Graystone Hotel / Berkeley Apartments

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Photos courtesy: David Torke fixBuffalo, Ellicott Development, and Buffalo Rising

Location

24 Johnson Park Buffalo, NY 14202
Google Bird's Eye View
Ellicott Council District
SBL: 111.37-3-3
Erie County Property Info
County Tax Map (loads GIS page)
City of Buffalo Parcel Viewer

Next to: Hotel Touraine, 28 Johnson Park
Across from: Matthews Building

Owner

Carl Paladino, Ellicott Development
NYS Corporation and Business Entity Database

Carl and William Paladino's company, Ellicott Development, or corporations it controls: (Ellicott Group LLC, Pearl Group LLC, Huron Group Inc, Tupper Group Inc, Deltup LLC, Del-Al LLC, 84 Group, 1238 Group, 1239 Group, 4858 Group, 5277 Group, 9274 Group, etc.), owns these buildings or parcels of preservation concern (not a complete list):

Saint Paul Mall, 61 Edna Place, Crosby Building, 514 South Park Avenue, 619 West Delavan Avenue, 621 West Delavan Avenue, 878 Elmwood Avenue, 1050 Niagara Street, 1076 Genesee Street, 1173 East Lovejoy Street, 1175 East Lovejoy Street, 1179 East Lovejoy Street, 172 Franklin Street, 176 Franklin Street, 189 Saint James Place, 206 Ontario Street, Deck Bros. Building, 262 Ohio Street, Karle Saw Co., 809 Tonawanda Street, 85 East Market Street, 905 Elmwood Avenue, Baker’s Shoes Building, The Bellesara / Allentown Athletic, E&B Holmes Machinery Company, Edmiston's Academy of Business, Ellicott Square Building, Fairmont Creamery, Fire House Chemical No. 3, Fire House Engine No. 8, Gohn’s Place / Delaware House, Graystone Hotel / Berkeley Apartments, Grimm Block, Harbor Inn, Hens & Kelly Department Store, Holy Angels Academy, Jansen Brothers Harness Shop, Kaleida Health Facility (on Main), L.L. Berger Dept. Store / The Belesario, Meldrum-Edwards Building / The Antonio, Neisner Bros., Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Pleu Building, Seneca Plumbing & Heating Supply, 190 South Park Avenue, Swan Ramp, Vars Building, Weed Co. Wholesale Building, GLF Elevator, (Original) Y.M.C.A. / Y.W.C.A. Building,

You can also view this list at Ellicott's category page.

Physical Description

  • Italian Renaissance architectural style
  • A six-story residential building with 'a beautiful and highly detailed classical facade cast in reinforced concrete. It is one of the earliest uses of the material, perhaps even the first large scale use of reinforced concrete.' (Buffalo Rising)
  • 'Its neoclassical façade features graceful ancones supporting handsome pediments above window treatments with small balustrades between stories, roofline pediments, and a distinctive columned portico that reaches all the way to the curb.' (Buffalo Spree)
  • 'The western two thirds of the building are reinforced concrete, while the eastern one-third is steel and brick construction.' (Mike Puma, Views of Buffalo)

Current Condition

A construction worker fell through the roof and was seriously injured in 2003. The hole remained and work ceased for a decade. In 2013, work was again underway to convert the building into 42 market-rate apartments, which will restore many original features, including over 320 original windows.

History

  • 'Built between 1894 and 1897. It was originally planned to extend all the way to Delaware Avenue. Due to financial difficulty, a second owner took over in 1896 and completed a shortened version using steel and brick construction.' (Mike Puma, Views of Buffalo)
  • 'The building was designed by Buffalo architect Carlton T. Strong and Ernest L. Ransome, an English-born architect who first experimented with reinforced concrete construction by using twisted metal rods to strengthen the material....(it is) also distinguished by the way its construction technology was used to create a building with the appearance of a stone exterior.' (Buffalo Spree)
  • It served visitors of the Pan-American Exposition in 1901 and once housed 63 apartment units.
  • It changed names from Berkley Apartments to Graystone Hotel in 1912.
  • "In 1958, the 104 room hotel was sold at auction after a mortgage foreclosure by the Buffalo Savings Bank. The hotel was sold for $81,000... The US Department of Urban Housing and Development rented out space in The Graystone Hotel in the 1980′s and into the 90′s." (Buffalo Then and Now)

Recent Events and Actions Taken

  • 2002 - Ellicott Development purchased the building for $150,000
  • 2003 - Construction worker fell through roof. Later, vegetation, including trees, grew in and about the hole.
  • 2003-2012 - City Housing Court issued 34 appearance orders to Ellicott for code violations in the building. (Buffalo Rising)
  • 2012 - Restoration work resumed
  • 2013 - from August 2013 Buffalo Rising article:
    • "For the first time in two decades, the Hotel Graystone will soon have legal occupants. Ellicott Development is putting the finishing touches on 42 market-rate apartments in the landmark building. The first apartments will be ready for tenants on September 1."

Other Pertinent Facts

The Graystone is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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 2013-01-10 • Last changed 2017-03-30

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