Wile, M., and Company Factory Building
Why it's listed
At 77 Goodell Street in Buffalo, a four-story factory of reinforced concrete was built in 1924 for M. Wile & Company, a men's clothing manufacturer founded in 1877 by German-born Mayer Wile. Buffalo architects August Esenwein and James Addison Johnson designed it as a Daylight Factory: an exposed concrete frame with steel sash windows filling the spaces between piers, giving open, well-lit, fireproof floors. The only ornament is a pair of Doric half columns at the main entrance. The building cost $425,000 and replaced the home of a local judge that housed a child day center. Wile's firm helped pioneer ready-made, mass-produced men's clothing, and the factory served as a landmark in a largely German-immigrant neighborhood. The company used it until 1999. Later changes include a partial fifth-floor addition from the 1960s, modern windows that imitate the original grid pattern, and a remodeled lobby, though the building retains a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding example of the early twentieth century Daylight Factory type, with an exposed concrete frame and steel sash windows. It also represents the growth of ready-made men's clothing manufacturing in America. It is further tied to Buffalo's German-American community, since the owner, Mayer Wile, was a German-born businessman.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00001419, listed November 22, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 77 Goodell St., Buffalo |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 22, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001419 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca 1924 |
| Architect / builder | Esenwein and Johnson Architects, Buffalo, NY |
| Architectural style | OTHER/Daylight Factory |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry, European |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant in the function section; the company operated the building until 1999, when it moved to another Buffalo location. A fifth floor was added over part of the building in the 1960s, and the lobby has been altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89448, -78.86826 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00001419.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6713264
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.