Buffalo from Above

[benp]

Images taken from the Observation Deck of Buffalo City Hall in late winter.

Only in winter and early spring, when trees are bare of leaves, are many of the neighborhoods clearly visible from City Hall, showing off their eclectic mix of styles and colors.

Southwest view, with Lake Erie, Boston Hills, and Steel Winds visible in the background. Foreground is the tower of County Hall (1876), and just to its left Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building (1896), one of the earliest skyscrapers.


Closer look showing parts of Canalside under construction (center).


Frozen Lake Erie, and frozen Erie Basin Marina in the foreground.


Ralph Wilson Centennial Park, formerly called Lasalle Park, under major redesign and reconstruction. Park work funded by $100M+ grant from the Ralph Wilson Estate, former owner of the Buffalo Bills. A comparable park in Detroit is also being renovated by the Estate.


View toward the east-northeast, with the Electric Tower (1912) prominently on the left, and the Buffalo Central Station (1929) in the distance, currently undergoing restoration and renovation.


View due east, with the Liberty Building (1925) on the right, and the top of the Rand Building (1929) on the left.


Liberty Building - one statue faces east, one west, representing the joining of the Atlantic and Midwest vis the Erie Canal and Great Lakes at Buffalo.


Northeast view towards Theater District and Buffalo Niagara Medical Center.


View north, looking straight up Delaware Avenue, lined with many 20th Century high rise apartments.


View toward northwest, with Niagara River, Canada, and the skyline of Niagara Falls in the background.


A look straight down Niagara Street, Lower West Side.


Lower West Side and Allentown neighborhoods, adjacent to downtown.


Detail of Lower West Side. I love this view. In the summer it is mostly green leaves, missing the details of the buildings.

[kool maudit]

Fantastic shots. Allentown looks great. I have always been curious about Buffalo.

[Innsertnamehere]

Allentown is great. Buffalo is a great little city, and like Detroit it's slowly started to clean up again over the last 5-10 years with its decline stopping and returning to (slow) population growth.

[Steely Dan]

Love these perspectives.

Thanks!!

[craigs]

Cool and rare Buffalo aerials. Good job.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures! You're right, City Hall's observation deck, and most observation decks, are much better when the trees are bare. You also don't get the humidity in the air.

It looks like you cannot see Toronto from up there. I wonder how high off the ground you'd have to be to see Toronto beyond Niagara Falls?

In the picture due west, it looks like you can see the Short Hills (I think they're called that) north-northwest of Welland, and southwest of Thorold. Supposedly there's a spot in those hills where you can see Lake Ontario if you face north, and Lake Erie if you face south, standing in the same spot.

[Cirrus]

Fun thread, thanks for it.

[samne]

Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing.

Was in Buffalo recently. Even stopped at the Anchor Bar.

[JManc]

Great pics! Next time I am back in Utica in the late spring or summer, I hope to take a trip out to Buffalo (and Canada) and take some photos. I didn't know the City Hall had an observation deck. For some reason, I thought most of the building was used for storage.

[benp]

Originally Posted by JManc

Great pics! Next time I am back in Utica in the late spring or summer, I hope to take a trip out to Buffalo (and Canada) and take some photos. I didn't know the City Hall had an observation deck. For some reason, I thought most of the building was used for storage.

Deck is only open M-F during business hours. Stair climb for the last couple of floors. There is also a daily tour of City Hall. Fantastic lobby, and try to see the Council Chambers if they are open.

[plinko]

Excellent thread. Buffalo is a pretty forgotten type of place when you live on the west coast. So much good architecture.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Nice pictures! You're right, City Hall's observation deck, and most observation decks, are much better when the trees are bare. You also don't get the humidity in the air.

It looks like you cannot see Toronto from up there. I wonder how high off the ground you'd have to be to see Toronto beyond Niagara Falls?

In the picture due west, it looks like you can see the Short Hills (I think they're called that) north-northwest of Welland, and southwest of Thorold. Supposedly there's a spot in those hills where you can see Lake Ontario if you face north, and Lake Erie if you face south, standing in the same spot.

Buffalo is 58 miles from Toronto as the bird flies - the curvature of the earth becomes a big factor at that distance.

