BUFFALO Then and Now

[leets]

I was digging around my old photos and came across some interesting stuff. Everyone knows that Buffalo has hit a rough spot but few know that there is a definite rebound. These images show how bad buffalo had really gotten in the late 70's and 80's and contrasts that with some of the recent good that has happened. A few of these images are a bit sad. Some stuff is gone that would be good to have around but overall it gives me confidence that the Buff is moving forward

Dun Building:

this beauty was in rough shape back in the 70's. It is a gorgeous thin building with great masonry work.

THEN

The building is in great condition today but it has lost its wonderful cornice

NOW

Theater Place:

A very beautiful group of buildings which had hit very hard times by 1980. The empty storefronts had been decorated by these artistic barricades

THEN

They have been renovated into an active part of the theater district

NOW

Fountain Square:

this block used to be a collection of small decrepit commercial buildings. Many were architecturally interesting including the early modern style grants department store. These images show the block in its last days as it was being cleared for what was to become Fountain Square (imaginative name)

THEN

This images also shows subway construction on Main. The beautiful large brick building in the center was soon doomed as well as part of the new Hyatt Hotel

Along Chippawa

NOW

Lancaster and ELmwood:

This great Victorian was being torn down for a bank parking lot

THEN

Today the Parking has been replace by a new healthy foods supermarket

NOW

The Mansion:

One of Buffalo's many mansions lining Delaware Ave. This one fell on very hard times for some reason. It sits next to Buffalo's most prestigious business club but was vacant for many years. Notice also the building in the lower left corner. At the time of this picture that building was also vacant. Today both are restored to use.

THEN

NOW

It is now a 4 star hotel

Birge Mansion

This house sits on one of buffalo's beautiful public squares across from the home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. How could this have happened?

THEN

The house is now in good hands. It was restored in the 80's and is actually undergoing a new renovation right now as a new corporation is set to occupy the site

NOW

Market Arcade:

A wonderful highly detailed building, it had fallen prey to the degeneration of this whole strip of main street.

THEN

Today this stretch of Main is fully restored and the Market Arcade is restored to life

NOW

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome pictures, the Dun Building and the mansion on Delaware Ave. are beautiful!

[leets]

bump

[torgo]

Those pictures are just awesome. Its amazing to me that some of those buildings were ever vacant.

[NCB]

Great Pictures!

[rbdetsport]

Awesome Pictures!!!!!