Buffalo NY - The River is on Fire!
 

OK, not literally on fire like it was in the 1960s (it wasn't just the Cuyahoga that burned), but the Buffalo River and surrounding neighborhoods are continuing to transition from nearly 2 centuries of being an industrial sewer to a popular mixed-use clean(er) industrial, residential, and recreational area.

Some recent photos (mostly recent) of the areas from the original First Ward of the city, consisting of the current Old First Ward, The Valley, Kelly Island, and the Cobblestone District.

These neighborhoods are just southeast of Downtown, and extend on either side of the Buffalo River, which served as a major harbor, grain milling, and industrial area since the early 1800s. The Old First Ward saw its first Irish settlers in the 1820s during the building of the Erie Canal, and today remains a working class enclave of their descendants as the "original" Irish neighborhood in Buffalo.

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Edward M. Cotter by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Cheerio by bpawlik, on Flickr

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River on Fire by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Cobblestone District (named when the city cleared vacant industrial buildings and re-paved streets in cobblestone) is the area closest to Downtown, and is primarily and entertainment (and parking!) area that is continuing to add new venues.

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Cobblestone Skyline by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Hofbrauhaus by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Lockhouse Distillery by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Bollard Corner by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Cobbled by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Be Happy by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Ballyhoo and Casino by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Seneca Buffalo Creek by bpawlik, on Flickr

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The Swannie by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Elk Terminal warehouse to apartment conversion by bpawlik, on Flickr

Michigan Avenue looking towards Michigan lift bridge to Kelly Island.
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Michigan Avenue by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Last Stop by bpawlik, on Flickr

Kelly Island is the area between the Buffalo River and the City Ship Canal, and is historically been the location of Buffalo's grain storage and milling activities and other industries, which continues to this day. In the last few years many vacant facilities are being converted to recreational and residential.

Michigan Avenue lift bridge.
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Tug New Jersey by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Great Northern Elevator (1897) still in use by ADM.
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Great Northern by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Ganson Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

Why my city smells like Cheerios.
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General Mills by bpawlik, on Flickr

Unloading at General Mills from the City Ship Canal.
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Mixed Use by bpawlik, on Flickr

Riverworks is an ever-expanding restaurant, brewery, bar, sports, and entertainment venue created by re-use of vacant grain elevators on Kelly Island.
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Riverworks 5 July by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Approach by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Zip by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Wheeler Elevator (1909) by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Riverworks Rinks by bpawlik, on Flickr

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MIA (Music Is Art) by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Up by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Riverworks Market Day by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Six Pack by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Ward View by bpawlik, on Flickr

Ohio Street lift bridge. There are several new docks and launches being added all along the Buffalo River for recreational boating and kayaking.
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Ohio Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

Other businesses are popping up amidst the mixed industrial/recreational and soon-to-be-residential areas of Kelly Island.

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Wonder Island by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Marine A by bpawlik, on Flickr

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England vs Denmark by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Quiet Afternoon by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Barkeep by bpawlik, on Flickr

Several hundred apartments are currently being developed inside former grain mills and elevators in the area also called Silo City, part of the "Elevator Alley" on the Buffalo River side.

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The Yard by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Perot by bpawlik, on Flickr

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American Malt House by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Old First Ward was settled by Irish immigrants as early as the 1820s, and to this day remains an enclave of the Irish descendants, retaining its own separate and unique St. Patricks Day Parade and celebrations from the rest of the city.

The area is not so much gentrifying, as the old and orderly residential areas remain mostly the same, but the former industrial neighborhood has taken on a new life and role as residential, recreational, and entertainment is infilling where there were formerly dusty vacant lots, abandoned buildings, and inaccessible polluted shorelines. But it is still a great work-in-progress.

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First Sign by bpawlik, on Flickr

Less than 10 years ago Ohio Street was a crumbling industrial road, lined with empty fields and mainly abandoned buildings, but was reimagined as a bike and pedestrian friendly parkway to provide access to the Buffalo riverfront and the Outer Harbor beyond.

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Heart of the City by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Chicago Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

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E.B. Holmes by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Distillery by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Scholastic Rowing Association by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Scholastic by bpawlik, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d95bbf35_b.jpgThe Landing by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Landing by bpawlik, on Flickr

"Elevator Alley" is a section of the Buffalo River that has maintained its dense wall of grain elevators and other buildings. For better or worse, it has been written that the grain elevators of Buffalo inspired Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and and Le Corbusier in the development of International Style of architecture.

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Elevator Alley by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Mutual by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Louisiana Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

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South by bpawlik, on Flickr

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The Neighborhood by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Gene McCarthy's by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Undergrounds by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Mazurek's by bpawlik, on Flickr

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The Mechanic by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Hut by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Have a Seat by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Our Lady of the First Ward by bpawlik, on Flickr

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IMG_5104 by bpawlik, on Flickr

Renovations and conversions continue throughout the OFW, including conversion of the former Barcalounger factory into apartments.
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Barcalo by bpawlik, on Flickr

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On the Waterfront by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Valley neighborhood is adjacent to the Old First Ward, but was called the Valley due to being surrounded by elevated roads and railroad tracks. It was nearly wholly dirty industrial with a small residential area, and much of the industrial area has been cleaned up.

