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Buffalo Central Terminal

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Availability:	By Appointment Only
Filed Under:	Conventions/Festivals/Events > Paranormal Conventions Halloween Events Historical Locations > Tours Movie Locations Paranormal Hot Spots Television Locations > Ghost Hunters
Added By:	Tom G
Added On:	October 27, 2010 - 07:55 PM UTC
Last Modified:	October 27, 2010 - 09:18 PM UTC
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Average Rating:	0 (0 ratings)
Visited By:	0 Users

Address
495 Paderewski Dr, Buffalo, NY 14212, USA (Buffalo, New York)

Information
Buffalo Central Terminal This large train station was intended for grand things, but ultimately languished and died 50 years after it opened for business. The Buffalo Central Terminal's buildings suffered from abuse and neglect for years before being adopted by an organization formed to restore and preserve it. The terminal has since found new life, as well as become a favorite haunt for paranormal investigators - ultimately gaining national attention through its appearances on paranormal TV shows, such as SyFy's Ghost Hunters. History of the Buffalo Central Terminal Initial construction in preparation for the terminal began on March 1, 1926. It required the demolition of more than 150 homes in the Polish immigrant neighborhood nicknamed "The Hollow" by locals. Due to the poverty of the neighborhood many of the houses served as residence to multiple families, many of whom did not speak English. It made it a challenging task to purchase the land. The area had been chosen over placement in the downtown area. The land in East Buffalo was cheaper to purchase and the greater amount of space allowed for easier day-to-day operations, making it so that trains did not have to back up as often. The planners behind the terminal optimistically assumed that Buffalo's downtown would relocate to surround their impressive new creation. Construction of the Buffalo Central Terminal itself began on August 3, 1927. The terminal was designed in the new and popular Art Deco style. The newly constructed office tower loomed 15 stories over the terminal and surrounding neighborhood, drawing attention with its giant clocks lit-up high upon the corners of the structure. The grand opening ceremony was held on June 22, 1929, with more than 2,000 people in attendance. An estimated $14 million dollars had been spent on constructing the elegant complex. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Central Terminal was doomed from the start. Only three months after the terminal's grand opening, Wall Street crashed, beginning what would become The Great Depression. The prediction that the terminal's creation would cause Buffalo businesses to shift location to center around it proved overly-optimistic and the distance from the downtown area wound up hurting the terminal. Lastly, the increasing popularity of motor cars damaged the passenger train industry in general. The Buffalo Central Terminal limped through the decades. Other than a brief boom in business during (and due to) World War II, the terminal failed to bring in the traffic it had intended. The owners were forced to demolish some of the terminal's buildings in order to reduce property taxes and maintenance costs to make up for the lack of business. After changing hands a few times, the Buffalo Central Terminal had its last train depart on October 28, 1979. The terminal's offices closed the following year. 1979 also saw the purchase of the Buffalo Central Terminal by Anthony Fedele & Galesi Realty for a mere $75,000. The terminal was put to use, hosting sporting events, parties and various markets. Anthony Fedele lived on site, in an apartment he had built for himself on the second floor. Only 7 years later Fedele lost the terminal in foreclosure due to defaulting on his taxes. The terminal was purchased for $100,000 by Thomas Telesco, who chose to cannibalize the building, removing parts of the architecture and selling it piece by piece. After he had finished with the place, Telesco sold it to Bernie and Samuel Tuchman who continued to sell off parts of the buildings for profit. During this time period the terminal fell victim to vandals and arsonists due to little or no prevention of trespassing on the property. Central Terminal Restoration Corporation In August of 1997, Scott Field of the Preservation Coalition of Erie County purchased the property for a single dollar. He had to assume responsibility for terminal's $70,000 in unpaid back taxes as well. The Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC) was formed to restore and preserve the Buffalo landmark. They have been gradually accomplishing this goal, though there is a lot of work that still needs to be done before the place is fully restored. The corporation initially raised funds through donations. More and more areas continued to opened to the public and the CTRC has managed to buy back some artifacts that were lost during the years the terminal was being scavenged. The clock that had originally stood inside the main concourse was discovered to be in Chicago, Illinois. It was repurchased in 2005 and restored to its former position in the concourse in 2009. Within two years, the CTRC managed to restore the office tower's clocks, relighting them once again on October 1, 1999. On May 11, 2001 the CTRC relit the top of the tower, once again turning the building into beacon over East Buffalo at night. Thanks to the corporation's work restoration work (including asbestos removal and building repairs) sections of the property were reopened to the public for tours and events in late 2003. The events and tours created a further source of funds to restore the terminal. Haunting of the Buffalo Central Terminal During restoration work on the terminal, volunteers reportedly experienced some unexplained phenomena. The strange experiences have varied from cold spots, disembodied voices and sudden feelings of fear without apparent cause to sightings of multiple apparitions. One volunteer claimed to have seen a pair of ghosts stroll up and take a drink from a fountain that has not existed in decades. Before his eyes, the apparitions and the drinking fountain vanished, leaving just the hole in the wall and broken plumbing where it once stood. Sites of alleged paranormal activity include the third floor, Anthony Fedele's old apartment, the rotunda area, the former mail room, and the basement. Buffalo Central Terminal on Television The terminal made its first television appearance in the TV series Route 66 (1960-1964). It was used heavily at the beginning of the fourth season episode, Come Home Greta Inger Gruenschaffen. Nearly the first six minutes of the episode were shot using both the exterior and interior of the terminal's main concourse. However it is probably best known for its appearances on the reality television series Ghost Hunters and its spin-off Ghost Hunters Academy. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) investigation of the Buffalo Central Terminal appeared in the season four episode, Speaking With the Dead. It appeared again in the first season of Ghost Hunters Academy in the episode, Drama Queen. The TAPS team has returned to the terminal since then to conduct investigations that were not filmed for television (see Events below). The Buffalo Central Terminal was once again featured on Ghost Hunters for a six-hour-long live broadcast on Halloween night 2010. Buffalo Central Terminal in Film Both the exterior and interior of the terminal was used in the romantic comedy Best Friends (1982), starring Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The interior of the terminal's main concourse was used in shooting the dramatic films, Vamping (1984), starring Patrick Duffy and The Natural (1984), starring Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close and a then nearly-unknown actress named Kim Basinger. Both movies shot there only a few months apart in 1983. The Buffalo Central Terminal was both the setting and shooting location for the 2006 independent horror film Prison of the Psychotic Damned (AKA: Prison of the Psychotic Damned: Terminal Remix). The movie tells the tale of a group of ghost hunters who get more than they bargained for during a night spent inside the terminal. A special showing of the movie was held inside the Buffalo Central Terminal on June 23, 2006. The event raised money to help preserve the landmark. Events The Buffalo Central Terminal hosts a number of events throughout the year. There are parties including the Halloween Bash (see below) and the Oktoberfest Ump-Pa-Pa Party that are both annual fall events. The terminal has also served as a venue for train shows and art shows, among other events. The ghostly reputation of the Buffalo Central Terminal has led to a number of public events centered around paranormal investigation. In the past, ghost hunting groups (including TAPS) have allowed members of the public to join in investigations at the terminal for a fee. In 2010, the Buffalo Central Terminal was host to the Ghost Toast at the Terminal event. The gathering featured demonstrations and lectures by paranormal investigators, psychics and local paranormal historian Mason Winfield. The terminal is also available to be rented for personal events such as weddings. Buffalo Central Terminal Halloween Bash Annually, during the month of October, the terminal is the scene of a gigantic Halloween party. The Halloween Bash is a large event hosted by Variety children's charity that raises money for the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo. The Halloween Bash features live music, food, a full bar, and a costume contest (the top prize awarded for 2010 was $2,000). The event has also been known to have tarot card reading booths, horror celebrities signing autographs, and screaming contests. Visiting Buffalo Central Terminal The terminal is only open to the public during events or scheduled tours. To enter at other times is trespassing. Check the Web sites for the Buffalo Central Terminal and Buffalo Tours (see Related Sites below) for details on tours, ghost hunts and other events.

