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Bet You Didn't Know This Famous Downtown Building Is One Of The World's First Skyscrapers! [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Rebecca Bratek — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:59:26 +0000

Buffalo is home to works by some of history’s most prominent architects, and any walk downtown is a living monument to that statement. I bet you didn’t know one of the first skyscrapers was built in Buffalo. But take a walk down Church Street, and you’ll see the Guaranty Building, a 13-story beauty built in [...]

'Full House'-Like Row Houses In Buffalo? Try The Masten District! [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Rebecca Bratek — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:33:56 +0000

Every kid born in the ’80s and ‘90s wanted to live in a house like those on ‘Full House’…or maybe that was just me. As a kid growing up in Buffalo very, very far from San Francisco, I didn’t think I’d ever see a house like the Tanners. I didn’t think that was too much [...]

Go To Canisius High School, Hang Out In A Former Mansion [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Rebecca Bratek — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 16:43:54 +0000

You don’t expect high schools to be housed in former mansions and Mason hangouts — but that’s exactly the history of one of Canisius High School’s most iconic buildings. Canisius started as a dual college-high school in 1870 and served just 50 students. But by 1912, the school expanded to 379 boys, and its Washington [...]

The More Things Change, The More Main Street Stays The Same? [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 04:01:36 +0000

You know what they say: The more things change, the more they stay the same. To me, that’s what’s so funny about comparing the above photo of Main Street, taken sometime in the 1960s, to the photo of Main Street below, taken earlier this week. You can pick out a lot of things that have stayed the [...]

What's This About Al Amigone's + a Revolving Bar?? [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:01:10 +0000

Yes, you read that headline right: Al Amigone’s was apparently home to a revolving bar. The only problem is, I really don’t know what that means — and try as I might, I can’t figure it out. Did the bar actually turn in circles (hard to imagine based on the illustrations on the postcard above)? Or [...]

A Little History on Rosinski Furniture Co.'s Co-Owners [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:01:31 +0000

The internet doesn’t hold much information about the Rosinski Furniture Co. But a trip through Google’s search results does reveal a bit about the stores’ owners! Rosinki Furniture Co. operated out of two locations: 760 Fillmore Ave. in the Broadway shopping district (left), and 697 Ridge Rd. out in Lackawanna (right). The buildings — and [...]

Sciandra's Toyland — So Much Cooler Than Toys 'R' Us [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:01:30 +0000

It might be hard to believe, but in the 1950s and ’60s, the boarded-up building above, located at 1787 Genesee St., was Western New York’s largest toy store. Sciandra’s Toyland featured 10,000 square feet of toys, games, dolls, stuffed animals — anything and everything that makes up a child’s ultimate toy collection. Its wares were [...]

Where Was Buffalo's First Water Station? [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:01:39 +0000

Even if you tried really, really, really hard, I don’t think you could guess where the above photo corresponds to in present-day Buffalo. Give up? You’re looking at what used to be the corner of Delaware Avenue and Auburn Avenue. Crazy, right? According to the photo’s details on Wikipedia — and the Buffalo Express‘ “Views of [...]

From Cars to Finance — Don Allen's City Chevrolet [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:01:18 +0000

Virtual records of Don Allen’s City Chevrolet are either basically non-existent or very well hidden. Here’s what we do know. Three distinct businesses in three separate buildings composed Don Allen’s City Chevrolet: Cars and Service at 2585 Main Street, Truck Sales and Service at 2675 Main Street and the Giant Used Car Lot at 2700 [...]

What Stood Where Kleinhans Music Hall Is Today? A Mansion, Of Course! [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 19:37:51 +0000

I love how old-school venues like Kleinhans Music Hall are: the big brass doors, the decor, the fancy feel of the whole place. I'm a fan of dingy little clubs, don't get me wrong, but I've seen some awesome shows at Kleinhans.

