WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.259 OK, let's unpack this. Today, we are taking a 00:00:02.259 --> 00:00:05.320 trip to Buffalo, New York, and focusing our entire 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.759 deep dive, all of our sources, all of our analysis 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:11.720 on one immense historic residence. The Clement 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:14.179 House. Exactly. The Clement House. It's this 00:00:14.179 --> 00:00:18.179 17 ,000 square foot Gilded Age mansion. And it 00:00:18.179 --> 00:00:20.660 really is a physical artifact. Right. But when 00:00:20.660 --> 00:00:22.640 you start to peel back the layers of history, 00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:25.780 the bricks and mortar tell a much, much grander 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:29.460 and sometimes, frankly, tragic. A story of American 00:00:29.460 --> 00:00:32.179 industrial wealth, incredible architectural ambition 00:00:32.179 --> 00:00:35.399 and, well, a really surprising connection to 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:37.560 two U .S. presidents. That's the part that really 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:39.859 got me. Oh, absolutely. So the Clement House 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:43.039 at 786 Delaware Avenue is our lens today. And 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:45.219 the mission here isn't just to, you know, appreciate 00:00:45.219 --> 00:00:47.179 the architecture. It's to understand its life 00:00:47.179 --> 00:00:49.280 cycle. From beginning to end. From beginning 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:52.700 to, well, to today. We're tracing its lineage 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:55.000 from this multimillion -dollar private commission 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:59.259 to a monument for a dream that was cut short. 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:02.780 And then analyzing its ultimate legacy. Right, 00:01:02.820 --> 00:01:05.599 how it transitions from a symbol of, really, 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:09.359 exclusivity into this dynamic, shared administrative 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:12.180 center for the American Red Cross and the Buffalo 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:14.019 Philharmonic Orchestra. It's quite a journey. 00:01:14.349 --> 00:01:17.189 It truly is a remarkable case study in how wealth 00:01:17.189 --> 00:01:19.969 transforms. And I think more importantly, how 00:01:19.969 --> 00:01:23.049 architecture survives. So just to ground us. 00:01:23.129 --> 00:01:24.989 The basic facts. The basic facts. We're talking 00:01:24.989 --> 00:01:28.349 about a house completed in 1913. The design was 00:01:28.349 --> 00:01:32.129 handled by Edward Broadhead Green of the highly 00:01:32.129 --> 00:01:35.049 influential firm Green and Wicks. A huge name 00:01:35.049 --> 00:01:37.140 in Buffalo at the time. And the property has 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:40.379 been recognized since 1974 as a vital contributing 00:01:40.379 --> 00:01:43.099 element to the Delaware Avenue Historic District. 00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:46.459 So it's protected in a way. It is now. Yes. We 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:48.480 have history. We have high finance. And we have 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:50.739 these incredible political connections all wrapped 00:01:50.739 --> 00:01:53.760 up in one very, very large package. So to start, 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:55.640 I think we have to understand the patrons because 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:58.079 this house is a direct reflection of their financial 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.280 status and their, you know, ambition. Right. 00:02:00.340 --> 00:02:02.620 Who were they? The home was commissioned by Stephen 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:05.340 Merrill Clement and his wife. Carolyn Jewett 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:07.219 Glemmond. And Stephen was a big deal in Buffalo. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:10.479 A towering figure, a major industrialist, and 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.719 critically, the president of the Marine National 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:14.639 Bank at the turn of the century. And when we 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:17.020 talk about Gilded Age wealth in cities like Buffalo, 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:21.219 it's often tied to infrastructure and finance, 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:23.939 right? Exactly. The Erie Canal, grain storage, 00:02:24.379 --> 00:02:28.120 the rail lines, they all made Buffalo a crucial 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.139 hub. And so if you're the president of a bank 00:02:30.139 --> 00:02:32.360 like Marine National, you aren't just managing 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:35.370 money. No, no. You are the nexus of that regional 00:02:35.370 --> 00:02:38.110 power. Stephen Clement's wealth was foundational. 