American Elevator Buffalo

Originally constructed in 1906 for the American Malting Corporation, the American Elevator complex was utilized to malt grain for use in the production of beer until the onset of American Prohibition in 1920. It is interesting to note that the structure was the first in Buffalo to be built out of steel reinforced concrete and also the first in the nation to be raised by continuous slip forming. This process allowed for an extremely strong and seamless concrete structure. After Prohibition had decimated the market for malted grains, the complex was sold to the Russell-Miller company (1921) and was repurposed to mill 'Occident' brand flour. It was during this retrofit where the second (movable) ship loader structure was installed on the waterfront. A series of corporate takeovers saw the ownership change to Peavey Corp (1954) and finally to Con-Agra (1982). It was Con-Agra who finally closed all operations at the elevator and mill in 2001. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.