A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
From the Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures series
While the luxurious Hotel Henry and the iconic Richardson Towers have been reborn, there are 350,000 square feet of buildings that have yet to be developed on this North Buffalo site.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Hotel Henry at the Richardson Olmsted Campus. The onetime Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane was designed by H.H. Richardson, considered one of the country's greatest architects. The hotel wants to expand into two additional buildings, increasing the number of rooms from 88 to 124.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The undeveloped west wing of the Richardson-Olmsted Campus stretches from the iconic towers, right, all the way to Rees Street, presenting an enormous potential for development.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A combination of weatherproofing and metal mesh is used to preserve sections of the west wing on the Richardson Olmsted Campus. Diana Principe, a partner with Hotel Henry, said the hotelier is trying to change a more than century-old habit in which the property, as a state hospital, was generally off-limits to the surrounding community.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy covers the north facade of the yet-to-be-developed west wing. Though beautiful, especially in the fall, the ivy can damage the brick structures.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The view inside a vacant yet-to-be-developed portion of the west wing at the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A view of the north side of the west wing. As the buildings were built outward from the iconic towers over time, the materials used changed with less expensive brick used instead of the Medina sandstone used in Richardson's original buildings.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A peak on the yet-to-be-developed west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus. The west wing was designed by a number of local architects after Richardson's death, including E.B. Green. Each architect put his own touch on the symbol, every one a variation of Richardson's original.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The connector is capped by a brick wall at the point where the east wing was demolished in 1964. The east wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus used to stretch all the way to the Burchfield Penney Arts Center.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The old men's kitchen building built in the 1880s is missing a portion of its roof.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of a heavy door on the men's dining hall building.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A curved connector adjoins two buildings on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of a Bethlehem Steel stamp on the steel frame of a porch on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A small tree shows its autumn color at the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The copper peak and slate roof atop a building on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of a porch light on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Remnants of a staircase on a steel porch on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Weathered bricks and boards on the exterior of the women's dining hall.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy spreads out across the Medina sandstone facade of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Sometime in the 1980s, metal meshing was used to stabilize portions of the brick exteriors.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Decorative iron fencing from the northern perimeter of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus stretches from the iconic towers all the way to Rees Street.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A curved connector between buildings on the west wing at the Richardson Olmsted Campus is covered with weatherproofing and mesh to stabilize the brick facade.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy covers a portion of the east wing at the Richardson Olmsted Campus. At left is the eastern edge of the Hotel Henry.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A building with fenced-in porches on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The mesh covers a peak on the west wing Richardson Olmsted Campus to protect the brick facade until the site can be redeveloped.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A combination of weatherproofing and metal mesh is used to preserve sections of the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of the Medina sandstone blocks used in early buildings on the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A pile of bricks from a former structure on site awaits reuse.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Mesh protects the brick facade atop the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
View inside a vacant yet-to-be-developed portion of the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A combination of weatherproofing and metal mesh is used to preserve sections of the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A combination of weatherproofing and metal mesh is used to preserve sections of the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A combination of weatherproofing and metal mesh is used to preserve sections of the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of a heavy metal door to the women's dining hall.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
An iron door on the outside of the fireplace to the women's dining hall.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Wire mesh used to prevent further decay covers part of the building that connects buildings on the west wing. The earlier buildings were made with Medina sandstone, left; later additions used less expensive brick, right.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The undeveloped west wing of the Richardson-Olmsted Campus stretches from the towers all the way to Rees Street.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of the curved roof of a connector on the east wing. The Richardson Olmsted Campus is accepting RFPs for redevelopment of the east wing as part of a master plan to bring back the rest of the sprawling complex.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A sign over the door of the women's kitchen building, which was built in 1880.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy covers the north facade of the yet-to-be-developed west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A table and chairs remain in one of the fenced-in porches on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy covers the north facade of the yet-to-be-developed west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The eastern join between Hotel Henry, right, and undeveloped portion of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Peaks on the top floor of the 1880 women's kitchen on the Richardson Olmsted Campus mirror the shape of the signature towers nearby.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A peak on the east wing the Richardson Olmsted Campus also evokes the form of the signature towers.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The mesh covers a peak on the west wing Richardson Olmsted Campus to protect the brick facade until the site can be redeveloped.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Small birds inhabit a section where bricks have fallen out on the east wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The connector is capped by a brick wall at the point where the east wing was demolished in 1964. The east wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus used to stretch all the way to where the Burchfield Penney Arts Center is currently.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The old men's kitchen building built in the 1880s is missing a portion of its roof.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The condition of the rooftops is the only obvious difference visible on the exterior between the new Hotel Henry, right, and a yet-to-be-developed building on the east wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The iconic towers rise above the women's kitchen building.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Ivy stretches across a portion of Building 38 on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The original farm building on the Richardson Olmsted Campus is being used as storage by SUNY Buffalo State. At one point, a 100-acre farm was used to supply the complex with food. In 1927 the land was transferred to State Teachers College, which became SUNY Buffalo State.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A porch at western terminus of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
An undeveloped building on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Detail of the sandstone masonry on the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The view into the window of Hotel Henry frames rows of spherical light fixtures.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A table and chairs remain on one of the fenced-in porches on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Remnants of a staircase on the fenced-in porches on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The newly developed Hotel Henry, right, is connected to an undeveloped building on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A pair of fenced-in porches on the west wing.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus stretches to Rees Street.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
The west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus, made of brick, joins an earlier portion of the building made with Medina sandstone.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
A peak on one of the buildings on the west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus exemplifies the beauty of the buildings as well as the challenges of repairing years of neglect.
A Closer Look: Richardson Olmsted Campus
Fenced-in porches on the west wing of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.
What the federal government and banks are willing to do – or not do – to help businesses like the Hotel Henry will be a big factor in what the future holds.
This series has taken Buffalo News photographers inside, outside, above and, on occasion, underneath local landmarks and to places most people…
