South Buffalo Bungalow Belt
One of Buffalo's most charming neighborhoods is centered on a cluster of streets running off Abbott between Lakewood and Hubbell on the South Side. The streets stand out from their surroundings as they are lined with distinctive bungalow style houses. The bungalow, sometimes referred to as craftsman style, was popular in the early 20th century. It is a derivation of an Indian house type with rustic detailing and broad porches. Common features include low rooflines on a gabled or hipped roof, deeply overhanging eaves, exposed rafters, and decorative brackets. The front porch is often formed by extending the main roof out past the front wall.
The craftsman style of design became popular as people started yearning for a simpler time. The 20th century was a period of major change. Rapidly developing technology and a shift to urban living brought new wealth and convenience along with a sometimes stressful and unfamiliar way of life to many people. Design, with an emphasis on hand craft and natural materials, was a way to capture the nostalgia of a simpler America. The Roycrofters in nearby East Aurora, led by Elbert Hubbard, were leaders in this movement. Even the work of Frank Lloyd Wright could be included as a part of this movement (if peripherally so). His Connection to Darwin Martin and subsequent commissions in Buffalo came through Hubbard.
The most extravagant forms the bungalow can be found in California with perhaps the best known examples being by architects Greene and Greene. Chicago is well known for its vast swath of middle class bungalow houses in a ring surrounding the city core locally referred to as the Bungalow Belt. Buffalo does not have so much a belt of bungalows as it has a button or so here and there. Buffalo's bungalows include several varieties throughout the city with some very high quality examples on Tilinghast in North Buffalo. The biggest and most unified collection of the type is in probably in South Buffalo.
The South Buffalo bungalow houses (shown here) are very interesting for their bold roofs. The gable is turned to the side (a very unusual architectural feature in Buffalo) with the long low sloped roof pushing out over a large porch. Most of the houses have a massive dormer of various styles pushing up from the center. These houses are substantially built but are not houses of wealth. They were built for a newly developed middle class looking for comfort and an expression of their new status. They are mostly identical in basic form with subtle variations in detail and dormer shape used to set them apart. They create an interesting urban profile as their bold roofs all line up down the street. Check out this site for some more images of this great hidden treasure trove in South Buffalo.
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scooter
I do like the bungalow style homes and this is a very nice part of South Buffalo.
Even nicer are the larger victorian homes that are very common in South Buffalo. I grew up in one off of seneca street. Parents raised 9 children, with plenty of room to spare. Today the house is about 100 years old and is in excellent condition.
I think BR does a great job with showcasing Buffalo, but maybe we can shine a larger spotlight on South Buffalo, I don't think the rest of WNY really knows about some of the beautiful neighborhoods, homes, parks and businesses in this part of the city.
With all the change that various communities in WNY has gone through......South Buffalo seems to have held together pretty well.
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RaChaCha
Steel, thank you for another great article on South Buffalo.
BTW, is it true that Buffalo bungalow buffalo Buffalo bungalow buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo bungalow buffalo--?
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georgethomasapfel
Just look at all those great porches! The Craftsman style bungalow is a personal favorite of mine, with the bold roofs and the fabulous porches, Funny, years ago I thought these were all Sears kit-built homes, you would order from their catalog and it would arrive in pieces. Of course, now I know Sears didn't adopt the Craftsman name until the 30's for their premium line of tools.
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Denizen
South Buffalo has plenty of these gems along so many unassuming streets.
Though, my favorite part of SB is the Seneca-Cazenovia area. The pedestrian-oriented commercial stretch along Seneca is quite intact and has oodles of potential. Even today many of residents basic daily needs can be fulfilled on that strip. Too bad this particular pocket has been getting poorer and poorer as of recent. The multitude of vacant storefronts and absentee owner doubles on the sidestreets makes this apparent.
The city should focus aid on reviving these very salvageable neighborhoods instead of dumping money into whatever silver bullet du-jour happens to be all the rage at any given moment. I'm sure there are plenty of southtowers looking to downsize and reconnect with their roots. Some generous tax abatements for fixing up old homes/commercial spaces and streetscape improvement projects for the commercial strip could really get the ball rolling in SB.
Why waste money on building brand new neighborhoods on brownfields when there are gems like Seneca-Caz which could be brought back to life with far less resources?
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al-alo
one of my occasional passtimes is to drive or walk around and stumble onto new unknown neighborhoods. as primarially a north buffalo/westside/allentown denzien, riverside, the east side and south buffalo are like entirely new cities within my own.
i cant wait the next time im down that way so that i can check out these digs.
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sbrof
I mean.. it is god's country down there...
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wunder_y
Bungalows were a big part of the housing built in a lot of areas and they were certainly more concentrated in some neighborhoods than others. A lot of them were built in the 1930's-40"s in Kensington-Bailey and up through the University Heights area. Take a look at Midvale and Collingwood on Windows Live Local mapping and you'll see that almost every house on Midvale is a bungalow. As housing goes in Buffalo they aren't that old and lend themselves to pretty affordable rehabilitation.
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Balth
I'm looking at two bungalow houses next week down in south buffalo. EVERYONE ELSE KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF! I dont want any bidding wars!
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wizardofza
Actually most of the Bungalows were built during the 1920s. Not much of anything (housing wise) got built during the Great Depression and WW2.
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RisingDamp666
Most cities would kill for this stuff! In many places, you get a few Craftsmans on a block and it's a "historic District", here, we have entire neighborhoods. Yeah, Balth, you'd better be damned worried about bidding wars!
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Dan
The same post also appeared on Cyburbia at http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32169 . (owned and operated by a former Buffalonian, as opposed to Europeans. :) )
Those houses scream "BUFFALO!" more than a drunk, shirtless Bills fan in the nosebleed seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium in December.
When they were first built and sold after World War II, Buffalo's bungalows were marketed as "semi-bungalows". Real estate agents, though, usually call them "colonials" or "capes" in their listings; both incorect terms.
Few of Buffalo's semi-bungalows are in their original condition. Most are located in what are now lower middle-class or transitional neighborhoods, miles from neighborhoods experiencing any sort of revitalization. Historical integrity has never been a priority among their owners. Large picture windows, vinyl and aluminum siding, and iron railings -- all common post-WWII modifications.
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katmom76
Thank you for featuring my home (76) as a bungalow beauty!
Anyone with an older home can tell you that maintaining these gems can be a challenge (and expensive).
For the last 17 years, we have lovingly endeavored to maintain and upgrade our home while keeping its historical imprint intact.
Thanks again!
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STEEL
Great Job Katmom76. You can tell there is a lot or pride in your neighborhood.
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