Statler Towers (1921 – 1923)

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Ellsworth Statler built several hotels in Buffalo at the turn of the last century, including one at the corner of Swan and Washington Streets between 1905 and 1908, and a second hotel on Delaware Ave. at Niagara Square between 1921 and 1923.  The first hotel was notable for its innovation in plumbing design, which contributed greatly to the development of mechanical service cores for tall buildings.  The system of stacked plumbing developed in this hotel is common in all tall buildings in North America, and is used in domestic architecture of more than one story today.  It also made the Statler Hotel one of the first hotels to offer a private bathroom in every room with a tub and sink, and hot and cold running water.

The second hotel, which today sits where the former Millard Fillmore mansion once stood, is notable for the opulence of its main reception room and ballroom, as well as the interesting lintels of its windows.  The red-brick façade is balanced well by the white of its detailing, a color combination that is common in much of Buffalo’s historic architecture.  This hotel has recently been purchased, and there are plans for future renovation and adaptive reuse.