# Rand Building

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> Source revision: 1344959800
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{{short description|Skyscraper in Buffalo, New York, USA}}
{{For|the building in Huntsville, Alabama|Rand Building (Huntsville, Alabama)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = Rand Building
| image               = Rand_Building_in_Buffalo_New_York.jpg
| image_size          = 200px
| caption             = 
| location            = 14 Lafayette Square<br />[Buffalo](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)) 14203
| coordinates         = {{coord|42|53|10.30|N|78|52|24.40|W|display=inline,title}}
| status              = 
| construction_start_date = 
| completion_date     = 1929
| opening_date        = 
| building_type       = Office
| antenna_spire       = {{convert|405|ft|m|1}}
| roof                = {{convert|351|ft|m|1}}
| top_floor           = 
| floor_count         = 29
| elevator_count      = 
| cost                = 
| floor_area          = 
| architect           = F. J. & W. A. Kidd (1929); [James William Kideney & Associates](/source/James_William_Kideney_%26_Associates)
| structural_engineer = 
| main_contractor     = John W. Cowper Company
| developer           = 
| owner               = Main Street Buffalo Properties, LP
| operator            = Priam Enterprises, LLC
| references          = 
}}

The '''Rand Building''' is a skyscraper and the second tallest building in [Buffalo, New York](/source/Buffalo%2C_New_York). At the time it was built in 1929, it was the tallest in the city at a height of {{convert|405|ft}}.<ref>[http://library-towers.wikidot.com/rand-building Rand Building at library-towers.wikidot.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718050833/http://library-towers.wikidot.com/rand-building |date=2011-07-18 }}</ref> The building was built on the site of the 1903 Olympic Theatre and it has been suggested that the Rand Building was the inspiration for the [Empire State Building](/source/Empire_State_Building).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rand Building, Buffalo|url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/126211/rand-building-buffalo-ny-usa|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027031447/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/126211/rand-building-buffalo-ny-usa|archive-date=2020-10-27|access-date=2021-06-27|website=[Emporis](/source/Emporis)}}</ref>

==History==
thumb|left|The Olympic Theatre (1903) in Buffalo, New YorkThe building is named for George F. Rand Sr. (1864–1919),<ref name=Dunn>{{cite book|last1=Dunn|first1=Edward T.|title=Buffalo's Delaware Avenue : mansions and families|date=2003|publisher=Canisius College Press|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|isbn=0974093645|pages=555–557|url=http://buffaloah.com/h/rand/bios/bios.html|accessdate=21 November 2015}}</ref> former president and chairman of the board of directors of [Marine Midland Bank](/source/Marine_Midland_Bank), who was killed in a [plane crash](/source/plane_crash) near [Caterham](/source/Caterham) in [Surrey, England](/source/Surrey%2C_England).<ref name=buffaloah>{{cite web|last1=LaChiusa|first1=Chuck|title=Rand Building|url=http://www.buffaloah.com/a/lafsq/14/ext/index.html|website=buffaloah.com|accessdate=21 November 2015}}</ref>

The Buffalo Broadcasting Company moved its stations WGR and WKBW to the building; the stations had moved out of the building by 1959. Today, the stations in the [Townsquare Media](/source/Townsquare_Media) cluster ([WTSS](/source/WTSS), [WBLK](/source/WBLK), [WBUF](/source/WBUF), and [WYRK](/source/WYRK)) broadcast from studios in the Rand Building and have their transmitting antennas located atop its beacon.

Adjacent to the Rand Building is [10 Lafayette Square](/source/10_Lafayette_Square) in [Lafayette Square](/source/Lafayette_Square_(Buffalo%2C_New_York)).

George F. Rand Jr. had a private dining room on the top floor of the building that he used for business lunches.<ref name=Dunn/> When the building opened, it featured an elaborate lighting system that highlighted its art deco stepped back style.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rand Building, Buffalo|url=http://www.forgottenbuffalo.com/forgottenbflofeatures/relighttherand.html|website=forgottenbuffalo.com|accessdate=21 November 2015}}</ref>

A Zeppelin mooring post still in use on the Rand Building's roof.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fink |first=Jim |date=2025-12-08 |title=Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it is Buffalo's zeppelin tower |url=https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/business/rand-building-home-to-buffalos-only-zeppelin-mooring-post |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=www.audacy.com |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2014, the building was sold by real estate developer David L. Sweet to [Paul J. Kolkmeyer](/source/Paul_J._Kolkmeyer), a developer and former CEO of [First Niagara Bank](/source/First_Niagara_Bank), for $3.89 million. Kolkmeyer's firm, [Amherst](/source/Amherst%2C_New_York)-based Priam Enterprises LLC, buys, manages and develops residential apartment buildings and student housing in Buffalo and the surrounding communities.<ref name=Sale>{{cite news|last1=Christmann|first1=Samantha|title=Kolkmeyer completes purchase of 5 buildings|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/kolkmeyer-completes-purchase-of-5-buildings-20141231|accessdate=21 November 2015|publisher=The Buffalo News|date=December 31, 2014}}</ref> In addition to purchasing the Rand Building, Kolkmeyer purchased the [Main Court Building](/source/Main_Court_Building) at 438 Main St. (for $4.5 million), as well as the [Main Seneca Building](/source/The_Marin), designed by [Green & Wicks](/source/Green_%26_Wicks), at 237 Main St., the Roblin Building at 241 Main St., (together for $2.56 million) and The Stanton Building, designed by [Richard A. Waite](/source/Richard_A._Waite), at 251 Main St. (for $646,569).<ref name=Sale/>

==Timeline==
The site of the present day Rand Building went through various iterations before the Rand Building was constructed in 1929.
* 1830s - Lumber yard<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1845 - [Lafayette Presbyterian Church](/source/Lafayette_Avenue_Presbyterian_Church_(Buffalo%2C_New_York))<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1850 - Church destroyed in fire and rebuilt<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1862 - A larger church was built to replace the previous structure<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1901-1913 - Congregation moved and the church building was sold and remodeled into a [burlesque](/source/burlesque) house called Lafayette Theater<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1908 - Private residence on corner demolished for new building by architects Seames and Zeitler called the Park Hof restaurant<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1914 - Sold, remodeled, and reopened as the "Olympic Theater," which showed films and vaudeville<ref name=buffaloah/>
* 1929 - Rand Building constructed<ref name=buffaloah/>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights="170px">
Image:10 Lafayette Square and Rand Building.JPG|
 Image:Parade held to raise money for the cruiser Buffalo8d16698v.jpg|
 Image:TishmanBuildingandRandBuilding.jpg|
</gallery>

==See also==
* [List of tallest buildings in Buffalo, New York](/source/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Buffalo%2C_New_York)
{{Commons category|Rand Building (Buffalo, New York)}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Buildings in Buffalo timeline}}

Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Buffalo, New York
Category:Office buildings completed in 1929

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rand Building](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Building) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Building?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.