| My theory is a real traveler is able to | | | | stories. That, combined with the |
| discover interesting things even in the | | | | economic woes of the city, has |
| most unlikely of places. Well, Buffalo | | | | apparently created a flight into the |
| probably hasn't made the "top travel | | | | suburbs that has left the city's core |
| destinations" list for a while, but I | | | | rather lifeless on the weekend.It was |
| have been doing some research on it and | | | | really quite sad to see that a city like |
| I thought it's high time to explore | | | | Buffalo, which has such a great number |
| Buffalo, the closest American city to | | | | of outstanding architectural heritage |
| Toronto, just south of Niagara Falls and | | | | sites, had virtually no street life, |
| right across the Fort Erie border.So my | | | | retail or shopping opportunities in the |
| fellow travel and architecture | | | | downtown core. A lot of stores were |
| aficionado Shauna and I headed out early | | | | boarded up and the few stores that were |
| yesterday morning to make the 2 hour | | | | there were closed down tight on the |
| trek to Buffalo. We picked the Fort Erie | | | | weekend.Well, we had to move on to our |
| border crossing and fortunately it | | | | tour of another architectural jewel, |
| wasn't very busy at all. The border | | | | Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House. |
| crossing was actually a reasonably | | | | Darwin Martin was a high-ranking |
| pleasant experience as the border guards | | | | executive with the Larkin Soap Company |
| were in a really good mood and very | | | | and his brother-in-law had encouraged |
| friendly, a nice foreboding to a good | | | | Darwin to seek out Wright's work in Oak |
| day.Approaching the city we immediately | | | | Park, a suburb of Chicago. After |
| took a wrong turn and headed south on | | | | familiarizing himself with Wright's |
| Highway 5 away from downtown. But we got | | | | work, he brought him to Buffalo in |
| to see Buffalo's waterfront, which in | | | | November 1902 to build a house for his |
| this area includes a few rather | | | | sister, the Barton House, with a size of |
| unspectacular marinas and some old | | | | about 4000 feet, and then to build his |
| run-down industrial buildings. We turned | | | | main house, a 15,000 square foot Prairie |
| ourselves around and headed back towards | | | | Style home, characterized by Wright's |
| the downtown area. Because the tourist | | | | rigorous and consistent use of cruciform |
| information office was closed on Sunday | | | | plans, piers and cantilevers, and other |
| we figured, we'd stop in at the Hampton | | | | prairie house principles. After many |
| Inn & Suites Hotel to pick up some | | | | years of neglect, the Martin house is |
| tourist brochures and city maps. Another | | | | now under renovation to restore it back |
| pleasant experience: The lady at the | | | | to its original early 1900's authentic |
| front counter was extremely helpful, | | | | splendour.Right now the building is |
| provided us with several brochures and a | | | | empty and a few large photographs |
| printout of how to get to 2 of the most | | | | illustrate the former decor and |
| important architectural heritage sites | | | | furnishings. It's very visible that this |
| in Buffalo: Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin | | | | building has been neglected for a long |
| House and his other important Buffalo | | | | time and the Martin House Restoration |
| work, Graycliff Mansion.Having parked | | | | Corporation is working very hard to |
| the car on Delaware Avenue at about | | | | restore it back to its authentic 1907 |
| 10:30 am, the one thing that struck us | | | | characteristics, even to the degree of |
| immediately was how empty the streets | | | | rebuilding the pergola and the coach |
| were. There was virtually no pedestrian | | | | house that were demolished by a previous |
| traffic at all and very few vehicles | | | | owner. The tour lasted about 90 minutes |
| passing by. We figured it must be too | | | | and was provided by a very passionate |
| early for people to be out, and we | | | | docent and all the volunteer staff in |
| headed off into a restaurant called | | | | the gift shop and the chaperone were |
| "Flappy's" to strengthen ourselves for | | | | very helpful. We even received a glass |
| the day with a filling brunch. We booked | | | | of water in the 60s style kitchen of the |
| our tour at the Martin House for 2 pm, | | | | Martin House which will be torn out and |
| so after breakfast we had about 2 hours | | | | replaced by more authentic furnishings |
| to do a walking tour of downtown.As we | | | | as the renovation continues.After the |
| came out of the restaurant we noticed | | | | humid heat inside the Martin and Barton |
| the city had gotten a bit livelier, but | | | | Houses we were glad to get outside to |
| not by much. We parked our car close to | | | | cool down. We drove through the Park |
| Niagara Square and started our | | | | Side East Historic District surrounding |
| exploration on foot. First on the agenda | | | | Delaware Park, a creation of the famous |
| was the Buffalo City Hall, a monumental | | | | landscape designer Frederick Law |
| Art Deco skyscraper completed in 1931, | | | | Olmstead, who also designed Central |
