F.N. Burt Company Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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F.N. Burt Company Factory
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F.N. Burt Company Factory, April 2013
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 500 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York |
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| Area | 1.88 acres (0.76 ha) |
| Built | c. 1901-1926 |
| Built by | Niederpruem & Co. |
| Architect | Plumer & Mann |
| Architectural style | Daylight factory |
| MPS | Historic Resources of the Hydraulics / Larkin Neighborhood MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000053 |
| Added to NRHP | March 6, 2013 |
The F.N. Burt Company Factory is a historic building in Buffalo, New York. It used to be a large factory where boxes were made. Today, this old factory has been given a new life. It is now a modern space with offices, homes, and places for community groups. Another factory run by F.N. Burt in Buffalo was the F.N. Burt Company Factory "C".
A Look Back: The Factory's Story
The F.N. Burt Company Factory was first built in 1901. More parts were added until 1926. It was designed as a "daylight factory." This means it had many windows to let in lots of natural light. This helped workers see better and saved on electricity. The building is very strong, made of brick and reinforced concrete. It stands four to six stories tall.
In 1959, the F.N. Burt Company moved its operations to Cheektowaga (town), New York. The building stayed empty for some time. You can easily see the factory from the I-190 highway. It takes up almost a whole city block, surrounded by Myrtle Avenue, Hamburg, Spring, and Seneca streets. Because of its history and special design, the factory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
What's Happening Now: A New Life for the Factory
In March 2010, a group of developers bought the empty factory. They wanted to turn it into something new and useful. The company that owned it before, New Era Cap Company, had moved out in 2004.
The developers started a huge project to fix up the building. They spent about $35 million on renovations. The goal was to create 195,000 square feet of modern office space. They also set aside 110,000 square feet for community and cultural groups. These spaces are offered at a lower cost to help local organizations.
The new design includes a special outdoor courtyard and a large indoor "green" area. There is also parking right next to the building. Besides offices and community spaces, the factory now has 110 apartments for people to live in. The project was designed by Chaintreuil/Jensen/Stark Architects LLP and Tredo Engineers. It received funding to help preserve its history and clean up the land. The renovated building officially opened in 2015.
Who Works Here: Current Businesses and Organizations
Since opening in 2015, the 500 Seneca Street building has welcomed many different businesses and groups. Here are some of the tenants:
- ABC-Amega Inc. - This is the largest tenant, located on the fourth floor.
- Frontier Industrial Services and Frontier Group of Companies
- Buffalo Collaborative Opportunities & Management Enterprises (BCOME) - This program helps with job training in Buffalo.
- Oracle - A large technology company with space on the fifth floor.
- Leadership Buffalo - An organization that helps develop leaders in the community.
- Bene-Care Agency
- Nervve Technologies
- Liberty Mutual - An insurance company with a large space on the third floor.
- Tommyrotters Distillery - A place that makes spirits, located on the first floor.
- Provident Funding
- FourthIdea - An advertising and design agency on the fifth floor.
- B. Layne Creations - An Eco-Transformations Studio that opened to the public in December 2015.