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Related Sites
Buffalo Central Terminal Web site for the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation.
Buffalo Tours Web site for Buffalo Tours, offering tours of many locations including the Buffalo Central Terminal.
Wikipedia: Buffalo Central Terminal Wikipedia entry for the Buffalo Central Terminal.

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See Also on TheCabinet.com
There are no other pages on this site associated with this location.

Available from Amazon.com
Buffalo as an Architectural Museum: The Rehabilitation of the Buffalo State Hospital and the New York Central Terminal of Buffalo
Ghost Hunters: Season 4, Part 2
Buffalo Central Terminal - A Photo Album

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Images

The Buffalo Central Terminal - taken October, 2008.
From: Tom G

The office tower and main concourse of the Buffalo Central Terminal - October, 2008.
From: Tom G

Railway Express Building - Buffalo Central Termina

The Railway Express Building is in very poor shape - October, 2008.
From: Tom G

Signs of vandalism around the Railway Express Building - October, 2008.
From: Tom G

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The above content is for informational purposes only. Before making any travel arrangements, it is highly recommended that you contact those in charge of the property to check for updated availability and hours of operation. While we do our best to keep this information updated, we cannot guarantee that it is completely valid and up to date. Any destination marked "Closed to the Public" is marked that for a reason and we discourage any visits or attempts to gain access to that facility. Similarly, take note of any "Travel Advisory" that may be associated with a destination. Finally, treat any location and its local residents with respect. Any vandalism and/or unruly behavior is completely despicable and only ruins the experience for future visitors.

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