A couple of months ago, I was thinking about a few of my favorite posts, and I decided to start a flashback series. The first one that came to mind is the one I wrote about the Goodyear Mansion. “The Life and Times of 888 Delaware Ave” is perhaps my favorite out of the 107 posts I’ve written to date. There are a couple more that rank right up there, but I’ll be writing about them soon. Stay tuned.
I’m fascinated with this house and with the Charles & Ella Goodyear family, with a particular focus on their 888 Delaware Ave years. I seem to keep coming back to them, and this house. (See my post about Bryant Street.)
Now, you might say it’s because my Mother went to school here when it was Bishop McMahon High School. Maybe so. Or my love of history and homes. That’s possible too. Or the way I admire and respect the work of Green & Wicks, the architects who designed the home. That’s certainly true.
Ella and her son, A. Conger attend the wedding of Ella’s granddaughter, Ester Watson, and David Brooks Crane. Photo Credit: Buffalo Courier Express: Jan 16, 1938.
It’s the People
While all of that is part of it, it’s mostly the people who left comments on that first post about the house, and the emails I received from readers, graduates of Bishop McMahon and Oracle Charter School, and others. They numbered in the hundreds and believe it or not, I even heard from a few Goodyear family members! I loved every minute of it. I also got to meet some of the writers of the emails. They were so wonderful! I got to hear all about their own ‘life and times at 888 Delaware’! Which you know I love, because while I like beautiful homes and buildings, what I do is always about the people who live, love, laugh and cry in these buildings.
The story of 888 Delaware Ave has been spectacular thus far. And it’s not over yet.
Progress at the Mansion
A few weeks ago, I headed over to 888 to meet up with Mark Tufillaro, President and COO for Priam Development. There is a lot more going on here than there was last summer!
As I mentioned in the first post, Priam Enterprises had a plan to develop this property into market rate apartments and a boutique hotel. The plan was to convert the additions and the carriage house out back into the apartments, and the actual mansion itself would become the boutique hotel.
The Pandemic
When Covid hit, the plan changed to include corporate apartments in the mansion instead of the boutique hotel, along with the market rate apartments. We all know how the pandemic affected the hospitality industry. So Mark and Priam pivoted, and got to work. I continue to be impressed with the care Mark and his team at Priam show as they restore this historical home. As Mark walked me through the grounds, he peppered our conversation with things like, “This was Ella’s room, and Charles’ would have been here.” “We believe this to be where the servants would have slept.” “We’re not positive, but we think this is where the King and Queen of Belgium stayed while in town.” etc.
Photo Credit: unknown (Wikipedia)
We also had a conversation where we debated the use of some of the third floor rooms (Priam doesn’t have copies of the original plans for the third floor.) I sensed a real interest on Mark’s part in this discussion. I like that about this project. This guy and this company have integrity, and they care about this home.
Let’s Take a Look
I’m going to start by showing you a few of the things that have been uncovered since I wrote the first post. This first photo is out on the original portico, on the north side. It most likely had a light inside the arch, and I’m hoping it will again. The portico will be opened up and used the way it was meant to be used. Note the original tile floor.
The second photo is how the portico originally looked, at the front of the home. Can’t wait to see it when it’s completed!
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
More details being uncovered. This is in what used to be the loggia.
The Entry
Here are a couple of shots of the entryway and the rooms immediately to the right and left of the main entry on the driveway. The ‘Coat Room’ is immediately off to the right when you come in, and the ‘Receiving Room’ is off to the left, just up the stairs. I picture a butler or a footman answering the door, taking visitor’s coats and hats, walking them to the room on the left, and returning to the coat room to hang the wraps.
We really could have used a coat room like this when we were raising our three kids!
And the current view from the top of the stairs.
One of the workers taking a much needed break. They tell me Mark’s a real taskmaster – just kidding!
Below is a current photo of the elevator (that I neglected to include in the first post). That’s right, this home had an elevator, in 1903! Very forward thinking. I was in a well known Buffalo bar/restaurant recently, and there was no elevator for the third floor banquet room. What?! The Goodyears took care of this issue in 1903! Note the woodwork, and what great shape it’s in.
