New York Telephone Company Building
46 Church Street, Buffalo, NY

1879 - Telephone service began in Buffalo with the installation of the first telephone in Miller's Livery Stable. By 1881 there were 1,000 telephones installed in Buffalo 1914 - New York Telephone, which had recently taken over for The Bell Telephone Company in Buffalo, constructs 16 story building.  Architects - Voorhees, Walker, Smith, Smith, and Haines 1930 - Six story Art-Deco extension added to the building on the Franklin Street side

1914 Building Prudential/Guaranty Building ... Postcard courtesy of Patrick Mahoney Postcard from the early 1920's of the new Iroquois Building (home of Iroquois Gas from 1913-1958) and the new Telephone Building. Iroquois Building (left) replaced by Rath Building housing Erie County government. Postcard Postcard courtesy of Patrick Mahoney 1914 Building -  2002 photo. Far left: St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral ... Guaranty Building 1914 Building -  2002 photo. 1914 Building -  2002 photo. White, glazed terra cotta ... ... Beaux Arts style 1914 Building -  2002 photo. White, glazed terra cotta ... Beaux Arts style 1914 Building -  2002 photo. 1914 Building -  2002 photo. White, glazed terra cotta ... Beaux Arts style 1914 Building -  2002 photo.

1961: 80-foot Antenna Array 1961:  80-foot Antenna Array ...  2002 photo. In 1961, the Telephone Building's 35-foot microwave radio antenna was replaced with an 80-foot antenna array to accommodate the growth in long-distance calls and network television transmissions. In order to accommodate the heavier antenna, the top five floors of the building had to be reinforced. 1961:  80-foot Antenna Array ... 2006 photo ... Guaranty Building at left 1961:  80-foot Antenna Array ... 2005 photo 1961:  80-foot Antenna Array ...  2002 photo 1961:   80-foot Antenna Array ...  2002 photo 1961:   80-foot Antenna Array ...  2002 photo 1961:   80-foot Antenna Array ...  2002 photo

C. 2011:  80-foot Antenna Array on roof removed 2015 photo ... Old County Hall at bottom left ... City Court Building in upper left ... Statler at upper middle 2016 photo. 80-foot antenna array on roof removed  2016 photo.   80-foot antenna array on roof removed 2015 photo.

1930 Annex "...  Voorhees Gmelin & Walker, who were tasked with designing New York Telephone buildings across the state.  Ralph Walker, one of the great Skyscraper architects of all time, and the man most responsible for creating the iconic stepped setback skyscraper in response to New York 1916 zoning law, designed the flagship New York City telephone building, now known as the Barcley Vesey building, in 1926 (Photo). The Syracuse building also shares with the New York Telephone Building annex in Buffalo, also designed by Voorhees Gmelin & Walker, and built in 1930, some decorative features, especially the extremely flat and shallow relief decoration." -   Samuel Gruber, My Central New York: Art Deco Delights: The New York Telephone Building, Nov. 17, 2013. (online August 2014) Postcard ... BEFORE the 1930 annex ... Note right side of the building on Franklin Street 2014 photo ... Note 1930 addition to right of the 1914 white terra cotta 2014 photo ... Franklin Street ... 1930 annex to the right  is NOT terra cotta ... Annex details below: 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... Franklin Street 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... Franklin Street ...  Art Deco vertical stepped design 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... Franklin Street ... Art Deco vertical stepped design ... Bas-relief foliated   spandrel panels 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... NE corner Franklin and Swan 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... South elevation (Swan St.) Art Deco  bas-relief  spandrel panels ... Art Deco vertical stepped design is based on Gothic linen fold  ...  Detail below:   2014 photo ... Swan Street Annex entrance ...  Art Deco  bas-relief  foliated  spandrel panels detail 2014 photo  ... Swan Street Annex entrance is angled off Swan Street towards main Street 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... South elevation (Swan St.), center, near top ...  Art Deco  bas-relief  foliated  ornamentation 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... Swan Street Annex entrance 1930 annex ...  2014 photo ... Swan Street Annex entrance 1930 annex ...  2002 photo ... Swan Street Annex entrance ...  Art Deco vertical stepped design and Art Deco  bas-relief 1930 annex ...  2002 photo ... Swan Street Annex entrance ... Art Deco  bas-relief 1930 annex ...  2002 photo ... South elevation (Swan St.)  entrance with Art Deco  bas-relief 1930 annex ...  2002 photo ... South elevation (Swan St.)  entrance with Art Deco  metal ornamentation 1930 Annex East Elevation ... 2014 photo 1930 Annex East Elevation detail ... 2014 photo October 2020 photo   ...   View from Pearl and W. Swan: Back of building   ...   Building at right:  Guaranty Building