City Hall - Table of Contents ....................... Buffalo Waterfront - Table of Contents
2002 photos from City Hall Observation Deck
Buffalo, NY

The narrowness of the upper part of the tower prevents the elevators from reaching beyond the 25th floor, from which one must climb stairs to the 28th floor to reach the observation deck. At this floor, there are doors leading to the outside, which open onto a narrow exterior gallery, formed by the setback of the dome above the red and yellow terracotta crown encircling the dome.

The Observation Deck of the City Hall is the only place where the general public is allowed to go outside, into the air, high above the streets, and obtain a 360 degree panoramic view of the entire city and its setting. City Hall is the best place for this view, since it is at the center of Joseph Ellicott's radial street plan.

At the time of City Hall's completion fears were voiced that the observation deck would be a tempting stage for suicide artists. Over the years there have been occasional attempts, some successful.

Perhaps the most macabre leap was that of Robert Leroy Wayne Jackson in 1976.  Jackson plummeted some 300 feet before impaling himself on the flagpole over the building's entrance.


2002 Photos



Statler Hotel



Rand Building    ...    Tishman Building/National Fuel Building   ...   Liberty Bank Building / Liberty Building



Liberty Bank Building / Liberty Building



 Genesee Building/Hyatt Regency  ...   Electric Tower



St. Louis RC Church



Hutchinson Central Technical High School



Prospect Avenue Baptist Church



Central Terminal



Central Library   ...    Soldiers & Sailors Monument



M&T Bank  ...   Main Place Tower   ...   Rath County Office Building



Upper left: Rath County Office Building    ...   Guaranty Building   ...   Telephone Building   ...   Old County Hall   ...   Bottom: BAC



Upper left: Rath County Office Building    ...   Guaranty Building   ...   Telephone Building   ...   Old County Hall



Connecting Terminal Elevator



General Mills



Buffalo Lighthouse



Adam's Mark Hotel




Main Place Tower (black)    ...   Rath County Office Building    ...   Guaranty Building   ...   HSBC   ...      Telephone Building   ...   Old County Hall



Water Intake Building   ...   Observation Tower



Ward Pumping Station




Photos and their arrangement © 2002 Chuck LaChiusa
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