From Masten Park High School to City Honors - Table of Contents
From Masten
Park to City Honors:
The 1914 Building -
Exterior
2005 Photos
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Erected: |
1912-1914 |
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Architects: |
Esenwein & Johnson |
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Architectural Style: |
Beaux Arts Italian Renaissance. The school building is a three-story, fifteen bay structure. |
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Site: |
The school occupies an entire city block: Best Street on the north — North Street on the south — Masten Avenue on the east — Fosdick Street on the west. |
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Building Material: |
Brick, terra cotta |
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Structural System: |
Steel frame; terra cotta exterior |
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Status: |
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Fosdick-Masten Park High School (1983) |
The new building opened Sept. 8, 1914, and one reason it was completed so fast was that the Buffalo Board of Education simply adapted the plans already drawn up for Lafayette High, which was new at the time. The exterior surfaces and the shape of the central towers are different, but otherwise the two high schools are much the same. The new building cost $500,000. |
 Postcard showing 1897 and 1914 buildings. Note the tower over the main entrance of the 1914 building which was dismantled in 1927.  Postcard showing 1897 and 1914 buildings. Note the tower over the main entrance of the 1914 building which was dismantled in 1927.  2005 photo National register plaque The Buffalo firm of Esenwein & Johnson also designed Lafayette High School The plans for Lafayette were used for this school after the 1911 fire. Exterior building materials are different, however.  The Fosdick-Masten neighborhood and the present building before the tower over the front entrance was removed in 1927.  The tower over the front entrance was removed in 1927  2005 photo Front entrance on Fosdick Street  North elevation and east (rear) elevations (Main entrance is to the left on the west elevation)  North (side) elevation One of two entrances facing East North Street Entrance detail below:  North (side) elevation Entrance detail Egg-and-dart terra cotta molding Patera in frieze Note top of lantern on bottom right  Entrance detail Reproduction lantern White, glazed terra cotta egg-and-dart molding Paterae on frieze  North (side) elevation Dentil molding  North (side) elevation Copper modillions under the eaves Egg-and-dart molding Dentil molding    Roman lattice pattern  Egg-and-dart molding Terra cotta brick from dismantled tower now in the school museum  Inner courtyard north with snow  Inner courtyard south with cafeteria skylights  Rear (east elevation) tower decorated with dentils and swags . |
 Pilgrim Village (Demolished after 2005 to make room for a sports field, as found in the original plans for the school)  Pilgrim Village  Pilgrim Village at night , |