00:02:38.469 --> 00:02:40.870 It was tied directly to the economic engine of 00:02:40.870 --> 00:02:42.870 western New York. So he was the money. He was 00:02:42.870 --> 00:02:45.810 the money. And while Stephen represented that, 00:02:45.810 --> 00:02:48.789 you know, accumulated wealth and power, Carolyn 00:02:48.789 --> 00:02:51.270 Jewett Clement brought the land pedigree. Ah, 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:53.990 okay, so the location. The location. This site, 00:02:54.129 --> 00:02:56.830 786 Delaware Avenue, it wasn't just raw land. 00:02:57.090 --> 00:02:59.210 It had a deep history. What was there before? 00:02:59.689 --> 00:03:02.509 Before the 1913 mansion, the property was occupied 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:04.969 by the Tripp Residence, a structure that dated 00:03:04.969 --> 00:03:08.610 all the way back to 1855. Wow, 1855. So that 00:03:08.610 --> 00:03:10.610 was a historic home in its own right. It was. 00:03:10.629 --> 00:03:12.550 It was originally built by a man named Erastus 00:03:12.550 --> 00:03:15.889 S. Prosser. Okay, so the Clements weren't building 00:03:15.889 --> 00:03:19.569 on an empty plot. They were. What? Performing 00:03:19.569 --> 00:03:22.409 an architectural upgrade on land that was already 00:03:22.409 --> 00:03:25.150 established by the previous generation of Buffalo 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:27.969 elite. That's a great way to put it. Carolyn's 00:03:27.969 --> 00:03:30.669 father, Augustus Franklin Tripp, purchased that 00:03:30.669 --> 00:03:34.490 1855 residence in 1881. And so she inherited 00:03:34.490 --> 00:03:36.610 it. She inherited the residence and the very 00:03:36.610 --> 00:03:38.849 prestigious address when he died in 1908. And 00:03:38.849 --> 00:03:41.750 this is where that that gilded age sensibility 00:03:41.750 --> 00:03:43.590 you mentioned really kicks in. It really does. 00:03:43.750 --> 00:03:46.340 And inheriting a house built in 1855 was. You 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:49.099 know, perfectly fine. But by 1911, it simply 00:03:49.099 --> 00:03:51.500 didn't project the scale of success that Stephen 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:53.819 Clements, president of Marine National, needed 00:03:53.819 --> 00:03:56.099 to project. It was too small, too old. All of 00:03:56.099 --> 00:03:58.819 the above. The house was old. The style was probably 00:03:58.819 --> 00:04:01.139 seen as hopelessly outdated. And the footprint 00:04:01.139 --> 00:04:04.000 was likely insufficient for their rapidly accumulating 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:07.219 capital and, just as important, their social 00:04:07.219 --> 00:04:09.159 demands. Right. You need a place to entertain, 00:04:09.419 --> 00:04:11.580 to show off the wealth. You need a palace. So 00:04:11.580 --> 00:04:13.740 they made the definitive choice of that era. 00:04:13.860 --> 00:04:17.069 Tear it down. Just level it. In 1911, the Clemens 00:04:17.069 --> 00:04:20.149 commissioned what our sources describe as a palatial 00:04:20.149 --> 00:04:22.189 new residence. And that's when they brought in 00:04:22.189 --> 00:04:24.470 the big name architect. Stephen's friend, actually. 00:04:24.550 --> 00:04:27.689 Yeah. Architect Edward Broadhead Green to design 00:04:27.689 --> 00:04:30.569 the monument. This really highlights a generational 00:04:30.569 --> 00:04:34.009 shift. Out with the old, however historic, and 00:04:34.009 --> 00:04:36.610 in with the bold new statement. And it's interesting 00:04:36.610 --> 00:04:39.759 where they were living. just before this massive 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:41.519 project. Right, they weren't, you know, camping 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.620 out in the old trip residence after the inheritance. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.120 No, they were living at Stevens' late father's 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:49.259 home down the street at 737 Delaware Avenue. 