Wintergardens

Demolition / Hotel & Mall Reconstruction

Niagara Falls, NY

 

TRM Architect, working with DiDonato Associates, facilitated the demolition of the Wintergardens in Niagara Falls and the facade reconstruction of the structures adjacent to it, as part of the NYS Development Agency and First USA Niagara’s plans to revitalize the area and reconstruct the West Pedestrian Mall. The project restores the historic east-west access corridor through downtown Niagara Falls.

 

The Wintergarden was an iconic Niagara Falls structure that had fell into disuse creating an eyesore in the community and blocking a main access route from downtown Niagara Falls to the surrounding parks and the falls. The large asymmetric steel and glass structure had served as public indoor gardens, the site of a host of parties, ceremonies and festivals. As costs of plant and building maintenance soared the property was sold to private investors and after private investments failed the garden was left a shell of its former self, gutted of its contents when sold at auction, and the building remained vacant for some time. The Wintergarden demolition is part of a $7.9 million project to restore and renovate the west pedestrian mall into a tourist friendly and logical route through downtown and to the falls.

 

TRM worked under challenging circumstances, many of the existing conditions on site were not originally documented as they exist, especially foundation locations. Additionally, the facades of the surrounding buildings were originally designed as interior facades, built for conditioned space.

 

TRM converted them to exterior facades so they could hold up to elements and aesthetically mesh with their surroundings and the new access corridor. The route would be passed by millions of tourists and employees within the Niagara Falls downtown area. The demolition was also done in a matter to preserve as many pieces of the historic structure as possible
so that any potential future buyers could reconstruct the original structure designed by
Cesar Pelli elsewhere.

 

Commercial - Pedestrian Mall

 

Client:

NYS Development Agency

First USA Niagara

 

Project Schedule:

Estimated Date of Completion: Not Available

Actual Date of Completion: Not Available

 

Construction Costs:

Estimated (Budget) Project Costs: $ 2,200,000

Actual Project Costs: Not Available

Final Project Costs: $ 2,458,000

 

 

 

 

 

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