A conversation with architectural historian Martin Wachadlo
Architectural historian Martin Wachadlo served two decades in the U.S. Navy before a Victorian beauty on West Avenue caught his eye. Simple and unassuming, well-designed and solidly built, his old house became a life project — much like his obsession with architecture.
At age 47, Wachadlo is considered an expert on Buffalo's stock of old buildings — compiling neighborhood surveys, researching historic districts, drafting National Register nominations. With an advanced degree in architecture, Wachadlo is a preservationist at heart — but he's also a realist.
PeopleTalk: To what lengths would you go to save a building?
Martin Wachadlo: Would I do anything radical like chain myself to the bulldozer? No, because there is so much treasure here that I think it is important to try and save as much as we can, especially really important buildings like the Guaranty or the Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, but you can't save everything. We're not the city we were. We were the eighth largest and now we're heading for 50.
PT: What new-build in town catches your eye?
MW: The Erie County Public Safety Building [just north of ECC campus on Elm Street downtown] is an interesting design. It's got the dramatic outward sloping entry pavilion. The handling of materials was well-done, but there just is not a lot of good new design going on in Buffalo.
PT: Tell me about a hidden treasure.
MW: Delaware Avenue Baptist Church is probably the most unknown space in the city. The church was completed in 1895. The interior is spectacular, an almost unaltered composition by J&R Lamb, who were the chief competitors of the Tiffany Company in the decoration of churches 100 years ago. Because J&R Lamb did not make jewelry and lamps, you haven't heard about them...
Read entire article at The Buffalo News
At age 47, Wachadlo is considered an expert on Buffalo's stock of old buildings — compiling neighborhood surveys, researching historic districts, drafting National Register nominations. With an advanced degree in architecture, Wachadlo is a preservationist at heart — but he's also a realist.
PeopleTalk: To what lengths would you go to save a building?
Martin Wachadlo: Would I do anything radical like chain myself to the bulldozer? No, because there is so much treasure here that I think it is important to try and save as much as we can, especially really important buildings like the Guaranty or the Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, but you can't save everything. We're not the city we were. We were the eighth largest and now we're heading for 50.
PT: What new-build in town catches your eye?
MW: The Erie County Public Safety Building [just north of ECC campus on Elm Street downtown] is an interesting design. It's got the dramatic outward sloping entry pavilion. The handling of materials was well-done, but there just is not a lot of good new design going on in Buffalo.
PT: Tell me about a hidden treasure.
MW: Delaware Avenue Baptist Church is probably the most unknown space in the city. The church was completed in 1895. The interior is spectacular, an almost unaltered composition by J&R Lamb, who were the chief competitors of the Tiffany Company in the decoration of churches 100 years ago. Because J&R Lamb did not make jewelry and lamps, you haven't heard about them...