Vars Building
344-352 Delaware Avenue at Tupper, Buffalo, NY
Research by Patrick Kavanagh
Erected:
1929 Architects:
Lawrence Bley and Duane Lyman Style:
Art Deco Location:
- Vars Building -southwest corner of Delaware and West Chippewa
- Harlow C. Curtiss Building - northwest corner of Delaware and Tupper
- Asbury Methodist Church - northeast corner of Delaware and Tupper
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Looking north |
Art Deco style spandrel panels |
Entrance: Art Deco |
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Two stone spandrel panels between windows |
Sculpture is Art Deco style bas relief |
Same panel as previous photo in early evening light |
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Art Deco style stylized, geometric ornamentation |
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Reeded pilaster with stylized Ionic capital |
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Previous photo in early evening light |
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Vars Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Cemetery See text below |
Detail from previous photo - Tuscan column |
Perhaps the best example of an Art Deco commercial building in the city.Delaware Avenue became the city's most prestigious street in the late 19th century with most of the city's largest residences being built on the street. Starting in the early 20th century, commercial and apartment buildings replaced many of the 19th century residences.
Original owner: "...the son [of Harry T. Vars] Addison F. Vars was a heavy hitting young republican who was president of the advertising firm Addison Vars Inc. which was located at Delaware and Tupper" - History of the Niagara Frontier, Vol. IV, Biographical, 1931, by Merton M. Wilner, pp. 296-300
Forest Lawn Vars MausoleumThe remains of the following are in the Foerst Lawn Vars Mausoleum:
Harry Thorp Vars, Feb. 24, 1926
Carlton J. Balliett, Jr., May 29, 1946
Bertha W. Barker, June 21, 1952
Rose Waltho Brown, May 11, 1953
Gertrude Waltho Vars, Dec. 4, 1954
Evelyn Waltho Balliett, Sept. 24, 1957
Estelle Noell Reavis, Sept. 20, 1962
Mary G. Vars (no death date listed)
Addison Foster Vars, Nov. 11, 1968
Addison T. Vars, Jr., buried on Apr. 13, 1973
Aline Vars, June 30, 1990(Special thanks to the Forest Lawn staff for supplying this information)
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