The United Office Building was once the tallest building in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (Anthony Manarina)

Dear Preservation 911,

Recently, I was reading Preservation magazine, and it inspired me to write to you about a magnificent building in my home town of Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The United Office Building was once the tallest building in Niagara Falls when opened in 1929. It was built by the firm Esenwein and Johnson of nearby Buffalo, N.Y. Its original occupants were the Who's Who of the city, distinguished doctors, lawyers, and financiers.

Architecturally it is a wonderful piece of art, with art deco influences and magnificent Mayan-style friezes (in polychrome terra-cotta) on the upper exterior levels. The base is of polished dark brown granite brown with graduating lighter tones of terra-cotta brick, lightening to light buff color on the top levels. This shading of brick gives the illusion of the building be constantly bathed in sunlight.

For the past 20 years the building has been vacant and in a state of limbo. Since 1984 there has been an unending saga to rehabilitate the building, with schemes ranging from low-income apartments to luxury condominiums.

Perhaps someone can help it to reach a new purpose and keep it from being destroyed by the wrecking ball, which also has been proposed.

Sincerely,

Anthony Manarina

E-mail the writer with advice, comments, or commiseration.

Got a 911 in your town? Send us an e-mail.

Preservation 911 is a message board open to all readers. While National Trust staff will respond to the extent feasible, this will not be possible in all cases. We encourage other readers involved in state or local preservation to respond with advice or assistance. To contact either a regional office of the National Trust, a statewide or local nonprofit organization, or your state's historic preservation office, click here for a state-by-state list.

The National Trust's regional and field offices bring the programs and tools of the Trust to communities across the country. They offer technical assistance through consultations and field visits and financial help through small grants. They hold educational programs for professional preservationists and work to foster policies that help historic places. They also provide leadership on issues that concern entire regions, such as saving historic schools, fighting sprawl, and revitalizing cities.