I've never given much thought to what used to be where the venue now stands; honestly, it's one of those buildings I just sort of assumed had been there basically forever. Turns out I was wrong.

Greek, Mexican, Pizza — Pano's Former Location Has Housed it All! [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 05:01:25 +0000

Most Buffalonians can recall Pano's humble beginnings before the huge remodel they did a few years back -- the brick-and-white-sided building, the bright blue awning, the cute, diner-y feel of it all. It was one of my favorite places to have lunch when I was finally allowed to leave school during senior year free periods (at Nardin, if you're wondering).

But do you remember Pano's before that?

A Bird's Eye View — South Buffalo in the 1930s [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:01:30 +0000

Even though I hate flying, I love peeking out the window as the plane descends, just to see if I can pick out places I know. Plus, it’s really cool to get a different, aerial view of things. So it was a pretty sweet surprise when I found these old-school, from-above photos of South Buffalo, [...]

Bet You Didn't Know These Facts About Amherst [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Dale Mussen — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 05:01:51 +0000

If you were around in 1798, you could have bought land in Amherst pretty cheap — try $2 an acre! That’s what the Holland Land Company paid. Joseph Ellicott was one of the company’s agents, and his biggest job was to build roads to attract people from New England to Western New York. Back then, [...]

Oliver's Restaurant — Updated, But Still Old School [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 05:01:11 +0000

They say you shouldn’t mess with a good thing, and while I’ve only been to Oliver’s a couple times (it’s expensive, and you didn’t think I was gettin’ rich from this gig, did you?), the restaurant clearly sticks to that saying — at least when it comes to their decor. The North Buffalo eatery was [...]

Buffalo's Old Greyhound Bus Terminal — An Example of Awesome Building Re-use [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 05:01:09 +0000

Looking at the bottom half of the above postcard, can you tell what the old Greyhound Bus Terminal is today, in 2012? And, no, the answer is not "a pile of rubble" -- this puppy (ha, I'm punny!) is still (mostly) standing.

Here's a hint: This bus terminal was located a few blocks away from the current bus station on Ellicott Street, on Main Street.

Give up?

The Buffalo Public Library in Lafayette Square Was SO PRETTY! [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 05:01:59 +0000

Every day as I walk to and from my car, I pass the Buffalo Public Library's Central Branch, which is just across Lafayette Square from our dumpy little studio. It's clear from the old photo of the Square above that a very pretty, old building used to be where the library stands now -- but what was it?

The McKinley Monument — How Dull Would Niagara Square Look Without It? [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:01:06 +0000

Buffalo has the unfortunately designation of being the place where President William McKinley was assassinated (among other unfortunate designations we've received over the years). Fortunately, that misfortune (are you confused yet?) contributed a very recognizable landmark to our city.

The Central Terminal Will Make You Scream [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW -- HAUNTED EDITION]

Rebecca Bratek — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 04:01:21 +0000

At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was a completely different city than it is today. It was the second-largest city in New York and on the Great Lakes (only second to New York City and Chicago, respectively) and 10th-largest city in the United States; everyone wanted to be in Buffalo. And who can [...]

Downtown Buffalo Hasn't Changed Much — At Least From the Sky [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Angela Stefano — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 04:01:29 +0000

I know, it seems crazy to say that downtown isn’t that different from “the olden days” because, well, it is. For example, there are a lot fewer Model Ts and a lot more boarded-up buildings. But the nice thing about looking at downtown from above is that you don’t really notice the boarded-up buildings and [...]

The Connecticut Street Armory is Pretty Darn Sturdy [BUFFALO: THEN AND NOW]

Meagan Walker — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 04:30:09 +0000

When you look at these photos, what you can deduce is this: The 74th Regimental Armory, now known as the Connecticut Street Armory, is one sturdy building. Built in 1899 and still standing at 184 Connecticut St. on the city’s West Side, the Armory was designed by architect Isaac G. Perry. Perry was also behind [...]