BUFFALO SILOS
Revitalized By Amanda Dudek
Revitalization is a crucial part of nature: the regrowth of forests after a fire, a green spring after the dead of winter. The City of Buffalo is no exception. Along the banks of the Buffalo River, the gargantuan bones of grain silos speak to the prosperity of a bygone era. After several decades, life is returning to these massive structures both at Silo City and the Silos at Elk Street. SILO CITY Rick Smith, thirdgeneration president of Rigidized Metals, first became interested in the Buffalo Outer Harbor property that is now Silo City because it neighbors Rigidized which was expanding. When he realized the property was available in 2006, he purchased it, in no small part for the Buffalo community, as well as to put the iconic silos in local hands once again. But what to do with 100-year-old grain silos over 190 feet tall? “I didn’t know what in the world we were going to do with them, but they are kind of the cornerstones of what Buffalo is,” explained Smith. “They are one of the things that are special and unique to Buffalo. They have authenticity. What would Buffalo be without these grain elevators?” Ultimately, Smith felt that Silo City should be a place of gathering, of art, a space in which to find inspiration and to create, bringing back the regenerative power of the human spirit. “We have to start by the water and get back to the water. Everything starts by the water,” he said, noting the silos themselves point to the waterfront. Artists of all kinds—painters, theatre performers, national-recognized spoken word poets, sculptors, installations by UB students (Elevator B beehive), musicians, and many others answered Silo City’s call. “All around are spaces, and artists have
DUENDE, SILO CITY
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