Niagara Falls, NY: Downtown

***xzmattzx*** · February 17th, 2009, 10:50 PM

Downtown Niagara Falls is located along the Niagara River rapids and the American Falls in the southwest corner of the city. Since the 1820s, this part of Niagara Falls has been a tourist destination, as people travelled from around the world to experience the Falls. Numerous hotels lined Falls Street and nearby streets, including the Cataract House, Imperial Hotel, Tower Hotel, International Hotel, Clifton Hotel, Spencer House, Prospect House, and others. Most of these hotels burned down in the early 20th century, and the rest were demolished in the 1960s due to urban renewal. From these hotels, guests could walk to Goat Island and Luna Island, walk to the depot to take them to the Great Gorge Route, or even just enjoy the rapids from the porches and windows of their hotel.

Manufacturing also flourished in Niagara Falls in the 1800s and early 1900s. Many factories and mills were located along the rapids to take advantage of hydroelectric power. Other factories and mills diverted water from the river to the gorge, where artificial waterfalls and descents along the walls of the gorge provided power to mills located at the top of the gorge walls. In August 1895, factories were no longer constrained to using the Niagara River as a power source, when the Niagara Falls Power Company went into operation. The Niagara Falls Power Company provided polyphase alternating current to customers, allowing them to be located anywhere. The alternate source of power coincided with the the idea of returning the banks of the Niagara along the rapids into a natural environment. In 1885, the Niagara Reservation, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened up to preserve the view of the Falls. The Niagara Reservation became the first state park in the United States, Niagara Falls State Park.

Seneca Niagara Casino, on 6th Street. The casino was opened in 2003, and the hotel tower was built in 2006.

First Presbyterian Church, on Rainbow Boulevard. The church was built in 1849.

St. Peter's Episcopal Church, on Rainbow Boulevard at 2nd Street. The church was built in 1880.

The Jefferson Presidential, on Rainbow Boulevard at 3rd Street. The structure was built in 1926.

The Wintergarden, on Rainbow Boulevard. The Wintergarden was built in 1977 as an arboretum and will be demolished.

St. Mary of the Cataract Roman Catholic Church, on 4th Street. The church was built in 1847.

The St. Mary of the Cataract Rectory, on 4th Street.

The United Office Building, on Rainbow Boulevard. The building was built in 1929.

Buildings on 3rd Street.

Businesses on Niagara Street.

The Grand Hotel Niagara, on Rainbow Boulevard. The hotel was built in 1925.

The Red Coach Inn, on Buffalo Avenue at Old Main Street.

A house on Buffalo Avenue.

The Lavinia Porter Manse, on Buffalo Avenue. The house has been hosting weddings since 1848.

A house on 3rd Street.

Niagara Falls' Downtown buildings from Prospect Park. The United Office Building is on the left, and the Grand Hotel Niagara is on the right.

The rapids, from Prospect Park. Goat Island is in the background.

Niagara Falls, Ontario, can be seen behind Goat Island.

The view of the American Falls, on the left, and the Canadian Falls, in the background, from Prospect Point.

The skyline of Niagara Falls, Ontario, from Prospect Point in Prospect Park.

The American and Canadian Falls.

bayviews · February 18th, 2009, 08:01 AM

Nice pictures.

But given the abundant supply of empty lots nearby, what's the point of demolishing the Wintergarden? Can't they find another use for it? What's planned to replace it?

Or is just another project to keep the local demolition contracters busy?

doctorjef · February 18th, 2009, 02:55 PM

St Mary of the Cataract? That's strange dedication? Our Lady of Optometry? Do you have any idea to what that title refers? On a more serious subject, it would be really cool if you have occasion sometime to add pics of Niagara-on-the-Lake, on the Canadian side.

***xzmattzx*** · February 19th, 2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorjef

St Mary of the Cataract? That's strange dedication? Our Lady of Optometry? Do you have any idea to what that title refers? On a more serious subject, it would be really cool if you have occasion sometime to add pics of Niagara-on-the-Lake, on the Canadian side.

A cataract is a waterfall, referring to the Niagara Falls.

As far as Niagara-On-The-Lake goes, I did do a brief tour of the town a few years ago (LINK), but I didn't cover too much and I plan on going back again.

Spaulding97 · February 20th, 2009, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bayviews

Nice pictures.

But given the abundant supply of empty lots nearby, what's the point of demolishing the Wintergarden? Can't they find another use for it? What's planned to replace it?

