65 Niagara Square

Buffalo City Hall at 65 Niagara Square is one of the finest Art Deco civic buildings in the United States and, at 32 stories and 378 feet, the tallest city hall in the nation. Completed in 1931 during the depths of the Great Depression, it stands as a monument to Buffalo's civic ambition and to the extraordinary talent of its designers — the local firm of Dietel, Wade & Jones — who created an authentically original work of Art Deco architecture rather than merely applying period ornament to a conventional tower.

The building's design is a tour de force of Art Deco integration: every element, from the soaring massing to the smallest decorative detail, is governed by the same geometric and symbolic logic. The tower rises from a broad base in a series of setbacks that echo the stepped profiles of pre-Columbian temples — a common Art Deco motif — before culminating in an observation deck and pyramidal crown at the top. Polychrome terra cotta in buff, gold, and reddish-brown covers the upper portions, with intricate bas-relief panels depicting the history and industry of Buffalo and western New York.

The Council Chambers on the thirteenth floor are among the most spectacular Art Deco public interiors in America. The vast circular room features a vaulted ceiling of ornamental plasterwork, walls of polished marble, and bronze light fixtures of extraordinary craftsmanship. Murals by noted artist William de Leftwich Dodge depict allegorical scenes from the region's history.

City Hall remains in active use as Buffalo's municipal government center. The observation deck on the 25th floor offers one of the best panoramic views of the city and Lake Erie and is open to visitors, making the building both a working civic institution and one of Buffalo's most beloved tourist destinations.