{"nrhp_refnum":"84002389","name":"New York Central Terminal","other_names":["Buffalo Central Terminal"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"495 Paderewski Dr.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Buffalo","county":"Erie County","state":"NY","lat":42.88811557600005,"lon":-78.83063019844785,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1984-09-07","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A steel-frame, brick-clad railroad station complex of about 61 acres on Curtiss Street in southeast Buffalo, Erie County, New York, built between 1927 and 1930. It includes the main terminal with a 271-foot octagonal tower, attached wings, a power plant, signal towers and other support buildings.","why_significant":"The nomination presents the terminal as a distinguished example of Art Deco style for a large-scale civic structure in Buffalo. It also calls it the most important surviving landmark of Buffalo's role as a national railroad transportation center. The complex retains a high degree of architectural integrity despite some deterioration.","narrative":"Rising 271 feet above track level, an octagonal tower marks the New York Central Terminal, a railroad complex of about 61 acres in southeast Buffalo, two miles from the central business district. Built between 1927 and 1930, it consists of a six-story main terminal with a granite base, brick facing and limestone trim, along with a baggage and mail building, a railway post office, a train concourse, a power plant, signal towers and utility buildings. A Railway Express building dates from 1917. Most buildings follow the Art Deco style, unified by buff-colored brick and vertical piers. Inside, the concourse has Guastavino tile, Botticino marble, bronze fixtures and a restaurant and waiting room with Art Deco detailing. The complex was listed as an outstanding example of Art Deco design for a large civic structure in Buffalo and as the city's most important surviving reminder of its role as a major national rail center. Some deterioration is noted, but the buildings retain a high degree of architectural integrity.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Art Deco","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as having some deterioration but retaining a high degree of architectural integrity; the train concourse connector was demolished in 1981 and the platforms are now disconnected. The form marks the status as unoccupied and the present use as commercial and transportation.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:42.307961-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/84002389.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84002389/7d21092d51-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84002389/7d21092d51-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Dave Pape","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buffalo_Central_Terminal_1.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Dave Pape</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buffalo_Central_Terminal_1.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75317666","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Central_Terminal","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1318379"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/erie-county/new-york-central-terminal-84002389/"}