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All the United States New York State New York City Syracuse Niagara Mohawk Building

Niagara Mohawk Building

This Art Deco fortress in upstate New York gives Manhattan's vaunted examples of the style a run for their money.

Syracuse, New York

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Bruno Werndl
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Niagara Mohawk Building   JasonParis on Flickr
Niagara Mohawk Building   Dmealiffe on Wikipedia
Niagara Mohawk Building   amboy / Atlas Obscura User
Niagara Mohawk Building   amboy / Atlas Obscura User
Niagara Mohawk Building   amboy / Atlas Obscura User
Niagara Mohawk Building   amboy / Atlas Obscura User
the Spirit of Energy 07.2022   Raven Traveler / Atlas Obscura User
the Spirit of Energy (even closer) 07.2022   Raven Traveler / Atlas Obscura User
the Spirit of Energy (close up) 07.2022   Raven Traveler / Atlas Obscura User
Beauty in plain sight   Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
Niagara Mohawk Building (Wide) 07.2022   Raven Traveler / Atlas Obscura User
  clickinghdd / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Located miles upstate from such Manhattan architectural landmarks as the Chrysler Building and Rockefeller Center, the former power company headquarters known as the Niagara Mohawk Building makes all of those more well known Art Deco exemplars look a bit like amateurs.

Completed in 1932, as the Niagara Hudson Building, the structure was created to serve as the headquarters of the Niagara Hudson Electric Company, a newly merged utility that was the largest electricity provider in the country at the time. The structure was meant to be a "cathedral of light," and very much achieves this loft goal. Every surface of the building is accented by angular geometric flourishes, while each consecutive level thins to a central tower. The main spire, visually balanced in the dead center of the structure features a gleaming metal figure known as the "Spirit of Energy" who lords over the main entrance to the chapel of power. All of the exterior features are made of shining aluminum and steel, surrounding glass and scalloped stonework. Unlike its skyscraping Manhattan counterparts, the squat three-level building is actually helped by its short stature that allows visitors to take in the opulence of the building in its entirety. Quite simply it is stunning.

Of course, as the headquarters of a power company, light features were built into the various nooks and niches of the exterior so that the facade would illuminate gloriously at night. Today this includes colored lights that can be altered at the will of the building's owners.    

While the building is now owned by the National Grid company, the structure itself is a protected historic landmark, which ensures that the metal remains shining and the Niagara Mohawk Building continues to symbolize the optimistic future public electricity can provide, as strongly as it did when it was built.

Related Tags

Art Deco Electricity Architecture Architectural Oddities

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There's temporary parking available at W. Water St. if you're just visiting for photos.

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Added By

amboy

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Raven Traveler, EricGrundhauser, mosherhmh, clickinghdd...

  • Raven Traveler
  • EricGrundhauser
  • mosherhmh
  • clickinghdd
  • Julius Spada

Published

November 19, 2014

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Sources
  • http://syracusethenandnow.org/Dwntwn/ClintonSq/NIMO/NIMO.htm
  • http://retroroadmap.com/spot/art-deco-nimo-building-syracuse-ny/
  • http://www.buffaloah.com/a/virtual/us/syr/niagmo/niagmo.html
  • http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/index.ssf/2014/11/a_brighter_syracuse_skyline_how_a_lighting_master_illuminated_the_old_niagara_mo.html
Niagara Mohawk Building
Syracuse, New York, 13204
United States
43.051009, -76.15606

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