Lackawanna City Hall

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Lackawanna City Hall
Lackawanna City Hall

Photo credit: Jason Paris; Shinerunner at Wikipedia

Location

714 Ridge Road, Lackawanna NY 14218
SBL Number: 142.38-2-27.11
Erie County Property Info
Google Bird's Eye View
County Tax Map (loads GIS page)
City of Buffalo Parcel Viewer

Owner

City of Lackawanna

Physical Description

Three-story steel frame municipal building with parking occupying most of the ground floor. In the Modern style, with burnt-orange metal cladding. The building is an addition to an older traditional style building at its back. It features the ideals and attitudes of the modernists towards the automobile-displacing the entire building itself for them, and shows the obsession with function (structure) of the time through the exposed steel pilotis, a feature not achieved by many architects due to fire codes of the times.

Current Condition

  • Occupied and in use as City Hall.
  • The city government is talking about moving municipal operations to a different building, citing increasing maintenance costs.

History

Recent Events and Actions Taken

Other Pertinent Facts

From building nominator Brett Doster:

  • It was recently announced that the city of Lackawanna government is studying options to move to another building in the City of Lackawanna, leaving the current modernist building empty or demolished. Reasons cited for moving are that the building is in need of a $200,000 investment in general routine maintenance, entry concrete stairs being in violation of code and dangerous (which is absolutely true) and handicapped accessibility issues.
  • This building is one of Buffalo's few modernist buildings. As the city was suffering through this era, we did not see the building of many modernist pieces. It deserves to be preserved and be put in the public eye for this reason. Its raised front portion with exposed steel beams is an iconic addition to the original building in the rear. As the addition was constructed in the late 1960's, it is in the critical 40-50 year mark and probably needs substantial investment.
  • If City Hall moves their operations with the building in its current state of need I fear nobody will be willing to move into the building; let alone anybody will move into this size building in its current location period. The Council has stated they may decide to demolish it upon vacating. This place should rightfully be the City Hall of Lackawanna and needs to be in the preservation spotlight now, being proactive, rather than reactive, about keeping this building preserved for years to come.
  • Putting off general maintenance is simply not a good reason for moving operations and demolishing a landmark. If saved, Lackawanna City Hall will join the likes of the Tishman Building in Buffalo; its value and significance to the community only increasing with age.

Links


Newest Pages

■ 22 Chateau Terrace ■ 807 Clinton Street ■ 250 Richmond Avenue ■ Liberty Tailors ■ 1966 Niagara Street ■ 1942 Niagara Street ■ 1930 Niagara Street ■ 2018 Main Street, Niagara Falls NY 14305 ■ 1940 Niagara Street ■ 1932 Niagara Street ■ 1035 Jefferson Avenue ■ 701 Third Street, Niagara Falls ■ The Turtle - Native American Center for the Arts ■ Nabisco Elevator, Niagara Falls ■ 945 Washington Street ■ 941 Washington Street ■ 931 Washington Street ■ 929 Washington Street ■ 927 Washington Street ■ Prophet Isaiah's Second Coming House ■ 1681 Main Street ■ 1215 Niagara Street ■ 882 West Avenue ■ 878 West Avenue ■ 29 Minton Street ■ Paramount Lodge ■ 21 Anderson Place ■ 2505 Main Street ■ Buffalo Skyway ■ 50 West Avenue

Added 2015-07-15 • Last changed 2015-08-06

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