The story of the American ‘castle’. It was built in Buffalo, but no longer exists

The Erie County Savings Bank building in Buffalo was a fine example of the American Neo-Romanesque style. The post-Civil War period in the USA was associated with the pursuit of European antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The bank in the thriving late 19th century Buffalo, New York, was intended to evoke the medieval castles of France or Germany. The building’s architect, George B. Post was one of the most prominent representatives of the broad American Renaissance and Beaux Arts style. Unfortunately, most of Post’s impressive designs were demolished in the 1960s. His Buffalo ‘castle’ was no different.

The Gilded Age

From the late 1870s onwards, the USA experienced the so-called Gilded Age, which brought with it rapid national development. Metropolises such as New York and Chicago were slowly becoming economic powerhouses, while smaller cities in the northeastern United States developed their industries rapidly. Buffalo, located next to the Great Lakes, was at the forefront of grain and iron exports, which promoted demographic growth. Moreover, by the 1990s it had doubled its population to 255,000. The centre of the growing city began to change dramatically.

In 1890, the old Presbyterian Church located in the heart of Buffalo had to make way for the first US office buildings. Contrary to appearances, this was not a forced move, but a logical decision by the pastor, as most of the faithful had moved out of the inner city to more remote neighbourhoods. A ten-storey Erie County Bank building was erected on the vacant lot. The design by architect George B. Posta won the competition, beating 24 other entries. Almost 39 metres high, the “castle” impressed with its heavy, monumental façade.

Bank stronghold

On the outside, the bank was clad in pink Maine granite, which was further decorated with rustication. Posta intended this and many other elements to be reminiscent of 12th-century French or German castles. Hence the small windows, turrets and Roman arches adding to the character of a medieval fortress. A contrast to the castle-like elements are the decorations typical of Romanesque, but also Gothic churches. Above the dormer windows there are florals, a pinnacle at the top, and the richly decorated portal is a display of the synthesis of styles. The Romanesque archivolt above the door is made up of several tiers going inside, while outside the arch there is floral decoration with medallions. The Roman arch also features thin columns with adjoining pilasters, on which two statues of lions are placed. A baluster balustrade, typical of the Renaissance, runs above the entrance. In addition to the ornamentation, the large, several-storey windows betray the fusion of styles. It is also worth mentioning that the lions hold shields on which the date of the founding of the Erie County Savings Bank, 1854, is inscribed.

Equally lavish was the bank’s interior. Admittedly, inside, the ‘castle’ had little in common with the Neo-Romanesque style, but even so, its decorations managed to impress. The walls were lined with travertine, marble and Mexican mahogany. In turn, the marble staircase, rising as high as nine storeys, was additionally decorated with bronze balustrades. The most direct display of the institution’s wealth was the gold-leaf ceiling. No precious marble was spared for the clocks, columns and staircase. Interestingly, the lily flower symbols on the balustrades added to the royal character.

The castle in American style

It is worth noting that many elements do not seem to fit with the austere and defensive nature of the Romanesque style. This is because the American Richardsonian Romanesque style is a neo-Romanesque style mixed with various medieval and Renaissance styles. Of course, the European Neo-Romanesque style also drew on other traditions (Byzantine and Gothic architecture), but the Americans elevated it to the status of a lavish order of public buildings. The style is named after Henry Hobson Richardson, who promoted a new American approach to Neo-Romanesque architecture. His style had to do with the idea of the American Renaissance, according to which Americans should refer in their culture, art and architecture to the ideal of antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Most often, this idea manifested itself in the Beaux Arts style, which served as a way for Americans to show their wealth and pride in their nation’s achievements.

The Erie County Bank was also a high-tech building. The exterior load-bearing walls were supported on the inside by a steel frame familiar from the Chicago School. What’s more, the electrical system was developed by Thomas A. Edison himself. At the end of the 1930s, the building underwent modernisation, which involved the installation of air conditioning and gas heating.

The stigma of the 1960s.

Unfortunately, the Erie County Savings Bank didn’t stand a chance against the urban renewal of the 1960s. The nationwide programme was designed to modernise and make cities more efficient, which often involved the demolition of lavishly decorated but outdated buildings. Just as the Presbyterian Church had to give way to the first office buildings, the first office blocks had to give way to modernist skyscrapers. In 1968, the bank was demolished after 75 years of being a Buffalo landmark. The building’s location meant that the de facto Erie County Savings Bank was the heart of the city, but this fact did not convince the bank’s president. The Singer Building, formerly the world’s tallest skyscraper, was also demolished in the same year. Interestingly, Post’s other famous project, the New York World Building, had been demolished for a similar reason 13 years earlier. You can read about both buildings HERE and HERE.

From today’s point of view, the decision to demolish such a stunning building as the Erie County Savings Bank may seem incomprehensible. However, in the eyes of 1960s modernists, the building was not so old as to be listed as a historic building. Besides, the beautiful but dated edifice occupied an expensive plot of land in downtown Buffalo. Today, in its place stands the 106 m tall Main Place Tower skyscraper.

By the end of its existence, the bank was just a reminder of an age of former glory. Over time, Buffalo found itself in what is known as the rust belt, an area that used to thrive thanks to industry, but is now bankrupt and depopulated. To this day, the city is still trying to recover from the collapse of decades past.

Source: Western New York Heritage

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