Electric Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
General Electric Tower
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

General Electric Tower, June 2009
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	535 Washington Street, Buffalo, New York 14203
Area	less than one acre
Built	1912
Architect	Esenwein & Johnson; E.B. Green and Sons
Architectural style	Beaux Arts
NRHP reference No.	08000865
Added to NRHP	September 12, 2008

The Electric Tower (also called the General Electric Tower) is a historic office building and skyscraper in Buffalo, New York. You can find it at the corner of Washington and Genesee Streets. It is the seventh tallest building in Buffalo.

This impressive tower stands 14 stories high, reaching about 294 feet (90 meters). It was designed by James A. Johnson and built in 1912. The tower's style is called Beaux-Arts Classical Revival. Its design was inspired by an earlier Electric Tower. That first tower was built for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, but it was only temporary and taken down after the fair.

The Electric Tower was originally known as the Niagara Mohawk Building. It has a white outer layer made of terra-cotta, which is a type of baked clay. The building features an eight-sided tower that gets smaller in steps as it goes up. At the very top, there is a large lantern. The building also had parts added in 1923 and 1928. Today, it is sometimes called Iskalo Electric Tower because of the company that owns it.

Tower Design and Style

The Electric Tower has special decorations that show things related to making electricity. These designs are thought to be early examples of the Art Deco style. Art Deco is a popular design style from the 1920s and 1930s known for its bold shapes and rich decorations.

Lights and Celebrations

Just like One M&T Plaza, the top of the Electric Tower lights up at night. It changes colors for different holidays throughout the year. For example, during the National Hockey League playoffs, both buildings light up blue and gold to support the Buffalo Sabres hockey team.

The Electric Tower is also famous for hosting the annual Buffalo Ball Drop on New Year's Eve. This is one of the biggest ball drops in North America outside of the New York City ball drop. Many people gather in Roosevelt Plaza to celebrate the New Year. The Buffalo Ball Drop includes live music and a fantastic firework show.

In September 2008, the Electric Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.