The former First United Brethren Church at 285 Masten Avenue (google map) is now for sale. Guerney Becker & Bourne has the listing. Designed in 1924 by noted Buffalo architect Frank A. Spangenberg, this English Gothic Revival style church remains in good condition.
The church is located in the middle of a neighborhood that's experiencing a burst of new interest and investment. A number of urban homesteaders have settled the surrounding neighborhood. There are also a growing number of urban experiments and urban farms that are just blocks away. Buffalo ReUse is nearby and this church is located on Masten Avenue between two of the City's major school renovation projects - Performing Arts and City Honors. Erie County's newest library is located around the corner and Artspace is just a few blocks away.
Frank A. Spangenberg is best known for his commissions on the City's West Side. He built North Park United Presbyterian in 1923 on Parkside Avenue. It was recently converted to a number of residential units and is now, the Lofts at Warwick. In 1925 Spangenberg built Parkside Lutheran on Wallace Avenue.
Spangenberg also contributed to the 1922 Plan of Buffalo which was written by famed planners Edward Bennett and William Parsons. It was the first written comprehensive plan for the growth and physical development of Buffalo and environs. The plan is noted for locating a number of important new civic spaces for the then rapidly developing City. The location of City Hall and the Central Terminal were determined at this time. Spangenberg contributed this rendering of an alternative location for City Hall near the intersection of Main and High Streets. It would would have built on a 200' wide boulevard surrounding the downtown core known at the time as the Traffic Way.
The $50,000 asking price might be just the right entry point for someone to consider a very creative secular reuse for this neighborhood landmark. Make sure to check out the listing for a peek inside the church. If you're interested in exploring this as a possibility, drop me an email. I can connect you with a number of people who've recently seen the interior space.
__________________________________________________________________________________
4 comments:
Hello David,
I read your post on the former First United Brethren Church. I wanted to add that in addition to North Park Presbyterian and Parkside Lutheran, Frank Spangenberg also designed:
University Church of Christ, 66 Englewood Ave. (now Restoration Society drop in center)
Lafayette Baptist Church, 286 Lafayette (now Concerned Ecumenical Ministry)
Central Church of Christ, 314 E. Ferry (now St. Luke AME Zion)
South Park Presbyterian Church, 519 McKinley Pkwy.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 222 Northland Ave. (now Agape AME)
Hamburg High School, 4111 Legion Dr.
Seneca Vocational High School, 666 E. Delavan (now MST at Seneca)
Sources:
http://communities.aia.org/sites/hdoaa/wiki/AIA%20scans/R-S/SpangenbergFrank.pdf
http://buffaloah.com/how/14/14.7/14.7.html
Vince Harzewski
vh2@buffalo.edu
This building would be perfect for Habitat for Humanity Buffalo as it contains plenty of room for offices, an assembly for lectures and training and even living accommodations for those in need of a temporary place to stay while their home is being rehabbed.
$50,000 and this includes the stained glass!!!
I recently called the realtor and found out the place is basically sold. It had three offers on if all hovering around $35k! What a bargain
Let us all hope and pray (no pun) that this former church will NOT become another harvesting of stained glass, mantels and trim but an owner who plans on actually using the building!
Post a Comment