City Hall

So today, Carl and I decided to take the afternoon tour of City Hall.

I have lived in Buffalo and its surrounding areas almost my whole life so I feel I have seen my fare share of architecture throughout the area and I'd have to say, it never gets old!  I've spoken to people all over the world and I am always proud to tell them where I am from.  Most just know of our affinity for snowfall and not much more, so to back up my own words that there is much more to Buffalo than snow, I was very happy to view this building from both the inside and out.

The tour started in the lobby of the building where about ten to twelve of us congregated.  I have to say, I was a little surprised that Carl and I were the only two students on the tour.  Most of the people were from the area but there was also a couple from San Francisco as well as another couple from Europe, I want to say Denmark but I can't remember exactly right now.

The tour was quite informative.  The tour guide, a retired high school teacher from Kenmore East High School was very knowledgeable about not only the building, but also why certain things were designed into the building.  For example, he explained why the building is shaped the way it is.  It is designed in the same fashion as buildings were designed in New York City where as the building gets taller, the sides come in similar to a step pyramid.  This was to allow fresh air to circulate outside the building and down to the ground.  Not much of a problem for where this building is located but still kind of cool to know and look for next time I'm in NYC.

Other things included in the tour was that the building took three years to complete and work started in 1929, right at the beginning of the Great Depression.  Also, we were able to see the Mayor's Office as well as the Council Chambers and the Observation Deck at the top to conclude the tour.  It was a beautiful day for the observation deck.  With the sun out, we could see all the way north to Niagara Falls and the Mist and all the way south to Ralph Wilson Stadium.  Sorry, no good pics of the Ralph, but I do like how you can see the mist of the Falls in this one Below.

I'd have to say, the highlights of the tour for me was the excellent architecture of the building, the amazing frescos and tile work in the lobby, and for me the geographer, being on the observation deck trying to see buffalo as a living map and seeing where everything is from an almost bird's eye view.

Thought these last 2 pics would be a good way to end.  The top is proof Carl didn't try to jump like one person did years ago, the poor guy landed on the flag pole!!! And I like the bottom pic due to the different time periods of Buffalo that are represented.  In the middle are some grain elevators owned by General Mills while in front of them is the HSBC Arena where the Sabres have made their home since the early 1990's and in the back, maybe a brief glimpse of the future with the Steel Winds project's wind turbines.