I also think it's dumb. I don't think there are any plans to build anything in it's place. The sad thing is, it's a ghost town literally. There is absolutely nothing to do except go to the falls itself. Besides the Casino, there are no restaraunts, no shops no, no coffee shops, no bars, nothing for tourists to do. I found this out last winter when My Fiance and I spent the night on the NY side. We saw foreign tourists (buses full mind you) walking around aimlessly and looking in closed up stores or buildings for some food or to shop. Nothing for them to do and nowhere for them to spend their money. It was so embarrasing. And it's not just because it's winter, it's pretty much like that in the summer as well. It's a total shame.

***xzmattzx*** · February 20th, 2009, 05:56 PM

As I understand it, they are tearing down the Wintergarden to rebuild Falls Street. You Buffalo guys probably know more about that project than I do, since you're in the area.

Jimi C · February 19th, 2009, 12:53 AM

The Lavinia Porter Manse, on Buffalo Avenue. The house has been hosting weddings since 1848.

Alot of people have goth weddings in Niagara Falls? Who would want to get married there?

Jaybird · February 19th, 2009, 01:24 AM

^ Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe the inside is nice.

They're leasing the United Office building for suites, sweet! I love that Red Coach Inn and its swiss-like architecture. Niagara Falls, New York's historic building collection is nice.

ExWNY'er · February 19th, 2009, 04:31 AM

There has to be a better use for the Wintergarden. Cesar Pelli is the architect. It has to have some value.

bayviews · February 19th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExWNY'er

There has to be a better use for the Wintergarden. Cesar Pelli is the architect. It has to have some value.

Oh I didn't know it was designed by Pelli. It just looked nice. All the more reason to preserve & reuse the Windergarden.

Xusein · February 20th, 2009, 10:36 PM

Nice pics. Unfortunately, other than the falls and some decent (but expensive!) eats nearby, Niagara Falls is a depressing boring dump, even in the summer. I was there in August, and after 3 hours of walking around the falls, I was bored. You're much better off in the Canadian side.

I'm not even going to mention the massive vacant lots and urban prairie in the inner city, and the awful sight of some (derelict?) industrial plant when on the Robert Moses Parkway. Overall, the place is a depressing town when you get even a block away from the falls.

Maybe the casino is interesting, but I didn't go there.

ExWNY'er · February 20th, 2009, 11:42 PM

^ The Falls = massive potential wasted. They should demo everything there and start over again. Imagine a quaint town like an Aspen, CO there? With hotels that blend in nicely? Instead we get a cesspool. Not even a cesspool- a ghost town of a cesspool. I apologize to all Niagara Falls citizens here. I am sure you live in a nicer part of the town or moved away at this point.

Jimi C · February 22nd, 2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExWNY'er

^ The Falls = massive potential wasted. They should demo everything there and start over again. Imagine a quaint town like an Aspen, CO there? With hotels that blend in nicely? Instead we get a cesspool. Not even a cesspool- a ghost town of a cesspool. I apologize to all Niagara Falls citizens here. I am sure you live in a nicer part of the town or moved away at this point.

Ditto everything. Mostly the demo everything part. I dont care what happens after that. I think they should go back to dirt roads there too, at least then they would have a fighting chance when it comes to repairing the insane amount of potholes on EVERY fucking street in the city. Everytime I drive down Pine Ave the low tire pressure thing on my dashboard goes bananas. From 7th ave to portage is just scary as hell.

drafty · February 26th, 2009, 05:35 AM

The Wintergarden was built on and across Falls Ave., connected to the Rainbow Center. While it was open, you could walk through it to get from the convention center (now Seneca Casino) area to the Falls and State Park. Since it and Rainbow Center have been closed, you have to walk around the block (after having walked up to it and realizing that you can't get through). This PO's a lot of tourists and many don't even bother, and since no one (the elusive 'they') is willing to buy it and make it into something, the city wants to get it out of the way to open up access from the hotels to the Falls. Yes, it is a shame to have to demolish such a structure, but it would appear to be a necessary evil.

bayviews · March 7th, 2009, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drafty

The Wintergarden was built on and across Falls Ave., connected to the Rainbow Center. While it was open, you could walk through it to get from the convention center (now Seneca Casino) area to the Falls and State Park. Since it and Rainbow Center have been closed, you have to walk around the block (after having walked up to it and realizing that you can't get through). This PO's a lot of tourists and many don't even bother, and since no one (the elusive 'they') is willing to buy it and make it into something, the city wants to get it out of the way to open up access from the hotels to the Falls. Yes, it is a shame to have to demolish such a structure, but it would appear to be a necessary evil.

