Back to photostream

aud-0012

shutterbugstroll.com/

 

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

From Wikipedia

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (also known as The Aud) was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League, the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association, the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Soccer League, the Buffalo Bandits of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second National Professional Soccer League, and the Buffalo Stampede of Roller Hockey International. It also held a number an NCAA basketball games, as well as numerous entertainment events, such as concerts, the Ringling Brothers circus, Disney on Ice, and other things of that nature.

 

The Aud opened on October 14, 1940, and was renovated in 1970 and 1990. It was closed in 1996 following the conclusion of the Sabres', Bandits', and Blizzard's seasons, and remained vacant up through its demolition in late 2008 and early 2009. Once demolished, the Aud will be replaced with a Bass Pro Shops store.

 

Demolition

 

In the mid-2000s, plans were in the works to renovate The Aud and re-purpose it as a Bass Pro Shops store; however on March 29, 2007, these plans were officially abandoned. Instead, it was announced that Bass Pro will construct a new building on the site of the to-be-demolished auditorium. In December 2007, the Aud was sold by the city of Buffalo to the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation for $1 in hopes that it would move along asbestos removal and demolition. All salvageable items were to be sold, stored, or removed before demolition began. The sales of these artifacts, especially of seats, will help pay for a memorial to the Aud.[3] The salvaged items include art deco flag holders, limestone eagles, and a time capsule.[4] Also salvaged from the Aud were a number of "blue" and "orange" level seats, which were then auctioned off. The money raised from the sale of both will be used to create a memorial for the Aud.

 

Asbestos removal and other environmental remediation was performed in preparation for the demolition in late 2008. Major demolition of the Aud began in January 2009. On February 9, 2009, the "Buffalo Memorial Auditorium" edifice that sat above the main entrances was torn down. Much of the front of the Aud was torn down that same month. The entirety of the demolition is expected to cost $10 million and be completed by mid-to-late 2009

 

 

3,071 views
2 faves
2 comments
Uploaded on March 22, 2009
Taken on March 20, 2009