The Hall
As I entered “The Hall” there were workmen about concentrating on the portico room. I was drawn to Karl Bitter’s frieze called “Life” above the fireplace. Look at the molding surrounding it. Spectacular! So grateful that almost all of the woodwork in this house is intact. The photo that follows the ‘today’ photo is from when the Goodyears lived here. The frieze is at the left.
Two things: One, note the heavy brocade curtain between the hall and the entry to the home. The receiving room would be just outside the curtain on the right and the coat room would be down the stairs to the left. Two, a pipe organ in the living room! This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
More photos of the woodwork in the hall. Note the work being done to the ceilings. And, another stained glass window!
The Library
Speaking of stained glass, there is more stained glass in the library.
This is in the library at the southern end of the house. Note that amazing wrought iron. Just above the library shelving at the right of the door is some old wallpaper. It’s not original, and will not be incorporated into the new design of the room.
Check out these next four images. The first two are the library fireplace as the family enjoyed it. Wow! The third is from last summer, and the fourth shows the shelving after being restored to the original look, minus the leaded glass.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
Current condition of the library, above. Note the cement block just outside the one window. Behind it is a loading dock that was added at some point. The loading dock will not be removed, but will be transformed into a patio. Sounds like a good plan.
The Dining Room
These are photos of the dining room. Then and now.
The door on the right leads to Ella’s beloved terrace, which overlooked her garden. The one on the left looks into the hall. There is one more door roughly where this photo was taken from, that leads into the oval breakfast room. Isn’t this amazing?! Note the fireplace and mirror above, and then see below. This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
And now.
In the northeast corner of the dining room.
In the southeast corner of the dining room.
These doors lead to Ella’s terrace and garden, which would have been off to the right. Look at that stained glass!
The Billiard Room
I’m not sure why, but I love this room. I mean, I most likely wouldn’t have been allowed into it back in the day! This would have been the gentlemen’s domain. I’d have been in the library after dinner with all the other women. Or more than likely, given my Polish/Irish roots, I’d have been in the kitchen! Haha.
But I do love this room. It’s the windows. I’m told there will be billiards played in this room again. Yessss! And women will be allowed!
The Kitchen
As an avid fan of anything having to do with ‘upstairs/downstairs’ themes, I was very interested to see the kitchens. Of course, there are no photos of the kitchens from back in the day. Wish there were. But here’s what’s going on there now. The photo below with the dark walls is the room where the actual cooking was done. This room would have had a store room, a kitchen pantry and closets, in addition to the ovens, stove and other storage.
The other photos show the butler’s pantry, where all the china, silver, utensils, serving trays etc. would have been kept, and the servant’s dining hall. There was originally a wall dividing the dining hall and the butler’s pantry.
Let’s Go Upstairs
First, let’s take a look at the stairwell itself. In the first photo, the stairs were covered by carpeting, which is not original. The second photo was taken just a couple of weeks ago. Looking forward to seeing how the stairs turn out once Priam is finished with the restoration!
Photo used courtesy of Laura VR – via Bishop McMahon’s Facebook page.
The original chandelier hangs on a 40 foot chain ready to be put into service again. In this photo, note the work being done on the ceilings on the second floor.
Detail of the wrought iron.
When you turn 180 degrees from the railing above, the photo below is what you’d have seen in the Goodyear days. Not bad for a hallway!
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
The Bedrooms
Let’s take a look at Ella’s room first. It was at the other end of the hall above, and on the left. Through the door to the left of the bed is Ella’s dressing room, pictured in the second photo. Her private bath would have been through the door that is visible between the mirror and fireplace in the dressing room photo.
Ella’s dressing room is one of my favorite rooms in the house, it’s so personal. Look at all the framed photos throughout, including above the fireplace and surrounding her vanity mirror. Wish I could have seen this room when it was like this. Just once, and preferably not because I had just turned down her bed and laid out her bed clothes.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
Below is Ella’s room and dressing room today. The stairs were added when the home was being used as a school, in order to bring the building up to safety codes. What a shame. I mean, I’m really glad the kids were kept safe!! Haha!
This is Charles’ bedroom, below. Then and now. Through the door (closest to the bed) would have been Charles’ private bath and dressing room beyond. Through the door next to the fireplace is Ella’s room.