| built of orange-hued sandstone with | | | | Park. The area around Delaware Park and |
| intricate details and colourful | | | | the Forest Lawn Cemetery is a beautiful |
| ornamentation. An immensely impressive | | | | part of the city with gorgeous mansions |
| building. We examined all the facade | | | | and manicured lawns, and this beauty is |
| details and friezes which display images | | | | most visible on Millionaires' Row along |
| related to agriculture.We did a little | | | | Delaware Avenue. There was much more |
| downtown circle and covered a few really | | | | traffic and street life in this part of |
| interesting buildings. The red colour | | | | Buffalo, the atmosphere was pleasant and |
| and detailed ornamentation of Louis | | | | the residential areas impressive.We |
| Sullivan's Guaranty Building really | | | | headed over closer to the Niagara River |
| captured our imagination. We passed by | | | | and drove along the Seaway Trail, |
| St. Paul's Cathedral and past the | | | | crossed Grand Island and continued on |
| trolley tracks of Main Street we | | | | the outskirts of Niagara Falls, NY, |
| discovered the Elicott Square Building. | | | | right along the Niagara River towards |
| The east entrance to the building was | | | | Lewiston. The drive north of Niagara |
| actually open so we went inside. This | | | | Falls to Fort Niagara State Park on Lake |
| building was erected in 1896 according | | | | Ontario is gorgeous, with beautiful old |
| to a design by Daniel Burnham, one of | | | | homes overlooking the Niagara River, |
| Chicago's most famous architects. This | | | | huge trees overhanging the 2-lane |
| building is constructed around a large | | | | country road, with well-kept properties |
| interior court covered by a glass block | | | | on either side of the road. We stopped |
| ceiling held up by ornamented steel | | | | for a snack just outside the very quaint |
| girders. We commented on how similar | | | | town of Lewiston, in a place called the |
| this design was the one of Chicago's | | | | Silo, which is right next to the river, |
| most famous buildings, the "Rookery", | | | | overlooking a launch area for the |
| and it wasn't until this morning that I | | | | high-speed boats that whisk visitors |
| realized that both buildings were | | | | into the rapids of the Niagara Gorge. We |
| created by the same architect.It's an | | | | had a lovely greasy lunch outside, |
| amazingly impressive building with | | | | enjoying the breeze (hey, you don't have |
| gorgeous sweeping staircases and an | | | | to eat healthy every day) and then |
| intricate mosaic covering the entire | | | | continued our drive all the way to Fort |
| courtyard. From the Ellicot Square | | | | Niagara State Park, admiring the villas |
| Building we headed towards the Lafayette | | | | and estates.We had chosen to cross the |
| Hotel, a handsome red brick and white | | | | border at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, |
| terra cotta French Renaissance-style | | | | but construction work had caused |
| building which was built in anticipation | | | | confusing detours and a local New York |
| of the expected influx of visitors at | | | | State father and son team stopped their |
| the Pan-American Exposition in 1901. Due | | | | car when they saw us by the road, |
| to financial difficulties, however, it | | | | staring at the map, trying to figure out |
| was not opened until 1904. From there we | | | | how to get to the border crossing. They |
| checked out the General Electric Tower, | | | | rolled down the window and said they'd |
| a handsome white Terracotta-clad | | | | guide us to the bridge, which they did. |
| structure dating back to 1912.The | | | | We followed them for about 10 minutes |
| Electric Tower happens to be right | | | | through the maze of detour signs until |
| beside another fascinating building: the | | | | we found the bridge and headed back over |
| Buffalo Savings Bank, a building | | | | to Canada. Both of us were very |
| manifesting Buffalo's boom of the second | | | | impressed with the friendliness and |
| half of the 19th century. In the late | | | | helpfulness of the locals.Back on the |
| 1890s - the peak of Buffalo's golden age | | | | Canadian side we drove along the Niagara |
| - the bank held a competition for a | | | | Parkway and stopped in the beautiful |
| grand new headquarters. The contest was | | | | little village of Niagara-on-the-Lake. |
| won by Green & Wicks, Buffalo's premier | | | | NOTL calls itself the "prettiest village |
| turn-of-the-century architectural firm. | | | | in Ontario", and they might just be |
| Their design projected stability, | | | | right. The village is home to |
| security, and aspiration.The building's | | | | beautifully maintained Victorian homes, |
| signature feature is the gold-leafed | | | | overflowing flower baskets, souvenir |
| dome.After the Buffalo Savings Bank we | | | | shops, cafes, bed and breakfasts, as |
| explored the Genesee Building which | | | | well as the famous Shaw Festival, and |
| today is the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Just | | | | for many Ontarians it is a favourite |
| as we finished exploring that building | | | | destination for a quick weekend |
| the heavens opened up and there was a | | | | getaway.From Niagara-on-the-Lake we |
