Buffalo’s Hotel Lafayette Restoration Preserves a Historic Landmark and Re-enlivens a Neighborhood

Posted By Lori Zimmer On January 9, 2013 @ 4:31 pm In Architecture,Recycled Materials | No Comments

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Downtown Buffalo’s historic Hotel Lafayette ^[6] has been restored to its early 1900s glory. Opened in 1904 and designed by the first American female architect, Louise Blanchard Bethune ^[7], the hotel was left in disrepair from the 1970s until renovations began in 2010 by developer Rocco Termini ^[8] and R&P Oakhill ^[9]. Aside from restoring the original splendor of the French Renaissance-style hotel, the renovation has enlivened the stark area of downtown Buffalo, bringing restaurant and nightlife patrons to the recently desolate area.

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Up until Termini’s renovation, the hotel still operated as a hotel but attracted a different set of customers who were more interested in the pawn shop located in the lobby. With few restaurants and bars nearby, the area of downtown Buffalo ^[11] is left largely abandoned after office towers empty out at 5 pm. Both an architectural and social restoration, the new Hotel Lafayette ^[12] proves that just one project can restore the character of a neighborhood.

The bottom floor of Hotel Lafayette houses the lobby restored to its 1940’s Art Moderne style, retail shops, two ballrooms, three restaurants and an Art Deco-style bar. The Pan American Grill, named for the world fair that took place in Buffalo in 1901, faces the street. The sumptuous wooden double bar ^[13] was also restored, along with the early 1900s moldings, columns and mirrors. A cozy hunting lodge-style room welcomes guests around a fireplace. Upscale steakhouse Mike A’s is just across the lobby, while Butterwood Sweet and Savory occupies a lower level that was once a speakeasy during prohibition.

Elements of the original hotel still remain, such as the antique phone booths ^[14] complete with vintage phones and the mail slots assigned to the original rooms built in the 1940s.

The $35 million rehabilitation project has single-handedly spurred a renaissance in downtown Buffalo.

+ Hotel Lafayette ^[6]

Images ©Lori Zimmer ^[15] for Inhabitat

 

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URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/buffalos-hotel-lafayette-restoration-preserves-a-historic-landmark-and-re-enlivens-a-neighborhood/

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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/buffalos-hotel-lafayette-restoration-preserves-a-historic-landmark-and-re-enlivens-a-neighborhood/

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[5]  : http://inhabitat.com/buffalos-hotel-lafayette-restoration-preserves-a-historic-landmark-and-re-enlivens-a-neighborhood/hotel-lafayette6/?extend=1

[6] Hotel Lafayette: http://thehotellafayette.com/

[7] Louise Blanchard Bethune: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Blanchard_Bethune

[8] Rocco Termini: http://www.thebuffalolofts.com/

[9] R&P Oakhill: http://www.rpoakhill.com/

[10] Image: http://inhabitat.com/buffalos-hotel-lafayette-restoration-preserves-a-historic-landmark-and-re-enlivens-a-neighborhood/hotel-lafayette2/

[11] downtown Buffalo: http://inhabitat.com/artfarms-buffalo-combines-public-art-with-urban-farming-to-solve-urban-vacancy/

[12] Hotel Lafayette: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Lafayette

[13] sumptuous wooden double bar: http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-goodwin-is-a-swanky-new-west-village-eatery-made-with-reclaimed-wood/

[14] antique phone booths: http://inhabitat.com/nyc/obsolete-nyc-phone-booths-turned-into-free-mini-libraries-by-architect-john-locke/john-locke-phone-booth-libraries-3/

[15] Lori Zimmer: http://www.artnerdnewyork.com

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