It's definitely easy to see the Niagara Falls skyline from both cities, but hard to see Buffalo from Toronto and vice-versa. The "Curvature" of the earth is about 2,200ft tall between Toronto and Buffalo - at a height of the City Hall Observation deck of ~360ft, nothing in Toronto shorter than 800ft or so would be visible - ignoring all atmospheric distortion, etc.

*maybe* on a very clear day you may be able to spot the top of the CN tower, just to the right of Niagara Falls.

Edit: I think I "found" Toronto:



Very, very faint though. Just a couple of lines deep on the horizon barely distinguishable.

[Murphy de la Sucre]

super cool
1. finally know it must be zoomed to see skyline of Niagara Falls, not easy for human naked eyes
2. first time to see and know buffalo in such details

[hkskyline]

Quite a lot of hidden gems in Buffalo's downtown and City Hall brings back good memories of my many visits over the years!

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Buffalo is 58 miles from Toronto as the bird flies - the curvature of the earth becomes a big factor at that distance.

It's definitely easy to see the Niagara Falls skyline from both cities, but hard to see Buffalo from Toronto and vice-versa. The "Curvature" of the earth is about 2,200ft tall between Toronto and Buffalo - at a height of the City Hall Observation deck of ~360ft, nothing in Toronto shorter than 800ft or so would be visible - ignoring all atmospheric distortion, etc.

*maybe* on a very clear day you may be able to spot the top of the CN tower, just to the right of Niagara Falls.

Edit: I think I "found" Toronto:



Very, very faint though. Just a couple of lines deep on the horizon barely distinguishable.

I think that's actually industrial areas east of Downtown Niagara Falls along the river, located here.

I think you're right; only the very tallest buildings would be barely visible, and that is with really great atmospheric conditions. The curvature of the earth, and the Escarpment blocking the view either way, play a big role.

We should look for the Brock Monument first. If you can't see that, you can't see Toronto.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Love these perspectives.

Thanks!!

Agreed. Thanks Ben!

While I've been up to the observation deck around 4? times over the years it's always a pleasure to see the photos. If you go to Buffalo it's a quick must see and City Hall is one of the most gorgeous art deco buildings in the country.
Like those grand old Detroit skyscrapers there's so many details to gawk at. And don't skimp out on viewing the Common Council Chambers on the 13th floor and its amazing stained glass skylight.

• Video Link

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Nice pictures! You're right, City Hall's observation deck, and most observation decks, are much better when the trees are bare. You also don't get the humidity in the air.

It looks like you cannot see Toronto from up there. I wonder how high off the ground you'd have to be to see Toronto beyond Niagara Falls?

In the picture due west, it looks like you can see the Short Hills (I think they're called that) north-northwest of Welland, and southwest of Thorold. Supposedly there's a spot in those hills where you can see Lake Ontario if you face north, and Lake Erie if you face south, standing in the same spot.

While there is Short Hills provincial park nearby, you're referring to the Fonthill Kame (check out Kame & Kettle craft brewery next time you're in Niagara region)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fonthill_Kame

On a clear day with good atmospheric conditions drive West/NW of Fonthill on Victoria/Regional Rd 24 heading towards North towards Lake Ontario. Look out for the Vineland sign and you're close to the escarpment peak.

From the heart of Fonthill take Effingham road

Streetview doesn't show you the Toronto skyline unfortunately
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1S7zj3rtBnsS54nx8

At the peak of the escarpment before heading downhill the Toronto skyline sometimes glimmers and it's amazing like viewing the Emerald City in Wizard of Oz from afar
The view of downtown Toronto is from approximately 34 miles/55km away at this point.

[Wigs]

xzmattzx, this "potato quality" blob would be Toronto on a clear day



Approximate location

[BnaBreaker]

Originally Posted by benp

Lower West Side and Allentown neighborhoods, adjacent to downtown.

Damn, now THAT is a neighborhood! I've got to get to Buffalo to take a more thorough tour one of these days. Thanks for the pics!

[ColDayMan]

I adore Buffalo.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by benp

Deck is only open M-F during business hours. Stair climb for the last couple of floors. There is also a daily tour of City Hall. Fantastic lobby, and try to see the Council Chambers if they are open.

I definitely will. I made it a point to visit SF's and was not disappointed. What about the Marine Midland building (I will always call it that). Observatory there? Probably a better vantage point to see TO from that distance.