This room needed extensive work on the floor and ceiling. Water damage?
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
The walls to the right were removed at some point.
Guest Rooms and More…
In these rooms, everything has been stripped back preparing for the real finishing work to bring them closer to their original splendor. A lot of the work thus far has been behind the walls. Time consuming and quite necessary, but it’s not the beautiful stuff to look at. That’s coming.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This room, below, was the women’s sewing room. As you can see, it’s being prepared for finishing work. Check out that molding above the doorway!
Servant’s Quarters
This room is believed to be where most of the servants slept. It would have been set up dormitory style.
Charles’ Office/Study
Charles’ office is not as large as you would think. All wood paneling, very manly. Inside, he also had a half bath, all marble. In fact, all the bathrooms in the house, one for each of eleven bedrooms, plus more, were marble. Each of the eleven bedrooms were all equipped with marble fireplaces as well.
The Part of the Property that is Not the Mansion
The market rate apartments are in the process of being converted. They stand directly where Ella’s garden was out back. From what I hear, they’re going to be beautiful!
Ella in her garden. Photo credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear (Charles’ grandson)
My Impressions
It is so interesting to me to watch this project unfold. Again, I have to say that I am impressed with the integrity of this project and I am looking forward to seeing the finished apartments!
The view from some of the market rate apartments. I’m told this outdoor area will be transformed into an attractive patio. Nice!
Like I mentioned earlier, up to now most of the work is being done ‘behind the walls’. So things aren’t starting to look pretty yet. But the pretty stuff is coming. And it’ll happen somewhat quickly when it does. The care with which this work is being done is amazing. Almost every room in the mansion itself is being restored to its former glory. Not all, of course, but seriously, a lot of it is. As much as we could hope for in an almost 120 year old home.
This photo gives you an idea of the actual size of the dining room. The previous dining room photo made the room appear cozy. Note the fireplace with the mirror above. Photo credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear (Charles’ grandson)
The project is on track to be completed within the first quarter of 2022. That means that soon, there will be a whole host of new people who will experience this home in their own way. Living, loving, laughing and crying their way through their own lives, and leaving their own personal marks on this home. And that’s really what it’s all about.
Sometimes a building seems to take on a life of its own. The Goodyear Mansion at 888 Delaware Ave is one of those buildings. Its history includes one of Buffalo’s wealthiest families. It also includes Presidents, First Ladies, royalty, a health insurance company, and two schools. Its future is set to include both corporate and market-rate apartments.
Now, focusing on one home is usually not my style, although I did it with the Humphrey House, but I had a handful of people ask me to write this one. Each person had a different reason for asking me to do it. And I have my own reasons for agreeing.
You see, my mother is a graduate of Bishop McMahon high school, class of 1957. Back in December, our family moved her into a memory care unit. When I visited her (pre-COVID) Mom would always ask me to read my latest posts to her. Just before the nursing homes closed down, she asked if I would ever write about “someone’s high school”. I said, “Oh, sure. why not?” And the conversation moved off in a different direction. Communication is often difficult for dementia patients. Actually, it’s always difficult.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Several weeks later, I received an email from a woman asking me to write about her old high school, Bishop McMahon. It was then that I realized my mother was talking about her own high school that day. Mom remembered that I knew a lot about it already and that I would enjoy learning more. She was right.
Since then, I’ve had three more requests to write about this mansion.
So here I am, all my reading is done and I’m ready to tell you about my Mother’s high school building. The Goodyear Mansion.
Charles Waterhouse & Ella Portia Goodyear
Charles Goodyear was born in Cortland, NY in 1846 and came to Buffalo to study law in 1868. He practiced at a few different firms, one or two of them he himself started. He had a good reputation and served as Assistant District Attorney, and later as District Attorney. Things were going well for Charles.
In 1876 he met and married Ella Portia Conger. Ella attended Nardin Academy (Miss Nardin’s at the time) and the Female Academy (now Buffalo Seminary). Her father, Anson Griffith Conger, a banker, purchased the couple a home at 723 Delaware Avenue (lost). It was here that they raised their four children, Anson, Ester, Charles, and Bradley.