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.199 Which gave them the freedom to completely level 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:55.040 the site at 786. And oversee the construction 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:57.519 of a custom -designed masterpiece without the 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:00.420 inconvenience of moving twice. It signifies a 00:05:00.420 --> 00:05:03.399 very strategic, very planned consolidation of 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:05.850 status. And now we have to talk about the price 00:05:05.850 --> 00:05:08.790 tag because it helps us truly grasp the magnitude 00:05:08.790 --> 00:05:10.870 of the statement they were making. It's a number 00:05:10.870 --> 00:05:12.750 that's hard to wrap your head around, even now. 00:05:12.910 --> 00:05:15.810 The sources confirm the Clement House cost $300 00:05:15.810 --> 00:05:21.329 ,000 to erect. In 1913. In 1913 dollars. That 00:05:21.329 --> 00:05:24.110 sum is genuinely staggering. So let's put that 00:05:24.110 --> 00:05:28.689 into perspective for you. $300 ,000 in 1913 is 00:05:28.689 --> 00:05:30.829 the equivalent of approximately $8 .5 million 00:05:30.829 --> 00:05:34.779 today. Eight. 0 .5 million just for the construction 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:37.220 cost. It's just to build it. That excludes the 00:05:37.220 --> 00:05:39.560 land value, which on Delaware Avenue would have 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.639 been immense. It excludes the furnishings, the 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:45.199 art collections needed to fill those 17 ,000 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:47.839 square feet. So it was a commitment to the absolute 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:50.519 zenith of luxury. This wasn't merely a house. 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:53.560 This was capital expenditure designed to last 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:56.740 for centuries to cement the Clement name in Buffalo 00:05:56.740 --> 00:05:59.620 history forever. But this immense investment 00:05:59.620 --> 00:06:03.149 in permanence. It's undercut by a profound piece 00:06:03.149 --> 00:06:05.730 of personal tragedy. It really is. As you analyze 00:06:05.730 --> 00:06:08.310 this incredible cost and ambition, you have to 00:06:08.310 --> 00:06:10.329 look at the timeline of Stephen Merrill Clement's 00:06:10.329 --> 00:06:12.509 life. And this is the heartbreak at the core 00:06:12.509 --> 00:06:14.189 of the Clement House's story. What happened? 00:06:14.470 --> 00:06:17.290 Stephen Merrill Clement died on March 26, 1913. 00:06:17.550 --> 00:06:19.569 The same year the house was finished. He was 00:06:19.569 --> 00:06:22.069 on vacation in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 00:06:22.069 --> 00:06:23.730 house was not completed until later that same 00:06:23.730 --> 00:06:27.360 year. So, wait. He invested the equivalent of 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:30.839 $8 .5 million of his fortune into this dream, 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:34.259 this ultimate symbol of his success as a banker 00:06:34.259 --> 00:06:37.019 and industrialist. And he never set foot inside 00:06:37.019 --> 00:06:39.079 the finished structure. He never saw it. He never 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:41.560 saw the final rendering of his own legacy. Oh, 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:45.199 that's just brutal. It forces us to shift our 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.100 perspective on the house entirely. Yeah, it's 00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:49.939 not a celebration anymore. No. The Clement House 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:52.420 ceased being a celebration of Stephen's success 00:06:52.420 --> 00:06:56.019 and instantly became a monumental... Very expensive 00:06:56.019 --> 00:06:59.339 tombstone for his dream. And for his widow, Carolyn. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:03.560 Imagine. Carolyn, his widow, moved into a palatial 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:05.920 residence that represented immense personal effort 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:08.379 and financial sacrifice from her late husband, 00:07:08.459 --> 00:07:11.379 but which he never ever got to enjoy. That detail 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:14.740 just adds this powerful layer of poignancy and 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:17.019 fragility to the whole concept of Gilded Age 00:07:17.019 --> 00:07:18.579 wealth. It does. You can achieve everything. 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:20.759 Commission the greatest monument and still lose 00:07:20.759 --> 00:07:23.959 the one thing money cannot buy. Time. Time. And 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:26.459 that really sets the stage for Carolyn's role 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:28.899 in the house's subsequent history. She was now 00:07:28.899 --> 00:07:32.139 the sole owner, living inside this grand, bittersweet 00:07:32.139 --> 00:07:35.560 monument. Exactly. And that detail is absolutely 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:37.720 essential as we move into the building itself. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.660 So let's turn our attention to the physical reality 00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:44.600 of those 17 ,000 square feet. This is a residence 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:47.540 designed for a specific purpose. It's not just 00:07:47.540 --> 00:07:49.980 a big house. It has a function. A very specific 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:53.220 function. To facilitate the social. business 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:55.759 and cultural life of a family at the absolute 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:58.720 apex of regional power. And the sources say it 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:02.279 had 20 rooms in total. 20 rooms. But those numbers 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:04.759 only start to hint at the internal organization. 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:06.899 When you look at the floor plan, you start to 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:10.100 understand the... The functional hierarchy of 00:08:10.100 --> 00:08:13.040 the era. Yes. The architecture dictates the social 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:15.860 routine. The ground floor was entirely dedicated 00:08:15.860 --> 00:08:18.100 to the public face of the Clements. It had to 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:20.540 be impressive, functional, and formal. That's 00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:23.060 where we find the spaces that facilitated Stephen's 00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:25.699 status as a banker and an elite member of society. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:29.160 You have the essential formal rooms, a large 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:31.060 reception room for greeting and screening guests. 00:08:31.660 --> 00:08:33.659 Screening guests. I like that. Oh, absolutely. 00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:36.500 And a substantial library. Yeah. And the library. 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:39.480 You know, it wasn't just for reading. No, that 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:42.039 was a power room. It was often used for private 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:45.080 business meetings, closing deals, or serious 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:48.179 discussions away from the public eye. After the 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:50.779 house was repurposed for the Red Cross, these 00:08:50.779 --> 00:08:53.100 spaces easily converted into conference rooms. 00:08:53.379 --> 00:08:55.559 Which demonstrates their inherent functional 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:58.100 formality. They were built for business. Exactly. 00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:01.120 And the small, specific details are what truly 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:04.019 bring the luxury to life. The sources mention 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:07.159 the inclusion of specialty spaces, like a dedicated 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:10.179 wardrobe room. Which sounds a little innocuous, 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.759 doesn't it? A wardrobe room. But it speaks volumes 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:15.200 about the level of required social engagement. 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:18.000 What do you mean? A wardrobe room is an indicator 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.720 of a constant formal life. When you're attending 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:23.379 multiple society dinners, balls, institutional 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:26.299 events every single week, you require an extensive 00:09:26.299 --> 00:09:28.600 and specialized wardrobe. It goes way beyond 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:32.440 simple closet space. Way beyond. This room was 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:35.200 a logistical necessity for maintaining the constant 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:38.759 cycle of formal appearances. It indicates a life 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:41.399 lived in the highest echelon of Buffalo society. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.580 You needed staff just to manage the clothes. 