{"nrhp_refnum":"08001142","name":"Curtiss, Harlow C., Building","other_names":["King and Eisele","Eisele Building","Hoelscher Building"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"204-210 Franklin St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Buffalo","county":"Erie County","state":"NY","lat":42.89128529800007,"lon":-78.87567137499997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2008-12-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Commerce","Economics"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A six-story steel-frame commercial and office building at 204-210 Franklin Street in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, clad in white glazed terra cotta. It was built in 1912-1913 to designs by architect Paul F. Mann for lawyer and real estate investor Harlow C. Curtiss.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is an intact example of an early twentieth-century Chicago-style commercial building, with Sullivanesque tripartite organization and classical terra cotta ornament. It is one of the largest glazed terra cotta buildings of its type and period surviving in downtown Buffalo. It also reflects the growth of downtown Buffalo as the commercial center of Western New York.","narrative":"Rising six stories at the corner of Franklin and Huron Streets in downtown Buffalo, this commercial and office building was erected in 1912-1913 for lawyer and real estate investor Harlow C. Curtiss. His brother-in-law, Paul F. Mann, designed it, and Metz Brothers Construction Company built it. A steel frame is clad in white glazed terra cotta with classical relief ornament, including torchère-topped piers, fasces moldings and rinceau friezes, arranged in a base, shaft and capital pattern associated with Louis Sullivan. Original pivot wood windows survive on nearly every floor, and the entrance hall keeps its terra cotta walls and an original bronze mail chute. Later owners gave it the names King & Eisele, Eisele and Hoelscher Building. It is considered one of the largest surviving glazed terra cotta buildings of its type in downtown Buffalo, and it launched Mann's architectural career. The building is currently vacant but in good condition, though the cornice was removed in 1961 and the storefronts and upper interiors have been altered.","period_of_significance":"1912-1913","architect_builder":"Paul F. Mann, architect; Metz Brothers, builder","architectural_style":"Late 19th & Early 20th Century American Movement: Chicago/Sullivanesque","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Presently vacant but in good condition, with some exterior and interior alterations since construction, including removal of the original cornice in 1961.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:53.718061-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/08001142.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08001142/b90926b9de-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08001142/b90926b9de-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Andre Carrotflower","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_Hotel_(aka_Harlow_C._Curtiss_Building,_King_%26_Eisele_Building,_Hoelscher_Building)_-_Buffalo,_New_York_-_20211104.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Andre Carrotflower</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_Hotel_(aka_Harlow_C._Curtiss_Building,_King_%26_Eisele_Building,_Hoelscher_Building)_-_Buffalo,_New_York_-_20211104.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75317588","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlow_C._Curtiss_Building","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5658942"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/erie-county/curtiss-harlow-c-building-08001142/"}