Jul 112010
 

The Silo - Lewiston, NY

The Silo is located on the shoreline of lower Niagara River in the Village of Lewiston, NY.

The building originally was a coal silo for the Canada Steamship Lines. These steamships would transport people from Lewiston to Toronto, Ontario (Canada). The voyage to Toronto actually began in Niagara Falls, NY, where people boarded the Niagara Gorge Railroad to Lewiston.

With the advent of other travel means, the need for the steamships, and the coal silo, came to an end. This building became dormant for number of decades.

In the late 1970′s the Village of Lewiston decided to develop the waterfront. Sine then a boat launch, docks, and a number of walkways have been built. There is an area for fishing and space for just lounging while enjoying the view. Based on the shoreline you can get an overlooking view from higher up. Or you can take the lower path directly along the Niagara River. In any event the view along the water, or across into Canada, is magnificent.

In 1998 the transformed coal silo opened as a restaurant, simply named “The Silo.” It continues to operate as such today. Guests are welcome to enter from North Water Street and take part in a meal while overlooking the Niagara River.

Do you want more information on this Historic site? Click here!

Note: 4640.com, nor the authors, have any affiliation with the The Silo restaurant. The information on this site speaks to the historic significance of the coal silo and its place in our history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Gorge_Railroad
 Posted by at 1:17 pm
Jul 022010
 

 

Occidental Building - Niagara Falls, NY

The Occidental Building is located in downtown Niagara Falls, NY. It is also known as the Oxy Building, the Hooker Building, One Niagara, and the Niagara Center.

The architects, Cannon Design inc., set out to build a high efficiency structure consisting of a double glass facade. Ventilation space was located between the separate glass panes, where air was drawn in from the bottom and released at the building’s top. Louvers were also located between the panes that adjusted to block out the sun in the summer and keep heat in during the winter.

The building, completed in 1981, stands nine stories tall, and provides approximately 187,000 square feet of space. It is located at 360 Rainbow Blvd., adjacent to the New York State Park. It is only a short walking distance from the American Falls.

The building, which is no longer owned by Occidental, now serves as a tourist center. The first floor consists of mostly of restaurants and eateries. The ninth floor serves as an observation area and contains more shops and souvenir stands. The second through eight floors are closed to the public.

The louvers that were once designed to control the climate of the building are all removed. Both panes of glass are still intact though. Walking through the building reveals additional modifications to the HVAC system. Stand alone furnaces/AC units are noted to exist.

The pictures below were taken on June 27th., 2010.

 Posted by at 7:25 pm