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:47.700 But if we're going to identify the singular passion 00:09:47.700 --> 00:09:51.279 of the Clements, or maybe Carolyn's ongoing commitment 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.539 after Stephen's death, we have to look at the 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:55.700 music room. The music room. This is the architectural 00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:57.620 centerpiece, and honestly, this is where the 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:00.389 sources get really interesting. Indeed. This 00:10:00.389 --> 00:10:03.110 space was not an afterthought. It was an entire 00:10:03.110 --> 00:10:06.429 wing of the house. An entire wing. The music 00:10:06.429 --> 00:10:08.809 room consumed the entire left side of the house. 00:10:08.889 --> 00:10:11.029 Get out. The whole side. The whole side. We're 00:10:11.029 --> 00:10:12.970 talking about a room that measured a staggering 00:10:12.970 --> 00:10:16.610 1 ,040 square feet. That's nearly 100 square 00:10:16.610 --> 00:10:18.690 meters. That is bigger than my entire apartment. 00:10:18.850 --> 00:10:20.889 That is bigger than many modern family homes 00:10:20.889 --> 00:10:23.210 today. By a lot. And think about what it takes 00:10:23.210 --> 00:10:25.610 to dedicate that amount of floor space and ceiling 00:10:25.610 --> 00:10:28.809 height purely to music. This demonstrates an 00:10:28.809 --> 00:10:31.269 almost institutional commitment to patronage. 00:10:31.409 --> 00:10:33.970 It wasn't a piano tucked in the corner. No, it 00:10:33.970 --> 00:10:36.169 was a private concert hall. And the contents 00:10:36.169 --> 00:10:38.389 of the room confirm this level of dedication. 00:10:38.730 --> 00:10:41.169 What was in there? The room housed not one, but 00:10:41.169 --> 00:10:44.470 two Steinway Grand Pianos. Two of them? A harp 00:10:44.470 --> 00:10:47.269 and a built -in pipe organ. A pipe organ? Okay, 00:10:47.330 --> 00:10:49.190 that's the next level. A pipe organ is a permanent 00:10:49.190 --> 00:10:51.309 fixture. It is. It requires specialized structure. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:55.700 dedicated air bellows it represents a final irremovable 00:10:55.700 --> 00:10:58.340 commitment to musical performance in acoustics 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:01.559 so this space likely attracted local musicians 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:04.120 possibly even touring artists passing through 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:07.179 buffalo it established the clements as major 00:11:07.179 --> 00:11:09.539 cultural patrons and this space was designed 00:11:09.539 --> 00:11:12.159 for sound for performance and for the public 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:14.919 display of cultural refinement which was an essential 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:17.690 duty of the newly wealthy in the gilded age You 00:11:17.690 --> 00:11:19.909 proved your worth not just by the size of your 00:11:19.909 --> 00:11:22.210 bank account, but by the quality of the culture 00:11:22.210 --> 00:11:24.389 you could bring into your home. Now, despite 00:11:24.389 --> 00:11:26.669 all the modernity and the sheer scale of the 00:11:26.669 --> 00:11:28.470 new construction, the Clements did something 00:11:28.470 --> 00:11:33.309 interesting. They demonstrated a unique, conscious 00:11:33.309 --> 00:11:35.909 reverence for the site's history. The heritage 00:11:35.909 --> 00:11:39.389 of fireplace. Yes. This detail provides a beautiful 00:11:39.389 --> 00:11:41.830 counterpoint to the ruthlessness of demolishing 00:11:41.830 --> 00:11:44.340 the old house. They salvaged the fireplace from 00:11:44.340 --> 00:11:47.139 the drawing room of the original 1855 Tripp residence. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:50.059 Carolyn's childhood home. And consciously installed 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:52.460 it in the master bedroom of the new house. That 00:11:52.460 --> 00:11:55.320 is a fascinating psychological choice. It really 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:58.799 is. They erased the physical structure, but they 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:01.700 insisted on incorporating this one specific symbolic 00:12:01.700 --> 00:12:05.139 anchor, a piece of the family's past tenure on 00:12:05.139 --> 00:12:07.679 that land. It's a very tangible way of, what, 00:12:07.779 --> 00:12:10.960 mitigating total erasure? I think so. Ensuring 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:12.820 that the new monument wasn't seen as entirely 00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:16.679 rootless, but connected, however faintly, to 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:18.620 the histories of property. It's a small detail, 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:21.519 but it