A Closer Look: Silo City
From the Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures series
"Silo City" was the name given to this Buffalo architectural treasure by its current owner, Rick Smith. It consists of three grain elevator silo buildings - the Perot Malting Elevator, the American Elevator and the Marine "A" Elevator - and other obsolete plants situated on Childs Street along the Buffalo River near downtown Buffalo. The historic facilities have a rich past of producing malt made from barley and wheat which supplied the brewing industry for decades. The centerpiece of the complex is the Perot Malting Co. elevator and semi-attached malting house, which got its start in 1907 and closed in 1963 after the company dissolved.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The steam-powered grain elevator was introduced in Buffalo in 1843. This view at Silo City features the Marine "A" Elevator near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A shute inside Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The Perot Malting Elevator, center, is situated next to the malting house, right, at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City is a collection of three grain elevators on Childs Street owned by Rick Smith of Rigidized Metals Corp. They are the American / Russell-Miller / Peavey Elevator, the Perot Elevator / American Malting Elevator / Genesee Brewing Elevator and the Marine "Au201d Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
With the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, Buffalo stood at the intersection of two great water routes. Marine "A" Elevator is partially obscured by the vegetation that has popped up on the campus of Silo City over the years.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A shovel stands alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Industrial gears and equipment that kept the elavators working are now silent.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A conveyor plate has the look of a cartoon character inside an elevator at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of the grain conveyor belt system at Silo City near Childs Street in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Caretaker and watchman Jim "Swannie" Watkins spends most of his days keeping things safe from uninvited explorers at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A counter weight at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of the grain conveyor belt system at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of the grain conveyor belt system in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith stands at the base of the American Elevator at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view of RiverWorks at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Buffalo was the world's largest grain port from the 1850's until the first half of the 20th century. The view at Silo City also shows the lake and Rail Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith is constantly looking for ways to make his facility better and safer while keeping its historic charm.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Buffalo once had the nation's largest capacity for storing grain. A jet flies high above Marine "A" Elevator at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The American Elevator was a fierce competitor with the neighboring Perot Malting Co. at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
University at Buffalo architecture students interact with the wooden structures they built on the grounds at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old lighting fixture at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Detail of concrete work at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo. Thought to be the first in Buffalo built of reinforced concrete.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith has visions of how best to share his treasure with the Western New York community. He likes where things are going.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith, with his signature cowboy hat, enjoys walking on the industrial grounds.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith takes it all in at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo. Located just past the American Elevator. The 1907 complex, with an addition built in 1933, consists of two distinct buildings: the workhouse/elevator and the malthouse.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The Perot Malting Elevator at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo. Perot never had marine legs. It was connected to the American Elevator next door by an overhead conveyor that transferred grain to the Perot bins. The elevator was used for malting barley for beer.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The devil is in the details at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Jim "Swannie" Watkins, the watchman and handyman at Silo City, makes one of his frequent bike rides on the grounds.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A sky bridge of conveyor belts and chutes at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Years of wear and tear by Mother Nature on the walls at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Jim "Swannie" Watkins, the watchman and handyman at Silo City, checks the public entrance to the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Stairway in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
No shortage of stairs for explorers at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
One of the porthole-like windows at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
One of the old chutes that carried products from one end to the other at the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Owner Rick Smith on the band stage he built for his birthday party. "A fun time was had by all."
A Closer Look: Silo City
One of the old chutes that carried products from one end to the other at the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
One of the giant hoppers in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found around Silo City, like this old elevator in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Some of the grain still sits on a conveyor belt system in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of the grain conveyor belt system at the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view from Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Machines like this one separated the barley and wheat.
A Closer Look: Silo City
University at Buffalo architecture students interact with the wooden structures they built on the grounds at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of the grain conveyor belt system at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old motor at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Part of a vacuum air handling apparatus at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old motor and belt at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A broom sits alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in a grain elevator at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Lots of power kept things moving.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Machines like this separated and ground the grain.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A broom sits alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in a grain elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
New improvements at the Standard Elevator, a nearby silo near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from an old window in the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view from the top of the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view from the top of the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view of the Old First Ward neighborhood from the top of the Perot Malting Elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Groundskeeper and watchman "Swannie Jim" Watkins rests near his workshop.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Visitors over the years left their marks at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old bucket.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Machines like this separated the barley and wheat.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Old electric boxes at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Machines like this separated the barley and wheat.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A shovel sits alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in a grain elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Paddles kept the products running through the system at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Old scale at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Old scale at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Old scale at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Wheels pulverized the product at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The lever that turned the system on or off at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Detail of a stair at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A working station just as it was when it was closed down in 1963.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A working station just as it was when it was closed down in 1963.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Artifacts left at a working station just as it was when it was closed down in 1963.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Discarded dust masks on the floor where they were dropped decades ago on that last shift.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Interior map on a wall.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Old key system for elevator.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The third-floor elevator stop at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A broom sits alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in a grain elevator at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo on Monday, May 8, 2017.
A Closer Look: Silo City
A broom sits alone, perhaps where a worker last left it in a grain elevator at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Conveyors moved the products along at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Grain that never made it out of the grain elevators is piled up in some parts at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old beer bottle sits untouched at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An elevator at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facility at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The malting house exterior at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings inside the facility at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facilities at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Plenty of faded markings can be found inside the facilities at Silo City.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Machine used to move products to the upper levels at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
An old switch at Silo City near Childs Street.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs St. in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the Ohio Street bridge at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the surrounding neighborhood at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the surrounding neighborhood at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
View from the surrounding neighborhood at Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
Silo City near Childs Street in Buffalo.
A Closer Look: Silo City
The view at Silo City.
In this Series
Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures
The renovation of the American Mill & Warehouse building by Generation Development Group is designed to revive a landmark industrial grain silo on the city's waterfront by drawing permanent residents, workers, recreational users and other visitors.
This series has taken Buffalo News photographers inside, outside, above and, on occasion, underneath local landmarks and to places most people…