Photo Credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear (Charles’ grandson)
When Grover Cleveland became governor of NYS, Charles Goodyear joined the firm Cleveland founded, Cleveland, Bissel & Sicard. The firm then became Bissel, Sicard & Goodyear. He practiced law with that firm for four years.
Charles and Ella were very good friends of Grover & Frances Cleveland and were in fact, the first guests the Clevelands entertained at the White House after their wedding. Cool!
In 1887, Goodyear retired from the law for good when he went into the lumber business with his brother Frank. The brothers eventually owned extensive timberland in Pennsylvania and Louisiana. They started a railroad company, The Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company. They pioneered the use of railroads to move lumber.
These two businesses earned the Goodyears immense wealth.
The Home
It was during this time of great prosperity that the Goodyears decided to build a home suitable for a family of such affluence. And build it they did.
The home was completed in 1903 and is an exquisite example of the French Renaissance Style. We would expect nothing less from Green & Wicks (E.B. Green was the principal) who were the architects. Just look at that mansard roof, the dormers with semi-circular pediments and keystones above the windows. And above those are porthole dormers! Love these! Tuscan columns surround the brick enclosed portico which was originally wide open. See above.
So much to look at on one house!
Inside there were 11 bedrooms, each with a marble fireplace, and adjoining bathrooms. On the first floor was the main hall, a dining room, a breakfast room, a library, and a loggia which opened up to the terrace and garden out back.
The Goodyears enjoyed this home together from it’s completion until 1911 when Charles passed away.
During World War I, King Albert of Belgium, Queen Elisabeth of Bavaria, and their son, Prince Leopold visited the United States, including Buffalo. This was back when Buffalo was a mover and a shaker on the national scene. While here, they were guests of Ella’s and were entertained in this home. Amazing! Royalty! In Buffalo, and in this home!
Ella lived in the home until her death in September of 1940. I love this photo below of Ella on her patio in her beautiful garden.
Photo Credit: Buffalo, the City Beautiful, Hubbell, Mark H.
Blue Cross Corp moves into 888 Delaware
Shortly after Ella’s death, the Hospital Service Corporation and Western New York Medical Plan, better known as the Blue Cross Corporation, purchased the home. They made small changes to the kitchens and pantries and partitioned off one or two of the bedrooms, but largely left the mansion intact. It remained this way for the next 10 years.
Bishop McMahon High School
In 1950, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo purchased the building to be used as the all-girl Bishop McMahon High School. This is where my mother spent her high school years. The school itself had a business focus. Mind you, not what we think of today as the study of business. Back then, the girls were taught typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping. They learned the fundamentals of business and business law. They were also taught high school Social Studies and English.
Most of the first floor rooms were converted into classrooms, and later all of the bedrooms on the second and third floors were converted into classrooms as well.
Photo Credit: Laura VR – Bishop McMahon’s Facebook page
My mother loved it. She graduated in 1957 and growing up, I only heard good things from her about the school, the building, and grounds. She made lifelong friends here, Beth and Judy, and remembers fondly the garden parties in the yard of the school.
The girls (in the 1950s anyway) were taught the history and architecture of the building and I know that my mother appreciated being able to attend such a school, in a former home such as this. She told me once that she and her friends thought the Goodyears lived ‘fairytale’ lives in the house. And that she enjoyed ‘living’ there for four years herself.
The skills that my mother learned while attending Bishop McMahon, (including typing 90 words a minute on a manual typewriter!) served her well throughout her career. She worked for Monroe Abstract & Title Company and Dupont, before spending 28 years as a school secretary. She loved her work at the school.
McMahon added the gymnasium at the back of the property, and years later the classrooms in between, finally removing Ella’s gardens completely. Wish there was some way to bring them back.
888 Delaware Is Sold Again, and Again
In 1988, the building was purchased by Women and Children’s Hospital (then) and was run as the Robert B. Adam Educational Center. It housed several children’s programs including an early childhood center.
In 2005 the school was sold and again used as a school. This time, it became Oracle Charter School. Oracle did extensive renovations creating new classrooms and offices.
But I heard whisperings as early as 2017 about whether the school wanted to continue in the historic building. The way it was put to me was that the school was in the process of discerning whether they wanted to be in the historic building business or the education business.
