The Harbor Inn, Buffalo NY

[Dave Buchholz]

As I get closer to finishing the Grain Mill and Marine Leg, my thoughts turn toward the next project for the harbor area, "The Harbor Inn:. It will be scratch built using commercial sheet and castings, which will simplify the build and time devoted to it. Although the prototype was expanded in length at one point in its history, I will be modeling the original version, which has already been "selectively compressed"  In the photo below, you can clearly see where the addition to the building took place. Its a great example of a building to fit an odd triangular wedge shaped piece of real estate.

 The back story:

The Harbor Inn was the center of the notorious "Saloon Boss" operations in the harbor of Buffalo In the late 1800s and first decade of the1900s.  Many single men, mostly new immigrants, came looking for jobs.  If you wanted a job as a "scooper" unloading Great Lakes freighters,  you went to the Harbor Inn. In 1870, Patrick Kane opened a bar on this wedge-shaped plot and, in 1874, built the structure above the  bar be created a boardinghouse.

Kane was part of the "saloon boss system," by which access to waterfront jobs was controlled by bar owners. He was one of the worst. "Fingy Connors" tooth that dubious honor .Both Kane and Connors allotted jobs only  to men who rented their rooms, ate their food, and drank their alcohol. During the heyday of Buffalo's shipping and milling industry, places like the Harbor Inn prospered, attracting single men into their "system"

First Rule: You'd better be Irish. Otherwise there was no job.

Second Rule: You had to take a room at the Harbor Inn if you wanted the job. You ate, drank and slept there.  A job as a scooper was almost like  indentured servitude.  Rent. meals and drinks were deducted from your pay directly by the Saloon Boss  before you ever saw it. You got what little was left when the boss was done deducting your "expenses." Needless to say bosses preyed upon the scoopers.
The Buffalo scooper strike of 1899 led to breaking up that system with both federal help and the forming of Scoopers unions.

During the early fifties, the  opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway slowly brought the end to then need of so many scooper,as grain no longer needed to be unloaded in Buffalo for overseas destinations via transfer to railroads, or barges headed to East Coast ports. It could go directly to Europe. Grain loading in Buffalo diminished, and so did the "pit boss" era.

Around 1955, the family of my sister in law's husband, the Mulloy family, bought the property and turned it into a family restaurant, still renting the rooms to long haul truckers working out of the harbor, and any area workers. One of their sons, Jerry held  guided walking tours of the historical  harbor  area in the late 80's. When they retired in 1995 it was sold  to a local developer. He held it for several years, but never turned a profit.

Then on one Friday at 4:55, he was issued a demolition permit by the City of Buffalo. Before the Historical Society, or anyone else could protest when the office reopened the following Monday, the building was already gone. It caused a change in city permit policies, that "Friday Night Special" demolition permits were no longer allowed to be issued.

Somebody was made money on those deals. Not at all surprising in the history of Buffalo politics.  It wasn't the first time, but it was the last.

To learn  more about scoopers here is a link to a story by Jerry Mulloy  the son of the Harbor Inn  owner, who published an article about a dying trade.... Scoopers.

https://www.buffalohistorygazette.net/p/buffalo-grain-scoopers-photo-tribute.html?m=1

[Zephyrus52246]

What an awesome building!  Looking forward to your build.

Jeff

[Pennman]

Dave, I agree with Jeff, this is a great beginning too. I like the structure. Looks interesting.
You have a great way of explaining the backstory for this and it's unfortunate that they didn't
preserve that building. I'll take a seat in the front row, it's hard to see good if I sit behind
Bernd, he's always squirming in his seat! 

Rich

[Rick]

Dave, that's a good looking building to model.
Have fun with the build.

[Bernd]

Dave, I agree with Jeff, this is a great beginning too. I like the structure. Looks interesting.
You have a great way of explaining the backstory for this and it's unfortunate that they didn't
preserve that building. I'll take a seat in the front row, it's hard to see good if I sit behind
Bernd, he's always squirming in his seat! 

Rich

I have to agree with Rich on the building. But when it comes to sitting in front of him and squirming around....ah, we'll just leave it at that. LOL 

Bernd

[Dave Buchholz]

Knowing the walls are nothing more than red embossed plastic, what would you use on the back of side to stiffen the structure up.

I was thinking of using foam core board, or square hardwood.  I would want both horizontal and vertical strength. As well as enough surface area to glue to the next wall section. I have visions of warpage after the glue dries if I use thin plywood.

You thoughts?

 Fifth Dave to the right

[Michael Hohn]

Dave,

John Nehrich published a method decades ago that I follow. 

1. Glue 0.040" styrene sheet on the back of the brick sheet.  He was using a thin brick material, so if yours is not too thin, something like 0.020" styrene sheet might be better.  You want some thickness for the inset of the windows.

2. Brace with wood, something like 1/4" stripwood or thereabouts.  You attach the wood with Pliobond or Goo. You put glue on the stripwood, touch the stripwood where you want to stick it down, separate the wood and styrene and let most of the solvent evaporate. (Too much solvent will attack the styrene and distort it with time.) Then return the stripwood to where you want it; it will stick like crazy.  I use lots of bracing.

3. The window castings go on the backs of the wall, upside down so that the sashes are correct.

I explain it here: https://www.nmra.org/beginners-guide-part-7-structures

Nice choice of structure.

Mike

[Jerry]

Dave your off to a good start.  It should be real challenge.

Jerry

[Philip]

Gonna be great! It is shameful what cities do to historical property.

[Ensign]

Dave, this indeed looks like an interesting structure to model.
I would go with Mike's suggestion about using styrene as a backing & bracing it with stripwood.
Best of luck with it!

Greg

[elwoodblues]

It's too bad that the building got torn down.  Interesting story about the building, it's going to look great when done.

[Mike the Trainman]

Dave I agree with everyone that's a great looking building. Neat history to. Looking forward to the build.

Mike

[Dave Buchholz]

Thank you to all for the comments and encouragement.

Mike, thank you for the link. I need to read it again. I don't understand the point of your comment

"3.The window castings go on the backs of the wall, upside down so that the sashes are correct."

The Grandt Line castings seem to produced that they would fit into the front face of the brick sheet. So I don't understand upside down from the back.

Dave #5

[GaryMc]

Dave,
Great looking building, this will be a fun one to follow along with. Any thoughts on the light house above the front entrance on how to replicate.

[Pennman]

Dave,
Great looking building, this will be a fun one to follow along with. Any thoughts on the light house above the front entrance on how to replicate.

GaryMc,

Good question, I must have missed that detail when first viewing the prototype photo.
I know how I would. I would take a small cardboard tube and cover it with sculptamold.
and keep adding some, smoothing it along its length , fatter and one end (base), with your fingers.

Rich