Buffalo Central Terminal

Layout

The terminal is located about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from downtown Buffalo, and consists of several structures, some of which are connected, while others were formerly interconnected.

Concourses

The main concourse is 225 feet (69 m) long, 66 feet (21 m) wide, and 58.5 feet (17.8 m) tall (63.5 feet [19.4 m] at the domed ends). The concourse included various rental spaces; a restaurant with a dining room, lunch room, and coffee shop; a Western Union telegraph office; and a soda fountain, along with standard station necessities. Off the concourse there is a streetcar lobby and waiting room. Curtiss Street runs directly below the concourse, but has been closed since the late 1980s for safety reasons. The concourse is currently owned by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation.

The train concourse is 450 feet (140 m) long and includes 14 high-level platforms. Each platform is accessed by a staircase and a ramp. The train concourse is owned by Amtrak, with the land being owned by CSX. In 1982, the bridge which connected the train concourse and passenger platforms from the terminal and main concourse was demolished to allow passage of high freight cars on the Belt Line. The rest of the concourse remains.

Buildings

The office tower is 15 stories, excluding the main floor, and mezzanine. The 271-foot (83 m) building is owned by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation.

The baggage building on Curtiss Street is owned by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation. It is a five-story building immediately adjacent to the Main Concourse. The mail building along Curtiss Street is owned by the City of Buffalo. It is a two-story building adjacent to the Baggage Building.

The Railway Express Agency was the early forerunner of today's Federal Express and UPS. The building is located behind the Mail Building of the complex and is by far the most decayed building. Trains would pull directly into the building to proceed with the load/unloading of goods. This building is currently owned by the City of Buffalo, which has confirmed plans to demolish it.

Former Buildings

Other buildings included a Pullman Company service building, an ice house, and a coach shop, all of which were torn down in 1966 to lower property taxes.

The first building built as part of the project was a cogeneration power station that provided heat and electricity to the complex, even during construction. It contained three 28-foot (8.5 m) coal boilers. The building's smokestack was dismantled in 1966 to save on taxes. The power plant itself lasted up until the mid-1980s, with its exact demise not known.

Planning and Construction (1925-1929)

During the late 19th Century, Buffalo had several railroad stations, and there were calls for a single union station. In 1889, a Union Station was proposed to be built on the site of the future Central Terminal, but it never happened.

The New York Central Railroad (NYC) had two stations in Buffalo in the early 20th Century: the Exchange Street Station and the Terrace Station. Both of these downtown stations were old—Exchange Street dated to before the American Civil War—and were plagued with downtown congestion.

NYC decided to build the new Buffalo Central Terminal 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to the east, in order to relieve both rail and grade crossing congestion and to be more conveniently located for trains not terminating in Buffalo. A roomier area would also ease the transfer of sleeping cars between trains. Furthermore, Buffalo was a quickly growing city at the time, and it was believed that before long Central Terminal's area would become closer to the center of a sprawing metropolis of 1.5 million people. The city was not so sure, but planning was well underway in 1924, despite the lack of an agreement at the time.

NYC finalized its decision to build the terminal in 1925, and site preparation began the following year. NYC President Patrick Crowley hired Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner to build the actual station in 1927. The total cost of the project was $14 million. Prior to the building of the station, the site was bounded to the south by the New York Central main line, to the northwest by the NYC's West Shore Railroad, and to the east by the NYC's Junction Railroad. When the station was built, the West Shore was abandoned between the NYC main line and the Junction Railroad, being rerouted via the other two lines and the new station. The former West Shore right-of-way is now Memorial Drive.

A grand celebration attended by 2,200 invited guests on June 22, 1929, opened the station. Speakers included Henry Thornton and Frank X. Schwab. Although an eastbound Empire State Express departed the station at 2:10 PM, the train was not a regular one, and was really just ceremonial. The station did not open until the celebration ended at 3:30, and scheduled service began on June 23.

The Terminal Opens

In the early days, the station was served not only by the owner, but also by the Canadian National Railway, Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway.

When the NYC operated the 20th Century Limited, Central Terminal was located approximately 44 miles (71 km) east of the half-way point from New York City to Chicago, and the trains would pass each other near there.

Central Terminal was almost always too large throughout its history. Although it started with 200 trains daily, the Great Depression began less than a year after its construction, and the rise in automobile use also hurt passenger levels.

Wartime and Decline (1941-1979)

There was a burst of activity during World War II when the station had a reasonable amount of train traffic for its size. Notable trains making daily calls at the station include the Wolverine, Interstate Express, the Ohio State Limited, the Lake Shore Limited, the 20th Century Limited (engine crew-change stop only), the New England States, the Boston Express, the Empire State Express, The Midnight Special, the Royal Palm, among many others.

After the war, the station again entered into decline. NYC offered the terminal for sale in 1956 for one million dollars. A company called Buffprop Enterprises did negotiate a 25-year lease of the terminal in 1959, but it ended the following year. Service to Niagara Falls, New York, ended by 1961.

In 1966, the continuing decrease in passenger revenues caused NYC to demolish parts of the Terminal complex, including the Pullman service building, coach shop and ice house. In 1968, the NYC merged into Penn Central Transportation (PC). PC operated the terminal until the creation of Amtrak in 1971.

The bankrupt PC was absorbed by Conrail in April 1976. On October 22, 1977, Amtrak restored service to Niagara Falls and Toronto via the Maple Leaf. The financially strapped passenger carrier was in no position to rehabilitate Central Terminal, resulting in the reopening of the Buffalo-Exchange Street Station for both the Maple Leaf and Empire Service trains, marginalizing use of the Terminal. Amtrak replaced it in 1979 with Buffalo-Depew station. The last train to use Central Terminal was the westbound Lake Shore Limited, which departed at 4:10 am on October 28.

Ownership by Anthony Fedele (1979-1986)

The building was sold to Anthony T. Fedele, a local builder, for $75,000 in 1979. Fedele planned a 150-room hotel, offices and restaurants for the terminal complex that would have been called Central Terminal Plaza but could not find investors for the project. Fedele also lived in the building creating an apartment for himself in the tower on the second floor. While the building was under the control of Fedele it was reasonably taken care of.

It was during this time that the railroad tenant left. Conrail closed its Terminal general offices in 1980. The Conrail Dispatching Department was the last business to leave the Terminal in 1984. Two interlocking towers, numbered 48 and 49, that serviced the tracks on the property were shut down in 1985.

In November 1983, in a sign of things to come the building was in danger of being sold out from under Anthony Fedele when the IRS came looking for back taxes. Fedele made an attempt at settling the debt by paying $10,200 toward the $142,128 due, and agreed to pay $2000 a month until the debt was paid in full. While he owned the building it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 3, 1984.

Purchase by Thomas Telesco and Abandonment (1986-1997)

In 1986, Anthony Fedele defaulted on his taxes and US Bankruptcy Court Judge John W. Creahan ordered a foreclosure sale. The Buffalo Central Terminal was put up for auction and won by Thomas Telesco, the only bidder, for $100,000. Telesco began the process of selling the architectural artifacts and other items of value from the building. The building was then acquired by Bernie Tuchman and his uncle, Samuel Tuchman.

This period was one of great decay for the Terminal. The Terminal's main buildings were subject to extensive artifact removal. Once a truck was being used to remove ceiling lights when it backed into the famous plaster bison statue in the concourse, smashing it. Artifacts removed and sold included iron railings, signs, lights and mailboxes. Further, the building was not secured, and vandalism was extensive, and even included some arson attempts. It is said that the only thing that saved the building was the fact that demolition would have been too expensive ($12 million).

Reacting to complaints and questions from preservationists in Buffalo, the owners responded, "If you think you could do a better job, I'll sell it to you for a dollar."

Central Terminal Restoration Corp. (1997-Present)

Scott Field of the Preservation Coalition of Erie County bought the building in August 1997 for the purchase price of $1 and assumption of approximately $70,000 in back taxes. Shortly afterward, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC) was formed and currently owns the Concourse, Tower and Baggage Building.

The CTRC is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose goal is to preserve the Terminal and help promote it as a viable redevelopment opportunity in the City of Buffalo. The CTRC received money to restore and relight the exterior tower clocks located on the 10th floor, relighting them on October 1, 1999. Also in 1999, a state grant for $1 million was obtained to begin the process of sealing and protecting the complex. The top of the building was re-lit starting on May 11, 2001. In 2003, the building was re-opened for public tours.

Currently, the Buffalo Central Terminal is host to approximately twenty major fundraising events each year. Work continues to progress and new areas of the building are cleaned up and reopened to the public each year. Since 2003 over 100,000 people have visited the building. This is more than the local Frank Lloyd Wright properties of Western New York have had. The building has been a host to tours, art shows, local political events, train shows, annual Dyngus Day and Oktoberfest, weddings, as well as a temporary art installation by controversial artist Spencer Tunick in 2004.

The clock in the center of the concourse, sold by earlier owners, was located in Chicago in 2003. In late 2004, the clock was purchased for $25,000 through fundraising organized by WBEN and a donation from M&T Bank. The clock was on display in the Terminal during the 2005 event season. In the fall of 2005, it was relocated to the lobby of M&T Center in downtown Buffalo, where it remained until spring of 2009. The clock was then moved back to its original location in the Terminal concourse where it will sit permanently on public display.

In November 2005, Red Scream Films LLC shot their first feature film Prison of the Psychotic Damned in the Terminal. The low budget film details what happens when a group of dysfunctional ghost-hunters decide to spend a night in the long rumored to be haunted structure. A benefit sneak-peek screening of the film with all proceeds going to the CTRC was held June 23, 2006, at 6pm. The film company returned to the Terminal in August to shoot part of their third feature FrightWorld

The paranormal investigators, The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), visited the terminal for about a week in June 2008 and aired their findings on Ghost Hunters (Episode 417 - "Speaking With the Dead"), September 24, 2008. Footage taken during this investigation shows that, aside from the main concourse, the entire complex is still currently in a state of heavy disrepair. The spin-off show Ghost Hunters Academy visited the terminal for the episode broadcast December 2, 2009. On October 31, 2010 (Halloween), Ghost Hunters aired a live 6-hour broadcast from the station.

CTRC Master Plan

Multiple ideas and plans have been proposed for Central Terminal's future. A master plan was established in 2009 by the CTRC that entailed their vision for the future of the terminal. In 2013 the CTRC announced the reuse plan for the terminal stating "Although much work needs to be done to stabilize and prepare the complex for tenancy and other use, various groups have toured the complex and have expressed interest in becoming anchor tenants or partner developers utilizing a Public/Private Development concept." Remedial measures and repairs, replacements and new technologies are part of the plan for the Center. Roof replacement is currently underway with an Energy Star compliant membrane being laid down and a solar Photovoltaic system being installed in the future. The Terminal is experiencing great in-kind development and services with local businesses and trade unions. Other immediate projects include restoration of the Guastavino Tile in the Main Concourse; Brownfields remediation plan and general utilities and improvements. The CTRC is looking forward to the additional historic restoration and remediation of all masonry and windows along with new systems for HVAC utilizing Green Technologies.

Although the project does not rely on it happening, it is the ultimately the CTRC’s hope that, with the reuse of the Terminal, rail traffic will also be forthcoming whether starting with interest in the possible reuse of Buffalo’s legendary Belt Line; local light rail expansion and the future of the Terminal’s reuse as a connector hub for possible high-speed rail. The Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, in cooperation with local, state, and federal government representatives, are working to position the Terminal to be Buffalo's high-speed rail station as well as the potential return of Amtrak service. Buffalo, New York is part of the Empire Corridor, one of only ten Federally designated high-speed rail corridors in the United States.

Harry Stinson and Terminal City

In 2016 Toronto based developer Harry Stinson was named by the CTRC as the designated developer for Buffalo’s Central Terminal to re-develop the Terminal complex. Stinson's proposal includes turning the Terminal into a mixed use facility and also includes building townhouses in the surrounding neighborhood to create a village like atmosphere with proceeds being invested into terminal restoration. The proposal also offers the possibility of restoring rail services to the terminal.

The Future of Buffalo's Amtrak Station

In September 2016, the roof of the downtown Exchange Street Amtrak station collapsed. This has led to calls for a new train station in Buffalo and a discussion of moving the stop back to the Central Terminal. Congressman Brian Higgins is calling for a study for a new train station to be done at both Central Terminal and a site at Canalside saying about the terminal "It may not have been possible 15 years ago, but restoration of the Central Terminal is possible in the new Buffalo." "In the enormous scale of that redevelopment project, it may be possible to carve out a small 'station-within-a-station' that would squarely and singularly focus on providing a highly functional train station to meet current and projected needs. This (the Central Terminal) location would allow the restoration of service to Chicago within the city limits, and it certainly merits a meaningful engineering review." Higgins call was later reinforced by Senator Charles Schumer.

On October 5th, 2016, Congressman Higgins along with Buffalo Common Council Member David Franczyk toured the terminal with Mark A. Lewandowski, president of the CTRC where Higgins came out in support of the station at the terminal as part of a larger redevelopment plan. A public campaign to bring Amtrak back to the Central Terminal has since been launched complete with a website and social media.

A plan to return Amtrak to the Central Terminal could possibly later add a long discussed NFTA Metro Rail extension from Downtown to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport which would include stops at the Central Terminal as well as the Walden Galleria. This would connect the Central Terminal to the airport as well as to the heart of downtown.

Timeline

Statuary

Several notable statues have graced the station's space over the years. The station once had a stuffed American bison in the concourse, belonging to the Buffalo Museum of Science and used to advertise the museum. Passengers (including soldiers bound for World War II) rubbing their hands on the bison caused it to become worn, so it was removed to the Buffalo Museum of Science and replaced with a plaster cast, bronze painted statue. This statue was accidentally destroyed by an owner during abandonment. A bronze recasting from the original molds can be found outside Alumni Arena at the University at Buffalo North Campus. On October 17, 2011 the buffalo in the terminal was replaced by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation with one made out of fiberglass donated by Mollenberg-Betz, Inc., a Western New York-based mechanical contractor and Niagara Coatings Services, who specializes in various industrial coatings.

After the station was closed, the statue called "Progress" was placed on the terminal plaza by Anthony Fedele, who was the owner of the building after it closed down. The statue is said to have been of Madonna and Child. It was ruined when an attempt was made to move the statue to the Griffis Sculpture Park in East Otto, New York.

In film