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.
