Published: June 07, 2009 10:04 pm      

Wintergarden: Demolition work begins

Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster had mixed emotions last week as he walked through the Wintergarden for the final time.

The nostalgic side of him mourned the death of another historic building in Niagara Falls, while the sensible side believes it’s a necessary casualty in order for the city to grow.

“The times have changed and the facility as it existed had become a liability,” the mayor said. “I have so many fond memories of the Wintergarden but there’s also some bad memories of what it was like more recently. The dominant emotion in me is more of a sense of hope for the future.”

Workers have started dismantling the building and if the job remains on schedule the Wintergarden will be gone by summer’s end, said Katie Krawczyk, upstate director of public affairs for Empire State Development. A construction fence has been put up around the building to ensure the safety of both the workers and the public.

Krawczyk said the structure’s steel will be salvaged and recycled but the glass will be landfilled at Modern Disposal due to the possibility of asbestos on the frames.

Standing 107-feet tall, the Wintergarden was designed by famed architect Cesar Pelli and built in 1977 as part of the Falls urban renewal project. During its years as an arboretum, it was a popular attraction for both residents and tourists and served as the site for parties and a backdrop for wedding ceremonies.

After acquiring it from the city, businessman Joseph Anderson turned the building into Smokin Joe’s Family Fun Center in 2005, which included games, food and other attractions. The venture turned out to be the last time the building would be open to the public. Anderson ceased operations and auctioned off the building’s contents in fall 2007.

USA Niagara Development Corp. finalized a deal with Anderson in April to purchase the building for $1.2 million and later approved a $2.2 million demolition contract with Mark Cerrone Co. The building is being demolished as part of the state’s $7.9 million redesign project for the west pedestrian mall area.

Though some have lobbied to save the building, a consultation with the state Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation concluded the “drastic renovations” made to the building to turn it into a fun center had significantly impaired its original integrity, rendering it not eligible for inclusion into the register of historic places.

The Wintergarden removal will allow for the reconnection of the Old Falls Street corridor from Third Street to the entrance of the Niagara Falls State Park. The walkway is currently split into east and west sections.

Dyster said he’s excited about the project’s potential, pointing out the city plans on hosting concerts, festivals and other events at the site to capitalize on the millions of tourists visiting the state park each year and entice them to spend more time in the city.

“Once this is done, I think people are going to realize why Falls Street developed to begin with,” he said. “The main regret is we couldn’t have the project done for this tourist season. We’d already be seeing the benefits.”

Contact reporter Rick Forgione

at 282-2311, ext. 2257.