Ellicott Square Building ::: 295 Main St, Buffalo

The Ellicott Square Building is a 10 story Italian Renaissance-style office building built in 1896 at a cost of $3.5 million dollars.  It was the largest office building in the world at the time of completion with 299,000 square feet of rentable office space. The floors and sidewalks of the vestibules consist of Mosaic and rare marbles arranged to produce a rich and artistic color effect.  The most extravagant feature is the Central Court with a glass roof and mosaic floor which has a central disc showing points of the compass surrounded by a chain symbolizing the strength of business organization in the United States. Many social and political events are held in the Grand Court area showing its elegance and grandeur. Through the years, the building has undergone extensive improvements that have preserved the original architecture and added modern enhancements for energy efficiency, convenience and safety.