Having looked into what's happened with the Wintergarden, a fine architectural gem, as with so many other sad tales from Niagara Falls, seems there has been a bit more than meets the eye.

It my understanding that there were some minor defects in the construction during the 1970s that led to leaks in the glass. During that period, the mob--remanants the Magadino clan that had a lot to do with running the city into the ground---dominated some of the construction locals, & they were notorious for shoddy work. The Fed building in Buffalo that was done by the mob infested unions during the same period has had to be redone at a cost of many millions.

The Wintergarden was built as an indoor botanical garden. But then ended up being used for other purposes, some of which didn't make much sense. Tourists don't come to the Falls to skate, they can do that at home. Seems the last guy who leased the place for that purpose also extended a indefinate "loan" to the ex-mayor of the Falls who cut him that sweetheart deal to run the place. A judge ruled that was corruption & the ex-leaser got convicted.

The new mayor in Niagara Falls seems to bring some good planning skills that holds promise to help to turn things around. But only time will tell, as so many mayors have come in with high expectations only to dissapoint.

I do think though that it it be worthwhile for the Falls to take take a look at better re-used options for the Wintergarden that would have the potential of making it an attraction rather than an obstacle at worst or a pass-thru at best.

Why not consider making it a multi-use facility? A place for a weekly farmers market during the harvest season? A year-round International Market with boths of different ethnic foods? Have part used as performing arts center? And/or as bookstore? Tourists always like to visit bookstores.

Those are just a few examples of the types of attractions that have the potential to turn the Wintergarden into a magnet for tourists & locals alike. It just seems that only a place that has totally run out of creative ideas & imagination would be so short-sighted as to to demolish a fine structure designed by an architect as highly-regarded as Cesar Pelli.

kznyc2k · April 8th, 2009, 08:17 PM

My band was driving from Cleveland back home to Boston after a tour, and the guitarist said he wanted to see Niagara Falls since he never had before (it also gave us an excuse to eat some wings at Duff's as we took the 290 back to I-90). We went to the American side since nobody brought their passports, and although I knew what to expect, nobody else did, and they left the place saying nothing good about it. "Shithole" and "depressing" were the words that kept being repeated.

And it saddens me to hear the Winter Garden is going bye-bye. Hell, the whole place saddens me.

bayviews · February 22nd, 2009, 05:48 AM

Even when Niagara Falls NY was a vital industrial city, which it was up thru the 1960s, it wasn't much of tourist attraction. With the best views of the Falls, the Canadian side drew must of the tourists.

Actually a big part of the problem with Niagara Falls NY today stems from the wholesale demolition of the downtown & some of the close-in neighborhoods for the Rainbow Center in the late 60s/early 70s. The Wintergarden, the Turtle Native American Museum, another very attractive, well designed facility that for some reason was never was used to its potential, & the Convention Center grew out of that.

Another factor is that Buffalo & Toronto used to be about the same size. Now Toronto's grown to five times as big, so most of tourist flows from Toronto to the Canadian side. Its simply not worth the trouble to cross over to the blighted US side.

Surprising as it may seem, even Flint Michigan has a Tourist & Convention center. Sure, lots of cities have tried to replace industry with tourism, but they are not all tourist Certainly Niagara Falls has lots of potential, located right along one of great natural wonders of the world. But sadly, the city itself doesn't look much better than Flint or Youngstown.

If Niagara Falls, NY couldn't successfully utilize & market the Wintergarden or the Turtle Museum, both nicely designed interesting attractions, it would be interesting to hear their plans for attracting tourists & residents to their next coming attractions.

One would hope that places will learn from their mistakes, rather than repeating them again.

