Jun 10, 2005 - Buffalo firefighters continued to battle a three alarm fire at one of the oldest buildings on the H.H. Richardson complex on Forest Avenue Friday morning.

Officials say they are having a hard time bringing this fire under control because of a lack of water, and because of flooding from the overnight storm.

Officials are looking into the possibility that either arson or a lighting strike may have sparked the fire.

IF Pataki and Co. had gotten off their asses a decade ago and got this complex renovated, we could sit back and watch a sprinkler system get this under control. Yet today we sit with $100 million in the bank and no reuse plan, mothball plan, or idea what the hell is going on. Typical NY fashion!

You know, there are not that many buildings left with as much stature as the H.H. Richardson towers that are pre-1900. I for one feel that certain buildings make up a cities charactor and image, these towers do just that, and because commerce, education and trade are so important to Buffalo, it should be up to both local and state public bodies to provide succicient funding for these massive landmarks.

I'm very much conservitive, more so on the fiscal side than social, but I will say money needs to be spent on these icons instead of dead wieght social programs that do little or nothing for the common good of the city, county and state.

You know, there are not that many buildings left with as much stature as the H.H. Richardson towers that are pre-1900. I for one feel that certain buildings make up a cities charactor and image, these towers do just that, and because commerce, education and trade are so important to Buffalo, it should be up to both local and state public bodies to provide succicient funding for these massive landmarks.

I'm very much conservitive, more so on the fiscal side than social, but I will say money needs to be spent on these icons instead of dead wieght social programs that do little or nothing for the common good of the city, county and state.

The money is there- $100 million in last year's state budget. Sitting there waiting for someone to pull the trigger to get these buildings stabilized and reused. :bash:

What is the outcome?

Photos from various websites:
http://www.travelartssyndicate.com/images/BuffaloRichardson2CUthumb.JPG
http://preserve.bfn.org/bam/archs/rich/richvan/2.JPG
http://www.nationaltrust.org/magazine/images/911/buffalo.jpg

Razing urged after fire damages building in Richardson complex
By MARK SOMMER and TOM BUCKHAM
News Staff Reporters
6/11/2005

A historic building in the H.H. Richardson complex is being recommended for demolition by the Buffalo Fire Department, after a two-alarm fire collapsed the roof and badly damaged the interior Friday morning.
But preservationist Tim Tielman said the structure should first be surveyed to see if the facade can be saved.

Tielman and Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, also said the state should start spending $100 million approved by Gov. George E. Pataki to restore the Buffalo Psychiatric Center complex before there is further deterioration.

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20050611/1066208.asp

ok, BULLSHIT flag!

if the city can deny the demolition of the genesee street block just recently, and now ok the demolition of one very rare, historic and that still has a roof, windows ect...?

raise the H H complex? gimme a break, this is bullshit...save the faccade? oh so it looks like the gas works? lol

IMO, they need to all quit they're jobs and take up glory holes in Allentown.

Jun 10, 2005 - Buffalo firefighters continued to battle a three alarm fire at one of the oldest buildings on the H.H. Richardson complex on Forest Avenue Friday morning.

http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3063&stc=1

I know this is a serious thread, but still, this was the first thing I thought of when I saw "Buffalo" and "fire" mentioned in a thread title.

Irv!

This building that burned is not part of the main complex of buildings. I am not sure if this one was designed by Richardson or not but it is (was) a very nice building.

I had a hand in saving that building years ago. As a lowly intern in the Buff State physical plant department I convinced the college to pursue reusing that building for college purposes rather than target it for demo for new construction. They relented and since then nothing (and I mean nothing) has been done with it. The State of New York is one of the biggest slumlords in Buffalo. How is a city supposed to pull its self up when the State continues to invest heavily in nearby Suburban Amherst while letting important landmarks rot to the ground in the City of Buffalo.

very, very tragic and sad news for a building that seems to have so much potential. It is a definite shame that nothing was done about the complex that could have been done. Another black eye on the Government of the State of New York. If they were smart, they should observe how badly damaged the building is and see if is necessarily has to be torn down.