| torrential downpour so we sat down in | | | | headed through vineyards and orchards to |
| front of the Hyatt and took in the | | | | St. Catharines, and to its Port |
| street scene. We were facing Main | | | | Dalhousie waterfront entertainment area, |
| Street, the street that is now a | | | | not forgetting to stop by a road-side |
| pedestrian zone and accommodates | | | | fruit stall to buy ripe red cherries and |
| Buffalo's light rail rapid transit line. | | | | nuclear-size apricots fresh from the |
| One thing we consistently noticed in | | | | tree. About 20 minutes from NOTL, Port |
| Buffalo was the absence of street-level | | | | Dalhousie harbours a marina and a long |
| stores and restaurants. In the downtown | | | | pier and numerous outdoor patio |
| core, as a matter of fact, most of the | | | | restaurants, ice cream parlors, souvenir |
| modernist office and government | | | | shops and other entertainment. Hundreds |
| buildings did not have any street level | | | | of people were parading along the pier, |
| retail at all. A lot of the modern | | | | couples, parents with children, dog |
| administrative buildings in Buffalo have | | | | owners, retired folks and a very |
| a rather austere and non-welcoming | | | | interesting young lady with red hair, |
| feeling and some of the newer buildings | | | | whose friend had given her poodle a |
| dating back to the 50s and later have an | | | | matching-colour hairdo with the leftover |
| almost penitentiary feeling to them. The | | | | hair dye.The atmosphere in Port |
| resulting scarcity of street-level store | | | | Dalhousie was almost like in a |
| fronts combined with the utter lack of | | | | Californian seafront resort town with |
| pedestrians (certainly on the weekend) | | | | rollerbladers, walkers, beach volleyball |
| really gives downtown Buffalo a rather | | | | players, boaters and relaxed pedestrians |
| eerie deserted feel, and the absence of | | | | taking a stroll through the village and |
| people downtown was our most striking | | | | on the pier. I did not even feel like I |
| impression of Buffalo. Judging from the | | | | was in Ontario. The sun was starting to |
| classically styled street lamps with | | | | set and lake was laid out in front of us |
| blooming planters, however, the city | | | | like an ocean, with no shoreline visible |
| appears to have been working on | | | | on the other side. It was a beautiful |
| beautifying the downtown core.We started | | | | hot evening and I felt like I wanted to |
| heading back to the car and passed by | | | | spend a whole week in this happening |
| the Statler Hotel, which isn't really a | | | | spot. But no such luck, we had to get |
| hotel any more, but apparently a | | | | back to Toronto after our exciting |
| building full of lawyer's offices. We | | | | girls-only excursion to Buffalo and the |
| had a look inside the impressive lobby | | | | Niagara Peninsula.We got to explore some |
| which features French chandeliers from | | | | fabulous architectural gems, connected |
| the early 20th century. I took a couple | | | | with the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, |
| of pictures, but the security guard | | | | had a lovely greasy lunch right next to |
| stopped me, telling me no photography | | | | the Niagara River, enjoyed the |
| was allowed. We had a really interesting | | | | hospitality and the helpfulness of the |
| chat after this and he commented on | | | | local New York State residents, and back |
| long-standing economic problems of | | | | on home territory, we hopped along the |
| Buffalo and how in his opinion, the | | | | Lake Ontario shoreline to enjoy fresh |
| current mayor had only made things | | | | fruits, frozen yogurt and an amazingly |
| worse. One example of the city's | | | | relaxing late afternoon by the |
| economic problems is that the stately | | | | waterfront. It doesn't get much better |
| ballroom of the Statler Hotel had only | | | | than that...Susanne Pacher is the |
| been recently reopened after having been | | | | publisher of a website called Travel and |
| closed down since 1957. Furthermore, a | | | | Transitions( Travel and Transitions |
| previous owner of the building had tried | | | | deals with unconventional travel and is |
| to create a food court in the basement | | | | chock full of advice, tips, real life |
| and had opened up the main floor, but | | | | travel experiences, interviews with |
| ran out of money before the food court | | | | travellers and travel experts, insights |
| could be built. So now you have a rather | | | | and reflections, cross-cultural issues, |
| obtrusive opening on the ground floor | | | | contests and many other features. You |
| with a view into an empty basement | | | | will also find stories about life and |
| without stores or food outlets. Our | | | | the transitions that we face as we go |
| local contact also commented on the | | | | through our own personal life-long |
| reasons why downtown Buffalo was so | | | | journeys.Submit your own travel stories |
| devoid of people, and he said that all | | | | in our first travel story contest( and |
| the locals did their shopping at the | | | | have a chance to win an amazing |
| suburban malls and big warehouse | | | | adventure cruise on the Amazon River. |