Niagara Share Building - Table of Contents

History, Exterior - Niagara Share Building
70 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY

HISTORY Beneath Illustrations

Click on illustrations for larger size -- and additional information

August Esenwein, architect

James A. Johnson, architect

4-story Italian Renaissance Revival style

Round pedimented window head; cast iron balconet

Semicircular window with decorative cast iron work

Egg-and-dart and dentil molding under cornice

Round arched windows with cast

Erected:

1926

Architects:

Esenwein & Johnson

Style:

Italian Renaissance Revival

Original owner:

Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy Investment Bank

Former businesses housed in the building:

  • Niagara Share Corp.
  • Transcontinent Television Corp.
  • Crescent Niagara Corp.
  • Cohen, Swados, Wright, Hanifan, & Brett

Present owner:

Plaza One Group, Inc.

Landmark status

Joseph Ellicott Historic Preservation District

Two distinctive features of this building are located on the third floor: the original Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy Investment Bank's telegraph room and trading floor, a mini-version of the New York Stock Exchange.

The Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy Investment Bank, a private entity, evolved into the Niagara Share Corp., a closed-end investment fund.

The two Schoellkopfs that were involved in the company when this building was erected were Jacob F. Schoellkopf, II and Jacob F. Schoellkopf, III.

Paul Schoellkopf, Jr. (who died in 2000) was chairman of the board of the Niagara Share Corp., worth $215,760,000 when it was dissolved by the family in 1992.

In addition to Niagara Share, Paul Schoellkopf, Jr. also was chairman and chief executive officer of Crescent Niagara Corp., maker of the crescent wrench. Their headquarters were also located in 70 Niagara, as was Transcontinent Television Corp. -- also run by Paul Schoellkopf, Jr.

For most of the past 30 years, the building was also home to Cohen, Swados, Wright, Hanifan, & Brett, a veteran law firm that disbanded in 2001.

2003

Stenger & Finnerty are new tenants that occupy the entire third floor of the 5-story structure. The firm employs 12 attorneys and staffers. The firm's conference room is located in what was once the investment house telegraph room. Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy Investment Bank's trading floor, a mini-version of the New York Stock Exchange, is also part of the law firm's space.

The 2003 owner, Plaza Suites, also owns the Chapin Mansion, the Becker Mansion (former Buffalo mayor Philip Becker).

Sources:

Special thanks to the Buffalo Preservation Board for their assistance.
Photos and their arrangement © 2003 Chuck LaChiusa
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