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The Valley by bpawlik, on Flickr

Former powerhouse of the Buffalo Color complex now converted to a mixed use office and event space. Areas adjacent have been converted to Medaille College sports complex and practice fields.
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Powerhouse by bpawlik, on Flickr

Former church and school, now converted to a unique arts complex and apartments.
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St. Theresa Parish by bpawlik, on Flickr

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St. Theresa School by bpawlik, on Flickr

Former Buffalo Malting Company now converted and used as offices and design center.
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Buffalo Malting by bpawlik, on Flickr


What was an inaccessible polluted industrial waterway until less than 10 years ago is now a clean and active recreational and industrial waterway undergoing a transition to a popular residential and recreational destination. It would be hard to find anyone who saw this coming, even when it started happening, and a lot more development is still in the works.
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2 Tugs by bpawlik, on Flickr

Nice tour with some fantastic urban elements there.

The Buffalo River area is not typically seen on SSP. I remember what things looked like (post-fire days lol) before the revitalization started and no one dared kayak on the river. The old grain scoopers must laugh that people are now paying for luxury apartments on the riverfront compared to the "burning river" days when all the grain elevators were at capacity and Republic steel employed thousands.

Glad to see the transformation in progress.

Thanks for the tour, Ben!

Fun fact: The c. 1900 Buffalo FD Edward Cotter fireboat was sent on an emergency mission, putting out a huge grain elevator fire across the Canadian border in Port Colborne, Ontario on October 7, 1960. The grain elevator is still in operation, now owned by ADM.

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A distance of over 20 miles
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More info:
https://www.wbfo.org/heritage-moment...-port-colborne

Well well well I begin to love Buffalo now for its Germanic vibe...

Great Post! I really enjoyed exploring Buffalo's neighborhoods and downtown on my last visit a few years ago. I never made it to the port area or lakefront. It looks like a large area and its good that new uses and attractions are being added.
Did the HSBC Tower (or old Marine Bank Tower) get reskinned? It looks darker than what I remember.

Cleaned and a new coat of paint/epoxy, now called Seneca One. New owner modified and added new wings onto the building for 100+ apartments and retail, updated courtyard, etc. Just recently completed first phase and I understand apartments 100% leased.

Nice pictures. I took pictures of the neighborhood back in 2007, before any renovations really took place (outside of the Cobblestone District), but I have not been back there since. It sounds like it's becoming an outdoor play area for adults. It's good to see it getting some life!

Hey Todd,
you can read more about the Seneca One Tower transformation here:
https://www.buffalorising.com/2021/0...at-seneca-one/

Very cool!

Buffalo, pound-for-pound, is one of the most interesting U.S. cities, IMO. Great pics.

Thanks for referencing this article. Very impressive releasing performance at this tower.

Great photos...and go Bills!

Wow...Really interesting stuff. Amazing the repurposing going on with the warehouses/grain elevators.

I love the pride people have in the neighborhood.

Looking good and great too see people out and taking advantage of what's new.......Was there a contest for decorating front yards and porch's??:???::shrug:

I really don’t think so. There are homes and yards decorated all over the city and surrounding towns. It’s just something people do around here.

Is this the only cobblestone in the cobblestone district?

Great tour! Thanks for sharing. At first glace, while scrolling down, I thought that guy was crushed by his yellow Charger. I was like "Whoa!" haha

There are 4 cobblestone streets in the district, although one of them merely divides a parking lot. I rode my bike by there today and took a few pictures of areas on or adjacent to the cobblestone streets that I neglected to include in my earlier images. There are also a few cobblestone streets in the adjacent Canalside area. Cobblestone is definitely not bicycle friendly, so I rode primarily on the adjacent sidewalks.

Of course nearly all of the original cobblestone in the city has been replaced by brick and asphalt over the decades, and these streets represent "restored" cobblestone. There are still a few places in the city where the "original" cobblestone still exists, mainly on little-used alleys and private property that at one time may have been for public use.

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Cobblestone by bpawlik, on Flickr

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C-Stone by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Elements by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Helium by bpawlik, on Flickr

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First Recovered by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Illinois Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

The Key Bank Center and HSBC building act as a dividing line, more or less, with the adjacent Canalside and Downtown areas.

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HSBC by bpawlik, on Flickr

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French Connection by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Labatt House by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Back of the House by bpawlik, on Flickr

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The Iron Works by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Iron Works by bpawlik, on Flickr

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To Be Developed by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Baltimore Street by bpawlik, on Flickr

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Canvas by bpawlik, on Flickr

Nearby, across from Hofbrauhaus, converted cold storage facility into apartments.
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Creamery Apartments by bpawlik, on Flickr

Across the Buffalo River, new ferris wheel added at Riverworks.
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The Wheel by bpawlik, on Flickr

Thanks for sharing the extra photos :cheers: