Y.M.C.A. Building / Olympic Towers

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Photo credit: Vintage Buffalo NY, Library of Congress, and WNYHeritagePress

Location

31 West Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Google Bird's Eye View
Ellicott Council District
SBL: 111.46-12-3.1
Erie County Property Info
County Tax Map (loads GIS page)
City of Buffalo Parcel Viewer
Also known as 45 W. Mohawk St. / 300 Pearl Street.

Next to: YMCA Men's Hotel
Across from: Statler Hotel, Star Theater, Crosby Building, 172 Franklin Street, 174 Franklin Street, 176 Franklin Street, Victor's Furniture, original YMCA/YWCA Building, and the Pearl St. side of Hens & Kelly

Owner

OLYMPIA TOWER ACQUISITION TOWERS LLC per City of Buffalo Property Information
Prime Asset Fund
Search NYS Corporation Database for OLYMPIA TOWER

Physical Description

A 10 story, tan-colored brick building with sandstone accents built in English-Flemish Revival style. 180,000 sq.ft. including the attached buildings.

Current Condition

In use as office space

History

  • 1901 - The YMCA board raised $100,000 to purchase the land for the new YMCA building
  • 1902 - Constructed for $300,000
    • Designed by Green & Wicks
  • 1986 - Paul Snyder and Ross Kenzie converted the building into office space, along with demolishing the YMCA Men's Hotel and replacing it with a 4 story addition and connecting atrium

Recent Events and Actions Taken

January 2012 - The complex was sold for $2.5 million

Other Pertinent Facts

  • It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983
  • The building was home to the third oldest YMCA chapter in North America until it was converted to offices in the 1980's
  • Genesee Street, one of the main arterials in Joseph Ellicott's radial street grid, connected Buffalo from the lake to the center of town and outward. It was blocked in the 1970s by the Convention Center bunker, causing the YMCA main entrance to be hidden.

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Added 2013-07-17 • Last changed 2014-08-01