In the early nineteenth century, the land that now holds Roosevelt Plaza was in the early stages of western development. Aaron Brink bought inner lot 21. Asa Coltrain, a physician who worked with Dr. Cyrenious Chapin, purchased inner lot 22 in 1814.
Joseph Stocking, the village’s first hat manufacturer, arrived in 1811 and purchased inner lot 20 in 1826.
Moses Baker, purchased lots 24 and 26 on the north and south sides of Main at Genesee in 1826 and 1833. He was an active early citizen, serving as a village trustee for eight years, and as an alderman after Buffalo was incorporated as a city. Baker’s rented business space on east Main between Mohawk and Genesee was the temporary site for court proceedings following the burning of Buffalo in 1813. He built the building that stood at the site of Buffalo Savings Bank from the 1830s to 1889.
Major Andre Andrews purchased inner lots 202 and 203 in 1828, where he built a “rural attractive home” on the sizable lot that became the site of the Electric Building. He was a lawyer and served as an alderman before becoming the second mayor of Buffalo in 1833. Andrews died of cholera the next year.
The home became Gruener’s Restaurant and then Gruener’s Hotel, before the building was demolished for construction of the Electric Building.
Embedded to the left is artist and historian Raymond Massey’s video "Buffalo 1836" telling the story of Buffalo and the real estate bubble created by Benjamin Rathbun. Click here to view more information posted on Raymond Massey’s extensive website.
The buildings standing on Genesee Street east of Main are likely the oldest buildings in Downtown Buffalo, built when the Erie Canal and railroad were bringing westward migration and delivering Midwest farm bounty to the East. The brick buildings would have been similar to the style of Benjamin Rathbun, Buffalo’s first building entrepreneur whose empire collapsed in a financial scandal in 1836.
The Genesee Block at 5–9 E. Genesee was built in 1825 and has returned to its original utilization, with commercial uses once again limited to the ground floor and residences above. Similarly, 535 Main, just around the corner, has returned to traditional mixed use. In the 1830s, it was merchant Henry Colton’s store. The current structure was built in 1851 with residential upper floors. As downtown prospered, the upper floors were taken over by commercial businesses until they eventually went vacant in the mid-twentieth century. Now after a full restoration, upper floors have apartments and a restaurant is on the first floor.
In the 1830s, author Samuel Welch recalled the wagon shop of Thomas Spicer at the corner of Main and Genesee. The current building at 537 Main, built in 1860, is again residential on the upper floors with restaurant space in the storefront.
The Electric Tower was built in 1912 and modeled after a building erected for the 1901 Pan American Exposition called The Tower of Light, which was in turn modeled after the classical Lighthouse of Alexandria that once stood in Egypt. After the building’s completion, the Buffalo General Electric Company occupied it as its headquarters. Thank you to Iskalo Development Corporation for use of these photos.
The Electric Tower expanded twice. Space was added to the first floor and a second entrance was opened in 1924. Three additional stories were added to the rear wing in 1926, and the interior and tower were renovated in the Art Deco style to standardize its look with its sister building in Syracuse.
The Tower has always been known for its light shows and displays during holidays and events. In 1926, the tower was lit green, white, blue, and gold to draw attention to the power of electricity. The tower was studded with 44,000 lightbulbs and had a massive searchlight on its finial, which was so powerful people living in Canada and Niagara Falls were able to see it. Since 1988, the building has been the site of Buffalo’s annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.
In 2003, the tower was acquired by Iskalo Development after being vacant for a number of years. An $18 million renovation was unveiled in 2007, featuring restoration of the two-story lobby space and tenant office suites. The Electric Building was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 2008 and is preserved as a historic landmark. At 13 stories, it stands as the seventh tallest building in Buffalo.
Like many of the buildings built in Buffalo in the early twentieth century, the GE Company Building was constructed in a Beaux Arts style by local architect Esenwein & Johnson. The building itself was meant to showcase the revolutionary power of electricity that the Buffalo General Electric Company could now provide. In this sense, the Electric Tower was a giant advertisement for electricity and was capable of being brilliantly lit up in order to sell the “wonders of electricity” to Buffalo citizens.
