the other side.

Heath House

57 Tillinghast Place, Davidson House. Built in 1908. More modest home on street of Arts & Crafts movement.

Tillinghast House

Blue Sky Mausoleum in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Built in 2004. Originally designed in 1925-1928 by Frank Lloyd Wright for Darwin D Martin.

Blue Sky Mausoleum

Delaware Park-Elmwood Area:
400 Forest Avenue is the Richardson Towers of the Buffalo State Hospital. Built in 1896, Richardson Romanesque style. Architect Henry Hobson Richardson.

Richardson Towers

1285 Elmwood Avenue, Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Built in 1905, Neo-Classical style. Architect E B Green (Green & Wicks). Addition built 1962, Architect Gordon Bunshaft.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Delaware Park, Boathouse & Casino.

Boathouse & Casino

Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society. Built 1901 as the Pan-American Exposition New York State Building.

Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society

Forest Lawn Cemetery, Main Street Entrance.

Forest Lawn Cemetery Main Street Entrance

Red Jacket Memorial in Forest Lawn Cemetery. 1890 by sculptor James G C Hamilton of Cleveland, OH. Red Jacket, a leader of the Senecas, spent his life fighting against the taking of the Seneca land. He wanted to die and be buried in the traditional way, but...

Red Jacket Memorial

Fordham Drive: Marker at location of President William McKinley Assassination 9/6/1901. This was the site of the Temple of Music of the Pan-American Exposition.