speaks volumes. Now, zooming out to the 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:23.820 house's total structure, the floor plan was designed 00:12:23.820 --> 00:12:26.159 not just for entertaining, but for enforcing 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:28.259 the strict social hierarchy of the time. Oh, 00:12:28.259 --> 00:12:30.220 absolutely. The organization of the three main 00:12:30.220 --> 00:12:33.139 floors is a perfect architectural diagram of 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:35.480 class separation. So the family bedrooms were 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:37.960 on the second floor. Logically, yes. On the private 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.279 second floor, maximizing comfort and distance 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:42.700 from the public -facing first floor. But the 00:12:42.700 --> 00:12:45.379 segregation is starkly illustrated by the third 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:48.220 floor. The third floor. The entire top floor, 00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:50.799 spanning the entire breadth of the house, was 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:53.240 dedicated exclusively to the servants' quarters. 00:12:53.580 --> 00:12:57.539 A house this size, 20 rooms, 17 ,000 square feet, 00:12:57.639 --> 00:13:00.759 built for constant entertaining, required a large 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:04.539 staff. You'd need cooks, maids, footmen. Possibly 00:13:04.539 --> 00:13:07.120 a private secretary, the organist, or a music 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:10.200 tutor. The sheer number of people required to 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:12.799 maintain the Clement's lifestyle necessitated 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.080 dedicating an entire floor to their housing. 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:17.179 And that physical separation. Placing the staff 00:13:17.179 --> 00:13:19.580 out of sight and generally out of mind. That 00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:22.279 is the clearest manifestation of Gilded Age social 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.559 stratification built directly into the structure 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:27.440 of the home. To truly appreciate why the Clement 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:30.200 House survived and stands today, we have to look 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:32.370 at its immediate surroundings. The house was 00:13:32.370 --> 00:13:34.289 built right in the heart of the Delaware Avenue 00:13:34.289 --> 00:13:37.129 Historic District. An area known for both its 00:13:37.129 --> 00:13:40.529 architectural ambition and its intense volatility. 00:13:40.870 --> 00:13:44.190 Right. Edward Broadhead Green was the right architect 00:13:44.190 --> 00:13:47.080 for the job. known for his refined Gilded Age 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:49.600 designs. But the neighborhood was a constantly 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:52.019 shifting landscape of status and demolition. 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:55.720 That volatility is crucial context. Wealthy families 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:57.740 in Buffalo were constantly trying to one -up 00:13:57.740 --> 00:14:00.440 their neighbors. The Clement House was a massive 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:03.279 modern replacement for an older home. But its 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.799 survival becomes even more miraculous when you 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.820 look next door. It's 776 Delaware Avenue, the 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:12.379 Gratwick House. The fate of the Gratwick House 00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:15.840 is a genuine architectural tragedy. And you have 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.000 to understand it to really contextualize the 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.620 Clement House's survival. You do. The Gratwick 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:24.179 House was torn down in 1919. 