My photos of all that remains of the Larkin Administration Building in Buffalo:
You can actually see the Larkin Factory from I-190 on the south end of Buffalo. The area where the building was located is somewhat deserted--a number of boarded-up buildings--although not abandoned. In my second photograph (of the extant retaining wall, which is a somewhat less elegant remnant), you can see the factory off to the left.
I drove in from the east and bore right on Swan to get to the remaining fence pier. This gave me an opportunity to visualize the missing building, which would have sat aside the triangle of land in a fairly arresting way.
I've seen a few sites misunderstand exactly what this remaining piece of one of the most beautiful office buildings ever built is. It's not a remnant of the building itself--it did not "hold up a corner". It is an intact fence pier. Most of the fence itself (as can be seen in the second photo) remains. The reason is evident once you see the site: there is an embankment behind the fence, and it functions as a retaining wall. If it weren't for that fact, there would likely be nothing left of the Larkin Administration Building at all.
I did not actually get out of my car to visit the plaque at the site, as it was quite snowy and I had not brought my boots. This is what is on the plaque:
I always find these accidental relics to be the most poignant. If it weren't for this rather desolate piece of wall, would anyone have a reason to drive down this deserted street any more?
Actually, I drove on this stretch quite often when I was working at the USPS's Buffalo PDC on William Street. This was my backup route when traffic was bad.
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