Seneca One Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Seneca One Tower

Former names	One Seneca Tower, One HSBC Center, Marine Midland Center
Record height
Tallest in Buffalo since 1970
Preceded by	Buffalo City Hall
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Class "A" Office
Location	Seneca One Tower, Buffalo, NY, United States
Coordinates	42°52′46″N 78°52′33″W / 42.8795°N 78.8757°W / 42.8795; -78.8757
Construction started	1969
Completed	1972
Cost	$50 million US$($399 million in 2022 dollars )
Owner	Douglas Development Corporation, Washington, DC
Management	Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation
Height
Roof	529 ft (161 m)
Technical details
Floor count	40 (38 occupiable)
Floor area	1,200,000 sq ft (111,483.6 m²)
Lifts/elevators	27
Design and construction
Architect	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Developer	Douglas Development Corporation, Washington, DC
Other information
Parking	808 spaces in attached Seneca Ramp and 465 spaces on 2 levels below the building

The Seneca One Tower is a very tall building, called a skyscraper. It stands 529-foot (161 m) high in downtown Buffalo, New York. This building has had a few names over the years. It was once known as One HSBC Center from 1999 to 2013. Before that, it was called Marine Midland Center from 1972 to 1999. Its name changed when Marine Midland Bank became part of HSBC Bank USA.

The tower was built between 1969 and 1974. It cost about $50 million back then. It has over 1,200,000 square feet (110,000 m²) of space inside. Even today, this 40-story building is a big part of the Buffalo skyline. It is a great example of modern architecture, which is a style of building design. The building looks a bit like the 33 South Sixth building in Minneapolis. This is because the same architectural company designed both.

In 2021, the entire tower and four lower floors were updated. This big renovation cost $150 million. It added more than 200 modern apartments to the building.

Cool Facts About the Tower
- Radio and TV Antennas on Top
Who Works There Now?
Past Important Companies
Building History
Images for kids
See also

Cool Facts About the Tower

The building was designed by a famous company called Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM). It was finished in 1972, and the inside parts were done by 1974.
The main architect was Marc Goldstein. John Merrill was also a key person in the project. The inside areas were designed by Davis Allen and Margo Grant Walsh.
The Seneca One Tower was the main office for Marine Midland Bank until 1998. Then it became the main office for HSBC USA until 1999. After that, HSBC moved its main U.S. office to New York City.
This tower is the tallest privately owned office building in New York State, outside of New York City. The tallest publicly owned building outside New York City is the Erastus Corning Tower in Albany.
In the building's open area, there is a cool sculpture from 1973. It is called "Vroom, Shhh" and was made by Ronald Bladen.
The building stands over the southern end of Main Street. The Buffalo Metro Rail train even goes underneath the building!
A Buffalo-based architecture company, Antunovich Associates, helped with the building's renovation.
M&T Bank's technology center, also designed by Antunovich Associates, moved into Seneca One in November 2020.

Radio and TV Antennas on Top

WBXZ-LD (TV channel 56)
W275BB (FM 102.9), which re-broadcasts WECK
W227BW (FM 93.3), which re-broadcasts WZXV

Who Works There Now?

Here are some of the important companies that have offices in the Seneca One Tower as of 2021^[update]:

M&T Bank
Highmark Health
43 North
Odoo
Serendipity Labs
AML RightSource
PCI
Douglas Development Buffalo
Carney Remodeling & Construction

Past Important Companies

Some well-known companies and groups that used to be in the tower include:

Consulate General of Canada in Buffalo (Canada's office in Buffalo)
HSBC Bank USA
Pegula Sports and Entertainment
Phillips Lytle LLP

Building History

On December 5, 2012, HSBC Bank USA announced they would leave the tower. Their lease ended in October 2013. With HSBC leaving, and Phillips Lytle LLP also moving out, the tower became almost empty by 2014. About 90 percent of the building was vacant.

In August 2016, a company from Washington, D.C. called Douglas Development said they would buy the tower. On September 29, 2016, it was confirmed that Douglas Jemal of Douglas Development had bought the tower. He also bought a nearby parking garage. His plan was to update the tower and the area around it. He wanted to add shops, restaurants, a hotel, offices, and apartments.

In June 2019, M&T Bank announced a big plan. They would use 15 floors of the tower for their "technology hub." In 2020, the building got a new look with paint colors like terra cotta (a reddish-brown) and gunmetal (a dark gray). In early 2021, a bright M&T Bank sign was put on top of the building. It replaced a Buffalo Bills flag that was there temporarily for the team's playoff games in 2020.

Images for kids

View from Canalside with the old HSBC name and look.
Seneca One Tower (then named One HSBC Center) behind Ellicott Square Building.
Downtown Buffalo in 1973, shortly after the skyscraper (on the left) was finished.
Seneca One Tower in April 2021 after the M&T bank sign was added. You can also see the Buffalo Bills flag.
The tower from a drone with Lake Erie in the background, December 2023.

Seneca One Tower facts for kids

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