“The Hiker,” created by Allen George Newman, was erected in May 29, 1920, in front of the Buffalo Savings Bank. The monument was dedicated to Army, Navy and Marine soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection that occurred between 1898 and 1902. These wars were significant because of the large volunteer force that participated. During these wars, volunteer infantry men referred to themselves casually as “hikers.” The sculpture incorporated this nickname into its title to memorialize these volunteers.
Buffalo is not the only city to feature this statue. A copy was installed in 1928 in the nearby town of Niagara Falls. Additional copies of “The Hiker” are installed all over the United States, including in Pittsburg, PA; Ypsilanti, MI; Staten Island, NY; Southbridge, MA; Woonsocket, RI; Westerly, RI; Wichita, KS; and in Arlington National Cemetery.
Twenty-five years after it was commissioned, the monument was refurbished in 1945 for Memorial Day by the Buffalo Savings Bank.
Construction on the new movie house that would become Century Theatre began in 1920. It started out as Loews State Theater, part of the Loews chain. The new theater opened in 1921 to sellout crowds. Three thousand people came to opening day to watch five vaudeville acts and the silent movie, “Mother of Mine.” Eugene O’Brien and Leo Carillo, actors in the movie, came to greet movie goers. Opening night tickets cost 30 and 40 cents.
In 1928, the movie theater was reopened as the Kenmore Theater. Later the same year, Michael Shea began to lease out the theater and it was named The Century. It became the only movie theater in competition with the Hippodrome.
In 1939, ownership of the theater changed again. The Dipson and Basil families bought the Century Theatre and named it D&B Century. Dipson and Basil spent $50,000 in improvements. They also dropped the prices for the tickets. Balcony seats were 15 cents while orchestra was 25 cents. Children had the lowest prices at 10 cents a ticket.
Dipson bought out Basil in 1940 and filed a lawsuit against Michael Shea for monopolistic practices in movie distribution affecting his business. The lawsuit demonstrated the rancor between these competing theater companies. It dragged on for several years and then was dismissed. Century Theatre was modernized in 1950 to better compete with new suburban theaters.
Ownership was taken over by Samuel L. Yellen in 1955. The Century Theatre had a string of hits in 1958. Tickets for the theater were $3 a seat at this time. Attendance began to drop. The Buffalo News reported in 1965 that the Century Theatre was the best kept theater in downtown for its time, but patronage fell. In 1970, Century Theatre began showing X-rated films to draw an audience. This tactic was not effective, and Century closed down in 1971.
Harvey Weinstein and Horace “Corky” Burger, friends from freshman orientation at UB and fellow members of the University Union Activities Board, launched Harvey and Corky Productions, a concert promotion company in 1972. They produced 50 concerts in various venues in Western New York including Memorial Auditorium and Melody Fair before purchasing Century Theatre with friend Dr. Joseph Takats from attorney Samuel L. Yellen in 1974. The opening concert was Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, followed by 100 concerts, 20 stage shows, 125 film festivals and the Muhammed Ali- George Foreman heavyweight title fight. After four years of operation, Harvey and Corky needed to address building renovation issues estimated at $200,000 to $500,000. They did not find a buyer interested in renovating and operating the theater. Part ownership was sold to Northern Demolition of West Seneca, and the Century was demolished on March 14, 1979.
We appreciate your questions and comments about Buffalo Place and Downtown Buffalo. If we can be of any assistance, please send us a message.
Buffalo Place
671 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 856-3150
Photography by Mike Shriver
at Buffalo Photo Blog.
We appreciate your questions and comments about Buffalo Place and Downtown Buffalo. If we can be of any assistance, please send us a message.
Buffalo Place
671 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 856-3150
Photography by Mike Shriver at Buffalo Photo Blog.