After working on the Telescope Houses of Buffalo, New York for the last three years, I happily showed the series in Buffalo for the first time last weekend at Dennis Maher’s The Fargo House gallery. When I wasn’t at the gallery, I continued shooting the project and supplemented earlier photographs of the city with new images of neighborhood stores and Silo City. Photographs of the installation and several new images are below.
For more information about the Telescope Houses of Buffalo, New York, check out my recent interview in The Public conducted by University at Buffalo architecture professor Gregory Delaney and a ArchDaily/Satellite magazine feature on the series.
New photographs of Buffalo telescope houses.
The Fargo House on opening night.
An installation view.
Neighborhood buildings featuring convenience stores.
The major disappointment of the trip was the demolition of a former synagogue that had been converted into a church. The above sequence is from 2012, 2014 and my recent visit.
Silo City was compelling as ever — this time with original plans, thanks to Isabella Crowley.
Hi David,
Congrats on your show of the telescope houses at The Fargo House Gallery.
Yet to find one in Houston, but keep looking. I enjoyed your interview with Gregory Delaney.
Share your sense of irony, as when photographing the sides of early 20th C Houston Cottages,
I too know that I am standing where others had been. In the Washington Avenue Corridor, which
includes the 1st Ward, very few are left, all replaced by townhomes, with absence of any
yard area, cannot be be modified. The concrete of 6 townhomes replacing 1 cottage up on
piers, (5,000SF) added to the flood we just had.
Monica Rhor in the 12.29.15 Houston Chronicle: Inside the Loop, Affordable Housing Giving Way
to High-Dollar Development. “…affordable housing advocates and community activists say,
swaths of Houston have been transformed almost overnight. Gone are moderate and low-income
Houston options. Gone are pockets (whole communities!) of African-American and Latino
residents. In their place are neighborhoods like the Washington Avenue Corridor.”
In 1990, the median income in the census tract was 50% of median for Houston. Today 200%.
In 1990, whites made up 57% of census tract & Latinos 52%. (mistake on the latter %)
Now, whites 81%, Latinos 14%. The % of blacks has dropped by almost half. In 2000, 80% of
houses were valued under $200,000. Today, none. (dates & %s from the article, just shortened
it). Telescope houses might have a “precarious future,” the few Houston Cottages left have none.
Row houses are like hen’s teeth. Gentrification with major displacement.
Have a good day,
Bob