February 17th, 2009, 10:50 PM	#1
*xzmattzx* Philly sports fan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 9,528	Niagara Falls, NY: Downtown Downtown Niagara Falls is located along the Niagara River rapids and the American Falls in the southwest corner of the city. Since the 1820s, this part of Niagara Falls has been a tourist destination, as people travelled from around the world to experience the Falls. Numerous hotels lined Falls Street and nearby streets, including the Cataract House, Imperial Hotel, Tower Hotel, International Hotel, Clifton Hotel, Spencer House, Prospect House, and others. Most of these hotels burned down in the early 20th century, and the rest were demolished in the 1960s due to urban renewal. From these hotels, guests could walk to Goat Island and Luna Island, walk to the depot to take them to the Great Gorge Route, or even just enjoy the rapids from the porches and windows of their hotel. Manufacturing also flourished in Niagara Falls in the 1800s and early 1900s. Many factories and mills were located along the rapids to take advantage of hydroelectric power. Other factories and mills diverted water from the river to the gorge, where artificial waterfalls and descents along the walls of the gorge provided power to mills located at the top of the gorge walls. In August 1895, factories were no longer constrained to using the Niagara River as a power source, when the Niagara Falls Power Company went into operation. The Niagara Falls Power Company provided polyphase alternating current to customers, allowing them to be located anywhere. The alternate source of power coincided with the the idea of returning the banks of the Niagara along the rapids into a natural environment. In 1885, the Niagara Reservation, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened up to preserve the view of the Falls. The Niagara Reservation became the first state park in the United States, Niagara Falls State Park. Seneca Niagara Casino, on 6th Street. The casino was opened in 2003, and the hotel tower was built in 2006. First Presbyterian Church, on Rainbow Boulevard. The church was built in 1849. St. Peter's Episcopal Church, on Rainbow Boulevard at 2nd Street. The church was built in 1880. The Jefferson Presidential, on Rainbow Boulevard at 3rd Street. The structure was built in 1926. The Wintergarden, on Rainbow Boulevard. The Wintergarden was built in 1977 as an arboretum and will be demolished. St. Mary of the Cataract Roman Catholic Church, on 4th Street. The church was built in 1847. The St. Mary of the Cataract Rectory, on 4th Street. The United Office Building, on Rainbow Boulevard. The building was built in 1929. Buildings on 3rd Street. Businesses on Niagara Street. The Grand Hotel Niagara, on Rainbow Boulevard. The hotel was built in 1925. The Red Coach Inn, on Buffalo Avenue at Old Main Street. A house on Buffalo Avenue. The Lavinia Porter Manse, on Buffalo Avenue. The house has been hosting weddings since 1848. A house on 3rd Street. Niagara Falls' Downtown buildings from Prospect Park. The United Office Building is on the left, and the Grand Hotel Niagara is on the right. The rapids, from Prospect Park. Goat Island is in the background. Niagara Falls, Ontario, can be seen behind Goat Island. The view of the American Falls, on the left, and the Canadian Falls, in the background, from Prospect Point. The skyline of Niagara Falls, Ontario, from Prospect Point in Prospect Park. The American and Canadian Falls. __________________ The great state of Delaware; My daily Delaware photo; My urban photo blog Riverfront Wilmington construction photos; Center City Wilmington construction photos

February 18th, 2009, 02:55 PM	#3
doctorjef Delaware Adoptee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Wilmington DE Posts: 195	St Mary of the Cataract? That's strange dedication? Our Lady of Optometry? Do you have any idea to what that title refers? On a more serious subject, it would be really cool if you have occasion sometime to add pics of Niagara-on-the-Lake, on the Canadian side. __________________ There'll always be an England

February 20th, 2009, 05:56 PM	#6
*xzmattzx* Philly sports fan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 9,528	As I understand it, they are tearing down the Wintergarden to rebuild Falls Street. You Buffalo guys probably know more about that project than I do, since you're in the area. __________________ The great state of Delaware; My daily Delaware photo; My urban photo blog Riverfront Wilmington construction photos; Center City Wilmington construction photos

February 19th, 2009, 01:24 AM	#8
Jaybird Adopted Buffalonian Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Mitchell, Ontario Posts: 3,337	^ Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe the inside is nice. They're leasing the United Office building for suites, sweet! I love that Red Coach Inn and its swiss-like architecture. Niagara Falls, New York's historic building collection is nice. __________________ I'm a kind of person feeling like living back in the 1950s, one who favors and enjoys the Golden-age, rust-belt cities of Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Detroit, and the Gothic skylines of New York and Philadelphia. In my eye, they have more character, soul, and history to be pictured than today's world-class, cosmopolitan, and sprawling cities. Jaybird's ZENFOLIO Photo Galleries Jaybird's PBASE Photo Galleries

