From Grain to Waste: Repurposing Buffalo's Grain Elevators

Abstract

The Buffalo River, as it winds its way through the city of Buffalo, New York, is home to some of the finest examples of grain elevators to be found anywhere in the United States. These remnants, which embody cultural values and traditions of a bygone industrial age, are currently threatened with abandonment and demolition. The city of Buffalo is actively promoting improvements to its industrial riverfront area and is interested in developing current building usage standards. This thesis will attempt to repurpose and reuse the historic grain elevator complexes that define the Buffalo River waterfront in order to better use the land and recreate a place within the historic industrial fabric of the city. The goal of this thesis will serve as an example of a method for design in derelict sites where grain elevators have lost their original purpose and identity, but have retained their architectural prominence.