Electric Tower

Electric Tower is a historic office building and skyscraper located at the corner of Washington and Genesee Streets in Buffalo. It is the seventh tallest building in Buffalo. It stands 294 feet and 14 stories tall and is in the Beaux-Arts Classical Revival style. It was designed by James A. Johnson and built in 1912. The tower was based upon an earlier Electric Tower constructed for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition; as with most of the buildings constructed for that event, the original was only temporary and demolished shortly after the fair ended. Additions were made in 1923 and 1928. The white terra-cotta clad was originally built as the Niagara Mohawk Building and features an octagonal tower which steps back three times to terminate in a large lantern. It is also known as Iskalo Electric Tower, for the real estate development company that owns the building.The decorative symbols featuring aspects of electricity production are considered precursors to subsequent art deco design.