February 20th, 2009, 10:36 PM	#11
Xusein Confidence Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Buffalo Posts: 9,692	Nice pics. Unfortunately, other than the falls and some decent (but expensive!) eats nearby, Niagara Falls is a depressing boring dump, even in the summer. I was there in August, and after 3 hours of walking around the falls, I was bored. You're much better off in the Canadian side. I'm not even going to mention the massive vacant lots and urban prairie in the inner city, and the awful sight of some (derelict?) industrial plant when on the Robert Moses Parkway. Overall, the place is a depressing town when you get even a block away from the falls. Maybe the casino is interesting, but I didn't go there. __________________ [pics]: Hartford ~ Washington DC ~ Buffalo ~ Toronto (UPDATE 11/30) [threads]: CT Development ~ SimCity ~ *Flickr*

February 18th, 2009, 08:01 AM	#2
bayviews Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,823	Nice pictures. But given the abundant supply of empty lots nearby, what's the point of demolishing the Wintergarden? Can't they find another use for it? What's planned to replace it? Or is just another project to keep the local demolition contracters busy?

February 19th, 2009, 12:53 AM	#7
Jimi C Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 217	The Lavinia Porter Manse, on Buffalo Avenue. The house has been hosting weddings since 1848. Alot of people have goth weddings in Niagara Falls? Who would want to get married there?

February 19th, 2009, 04:31 AM	#9
ExWNY'er Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 903	There has to be a better use for the Wintergarden. Cesar Pelli is the architect. It has to have some value.

February 20th, 2009, 11:42 PM	#12
ExWNY'er Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 903	^ The Falls = massive potential wasted. They should demo everything there and start over again. Imagine a quaint town like an Aspen, CO there? With hotels that blend in nicely? Instead we get a cesspool. Not even a cesspool- a ghost town of a cesspool. I apologize to all Niagara Falls citizens here. I am sure you live in a nicer part of the town or moved away at this point.

February 26th, 2009, 05:35 AM	#14
drafty Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Niagara Falls Posts: 56	The Wintergarden was built on and across Falls Ave., connected to the Rainbow Center. While it was open, you could walk through it to get from the convention center (now Seneca Casino) area to the Falls and State Park. Since it and Rainbow Center have been closed, you have to walk around the block (after having walked up to it and realizing that you can't get through). This PO's a lot of tourists and many don't even bother, and since no one (the elusive 'they') is willing to buy it and make it into something, the city wants to get it out of the way to open up access from the hotels to the Falls. Yes, it is a shame to have to demolish such a structure, but it would appear to be a necessary evil.

April 8th, 2009, 08:17 PM	#16
kznyc2k Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 17	My band was driving from Cleveland back home to Boston after a tour, and the guitarist said he wanted to see Niagara Falls since he never had before (it also gave us an excuse to eat some wings at Duff's as we took the 290 back to I-90). We went to the American side since nobody brought their passports, and although I knew what to expect, nobody else did, and they left the place saying nothing good about it. "Shithole" and "depressing" were the words that kept being repeated. And it saddens me to hear the Winter Garden is going bye-bye. Hell, the whole place saddens me.

February 22nd, 2009, 05:48 AM	#17
bayviews Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,823	Even when Niagara Falls NY was a vital industrial city, which it was up thru the 1960s, it wasn't much of tourist attraction. With the best views of the Falls, the Canadian side drew must of the tourists. Actually a big part of the problem with Niagara Falls NY today stems from the wholesale demolition of the downtown & some of the close-in neighborhoods for the Rainbow Center in the late 60s/early 70s. The Wintergarden, the Turtle Native American Museum, another very attractive, well designed facility that for some reason was never was used to its potential, & the Convention Center grew out of that. Another factor is that Buffalo & Toronto used to be about the same size. Now Toronto's grown to five times as big, so most of tourist flows from Toronto to the Canadian side. Its simply not worth the trouble to cross over to the blighted US side. Surprising as it may seem, even Flint Michigan has a Tourist & Convention center. Sure, lots of cities have tried to replace industry with tourism, but they are not all tourist Certainly Niagara Falls has lots of potential, located right along one of great natural wonders of the world. But sadly, the city itself doesn't look much better than Flint or Youngstown. If Niagara Falls, NY couldn't successfully utilize & market the Wintergarden or the Turtle Museum, both nicely designed interesting attractions, it would be interesting to hear their plans for attracting tourists & residents to their next coming attractions. One would hope that places will learn from their mistakes, rather than repeating them again.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode