Electric Tower
General Electric Tower | |
 General Electric Tower, June 2009 | |
   | |
| Location | 535 Washington Street, Buffalo, New York 14203 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°53′18.9594″N 78°52′18.8394″W / 42.888599833°N 78.871899833°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Esenwein & Johnson; E.B. Green and Sons |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000865[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 2008 |
Electric Tower (or General Electric Tower) is a historic office building and skyscraper located at the corner of Washington and Genesee Streets in Buffalo. It is the seventh tallest building in Buffalo. It stands 294 feet (89.6 m) and 13 stories tall and is in the Beaux-Arts Classical Revival style. It was designed by James A. Johnson and built in 1912. Additions were made in 1923 and 1928. Inspired by the electric tower at the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition, the white terra-cotta clad was originally built as the Niagara Mohawk Building and features an octagonal tower which steps back three times to terminate in a large lantern. It is also known as Iskalo Electric Tower.[2]
The decorative symbols featuring aspects of electricity production are considered precursors to subsequent art deco design.
Like One M & T Plaza, the spire of the tower is illuminated with different holiday colors at night throughout the year. Both buildings are illuminated blue and gold for the Buffalo Sabres during the National Hockey League playoffs.
The Electric Tower hosts the annual Buffalo Ball Drop on New Year's Eve, the second largest in the nation. People from all around gather in Roosevelt Plaza to ring in and celebrate the New Year. The Buffalo Ball Drop is accompanied by live performances and a spectacular firework show.[3]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 2008.[1]
Gallery
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Electric Tower from Genesee Street, August 2007 -
Electric Tower closeup, 2004 -
Electric Tower, Genesee Street Side, February 2012 (after 2011 renovations) -
November 2010 (before 2011 renovations)
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Buffalo
- Niagara Hudson Building, in Syracuse, also known as "Niagara Mohawk Building"
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS)" (Searchable database). New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2016-07-01. Note: This includes Tom M. Yots and Daniel McEneny (n.d.). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: General Electric Tower" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-07-01. and Accompanying six photographs
- ^ "Ring in 2014 at the 26th Annual Buffalo Ball Drop and Fireworks". Buffalo, NY: City of Buffalo. 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2014-01-02.
External links
- General Electric Tower - Buffalo, NY - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com
- Niagara Mohawk Building skyscraper website
- Electric Tower, Buffalo history website
- Preservation Studios Buffalo, NY: historic building rehabilitation and preservation consultants
- Art Deco architecture in New York
- Beaux-Arts architecture in New York
- Office buildings completed in 1912
- Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New York
- Skyscrapers in Buffalo, New York
- Visitor attractions in Buffalo, New York
- Buildings and structures in Buffalo, New York
- 1912 establishments in New York
- National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, New York