You see, housing your business (or school) in a historic building like the Goodyear Mansion is not easy, nor is it cheap. There are rules which must be adhered to when making any changes to the home, and it can cost quite a bit of money for regular upkeep alone.
The Future of 888
With that in mind, I wasn’t surprised to hear that 888 Delaware LLC (Priam Enterprises) acquired the property in October of 2019. The original plan for the property was the development of a boutique hotel in the old mansion and to create market-rate apartments in the rest of the property, including the classrooms and the old carriage house.
Then Covid-19 happened.
And as is the case with every other facet of our lives, this project had to be adapted to our ‘new norm’. The hospitality industry has taken a particularly hard hit. Priam, recognizing these conditions, has adapted their plan and will continue with the market-rate apartments, but has put aside the boutique hotel, for now. In the mansion itself, they plan to create furnished corporate apartments. Fifty-one apartments in all. It’s a good idea. I like it.
Amy Downing, Business Development Manager for Priam Enterprises, tells me their team is working to restore original woodwork, most of which is still there, and will keep as much of the interior intact as possible. They will remove walls and partitions that have been added over the years, returning at least some of the rooms to their former glory. And I’m happy to say that the plan includes the re-opening of that front portico. That alone will go a long way to make this building look like a home again. Love it.
Here are a few photos of some of the original charm that Priam has uncovered from behind sheetrock and drop ceilings thus far.
Photos of a Bygone Era
The photos below are all from the Goodyear era, and are courtesy of Priam Development, who obtained them from the Diocese of Buffalo when they purchased the property. I like knowing that Priam cares about what used to be here, and are taking pains to restore as well as renovate. They plan to have the apartments ready by the first quarter of 2022.
Guest bedroom – third floor
The Library – first floor
The Hall – first floor
Ella’s Bedroom
Ella’s Dressing Room
Daughter Ester’s Bedroom
Daughter Ester’s Sitting Room
Charles’ Bedroom
Here’s a look at what some of the interior looks like now. First up, is some of the stained glass. Note the block just outside the one window. That happened when the loading dock was added to the south side of the building. I’m told while it will not be able to be removed, the loading dock will be renovated into an attractive patio.
This is the woodwork in the Hall. The frieze above the mantle was sold at one point during a sale of Goodyear pieces, but the sale was cancelled when experts found that the foundation for it extended to the basement, and that it would be impossible to remove it from the house without knocking down the house itself! The frieze is called “Life” and it is by Karl Bitter.
The library and dining room need work but are largely intact. Note the modern lights visible in the mirror in the dining room. Also note the mirror and the door in the dining room have the same framing. Sweet.
And one of my personal favorites…This is the window in the billiard room. See what they did there? In the interior, the billiard room was broken up for smaller rooms, but Priam will be restoring it. Love it.
Tucked away is the safe room. I’ve never seen one of these before. There’s a rumor that the upper safe was for furs?!
And two guest bedrooms on the third floor. Pretty nice. That mantle with the ship painting! And the other mantle for that matter. Wow!
My Impressions of 888 Delaware
I’m not gonna lie, this was a tough one for me to write. Well, it was bittersweet. You all know how much I love history. But you may not know about my close and loving relationship with my Mother. So writing about 888 Delaware Ave has brought to mind many past conversations with her. Conversations we can no longer have.
But I am grateful we had them. As a matter of fact, I learned my attitude of gratitude from my Mother. She spoke about her high school days as if she were the luckiest girl on the face of the earth to be able to go to a school that taught what she wanted to learn, in a beautiful ex-mansion.
It’s with this in mind that I look forward to seeing the completed restoration and renovations that will take place at 888 Delaware Ave over the next year and a half or so. And I am grateful that there are people in Buffalo willing to invest in our future through investing in our past. The bones are there, and I have every reason to believe that this property will be beautiful again.
The Goodyear Mansion, not for the first time, is one to watch.
**Get the book!
They make great gifts for family and friends (or yourself!). Click here or on the photo below to purchase.
*A huge thank you to Amy Downing, Business Development Manager for Priam Enterprises, and Mark Tufillaro, President and COO for Priam Development, for the use of the black and whites, the tour, and just all around being fantastic to me. Thank you!
***All photos in this post are mine unless otherwise noted.