1919. That's just 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:27.179 six years after the $300 ,000 Clement House was 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:29.759 completed next door. Just six years. And this 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.960 wasn't just another old residence. The Gratwick 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:33.799 House was arguably one of the most significant 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:36.320 pieces of architecture in the entire city. Why 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:38.539 is that? What was it? It was a Richardsonian 00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:40.830 Romanesque mansion designed by the... legendary 00:14:40.830 --> 00:14:43.350 Henry Hobson Richardson. Okay, for our listeners 00:14:43.350 --> 00:14:45.710 who might not be immersed in architectural history, 00:14:45.970 --> 00:14:48.929 why is Henry Hobson Richardson considered such 00:14:48.929 --> 00:14:52.909 a giant of American architecture? What does Richardsonian 00:14:52.909 --> 00:14:55.830 Romanesque even mean? Richardson essentially 00:14:55.830 --> 00:14:58.070 defined the aesthetic of American architecture 00:14:58.070 --> 00:15:01.250 in the late 19th century. He was a true titan. 00:15:01.429 --> 00:15:04.970 His style, Richardsonian Romanesque, is characterized 00:15:04.970 --> 00:15:08.850 by monumental scale Heavy, rusticated stonework. 00:15:08.990 --> 00:15:12.629 So like rough -hewn granite. Exactly. Brownstone 00:15:12.629 --> 00:15:15.789 or rough -hewn granite. Massive rounded arches, 00:15:15.889 --> 00:15:18.629 deep -set windows, and an overall sense of powerful, 00:15:18.750 --> 00:15:21.029 rugged permanence. His buildings feel heavy, 00:15:21.169 --> 00:15:24.370 grounded. Very grounded. His buildings, like 00:15:24.370 --> 00:15:26.370 the Trinity Church in Boston or the Allegheny 00:15:26.370 --> 00:15:28.750 County Courthouse, are foundational to American 00:15:28.750 --> 00:15:31.500 architectural identity. He was the master of 00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:34.279 synthesizing European Romanesque traditions with 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.820 American practical needs. So to clarify, the 00:15:36.820 --> 00:15:38.980 Gratwick House was a masterpiece in this style, 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:41.159 designed by the man who defined it. It was more 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.340 than that. The sources specifically highlight 00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:45.179 that the Gratwick House was Richardson's last 00:15:45.179 --> 00:15:48.259 commission. His last one. His last one. It was 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:51.320 designed in 1886, just before his death, and 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:55.220 subsequently completed in 1888 by Shepley, Rutan, 00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:57.720 and Coolidge, the firm that carried on his practice. 00:15:58.350 --> 00:16:01.169 It represented the endpoint of a monumental career, 00:16:01.370 --> 00:16:04.389 an architectural legacy structure. Yet, despite 00:16:04.389 --> 00:16:06.909 this incredible pedigree, the final commission 00:16:06.909 --> 00:16:09.809 of an architectural master, it was erased just 00:16:09.809 --> 00:16:13.070 31 years after its completion. And only six years 00:16:13.070 --> 00:16:14.990 after the Clements finished their grand statement 00:16:14.990 --> 00:16:17.990 next door. That is the brutal lesson of Gilded 00:16:17.990 --> 00:16:20.789 Age cities, isn't it? It is. Architectural significance 00:16:20.789 --> 00:16:23.389 often loses out to economic utility or changing 00:16:23.389 --> 00:16:26.679 family needs. The Gratwick House was demolished 00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:29.259 because the new owners, or perhaps the estate 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.779 after the family moved on, decided the land was 00:16:31.779 --> 00:16:33.980 worth more than the structure. Or they just preferred 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:36.039 a totally different type of development. Right. 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:38.360 It shows that even structures of national importance 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:40.480 could be temporary in the face of shifting wealth 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:42.659 and development pressure in a boomtown like Buffalo. 00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:44.620 It almost makes the Clement House's decision 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:47.559 to tear down the 1855 Tripp House look quaint 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:50.720 in comparison. It does. The Clements were just 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:53.549 replacing an outdated house with a new one. The 00:16:53.549 --> 00:16:55.529 erasure of the Gratwick House was the loss of 00:16:55.529 --> 00:16:57.850 a national landmark. And it perfectly illustrates 00:16:57.850 --> 00:17:00.789 the environment the Clement House was born into. 00:17:00.889 --> 00:17:03.610 It was surrounded by this rapid cycle of creation 00:17:03.610 --> 00:17:05.670 and destruction. And the Clement House survived 00:17:05.670 --> 00:17:08.329 where the Gratwick House failed. And as we established 00:17:08.329 --> 00:17:11.829 earlier, that survival hinged less on its architectural 00:17:11.829 --> 00:17:15.190 style relative to Richardson's work and more 00:17:15.190 --> 00:17:18.109 on a single, crucial, philanthropic decision 00:17:18.109 --> 00:17:21.140 made by Carolyn Clement decades later. Let's 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:23.400 transition now to the human connections, because 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:25.900 the story isn't just about Buffalo. The Clement 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:28.779 family used this massive structure to solidify 00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:31.579 their place in society. And in doing so, they 00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:34.119 literally connected themselves by marriage to 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:36.400 one of the most enduring political dynasties 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:39.160 in American history. This connection is so often 00:17:39.160 --> 00:17:41.180 missed when you focus solely on the architecture, 00:17:41.420 --> 00:17:43.720 but it's absolutely critical for understanding 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:46.440 the reach of American elite families. So Stephen 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:49.000 and Carolyn Clement had six children. Right. 00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:51.769 But we focus on the youngest. Stuart Holmes Clement, 00:17:51.930 --> 00:17:56.130 who lived from 1895 to 1974. And Stuart made 00:17:56.130 --> 00:17:59.970 the connection official. In 1911, right as the 00:17:59.970 --> 00:18:01.950 new house was being designed and constructed, 00:18:02.349 --> 00:18:05.750 Stuart married Margaret Livingston Bush. The 00:18:05.750 --> 00:18:09.069 timing is important. Yeah. The marriage coinciding 00:18:09.069 --> 00:18:10.670 with the height of the family's architectural 00:18:10.670 --> 00:18:13.950 ambition. It's a power move. A huge one. And 00:18:13.950 --> 00:18:16.230 this marriage wasn't just a local affair. It 00:18:16.230 --> 00:18:18.390 was the consolidation of different forms of wealth. 00:18:18.930 --> 00:18:21.069 Margaret Livingston Bush was not from Buffalo 00:18:21.069 --> 00:18:23.849 banking. She was from the industrial and financial 00:18:23.849 --> 00:18:26.490 power base of the East Coast. Who was her father? 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:28.640 She was the daughter of Samuel Prescott Bush, 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:31.759 a major Ohio industrialist and railroad executive. 00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:34.720 A titan in his own right? Absolutely. And tracing 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:37.519 that lineage forward reveals the jaw -dropping 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:40.460 political impact. Margaret was the sister of 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:42.559 a future U .S. senator. Prescott Sheldon Bush. 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:44.900 Prescott Sheldon Bush, who was a significant 00:18:44.900 --> 00:18:47.500 figure in Connecticut politics and finance for 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:49.859 decades. And this is where we need to trace the 00:18:49.859 --> 00:18:51.759 bloodline clearly for the listener, because it's 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.599 a bit of a bombshell. It really is. Margaret 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.059 Livingston Bush Clement, the woman who married 00:18:59.059 --> 00:19:01.559 into the family building this magnificent house, 00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:05.019 was the direct paternal aunt of George Herbert 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:08.049 Walker Bush. The 41st president of the United 00:19:08.049 --> 00:19:10.450 States. The very same. Wait, let me just absorb 00:19:10.450 --> 00:19:14.210 that for a moment. So a massive $300 ,000 mansion 00:19:14.210 --> 00:19:17.789 built by a regional banker in Buffalo, designed 00:19:17.789 --> 00:19:21.049 to symbolize local commercial power, is essentially 00:19:21.049 --> 00:19:23.710 part of the extended family network that produced 00:19:23.710 --> 00:19:27.190 a sitting U .S. senator, a CIA director, a vice 00:19:27.190 --> 00:19:30.029 president, and a president. Precisely. The house 00:19:30.029 --> 00:19:32.109 is directly connected by marriage. And it doesn't 00:19:32.109 --> 00:19:34.950 stop there. No. If we continue the lineage, Margaret 00:19:34.950 --> 00:19:36.829 was, of course, the great aunt of President George 00:19:36.829 --> 00:19:39.930 W. Bush. The 43rd president. Yes. The Buffalo 00:19:39.930 --> 00:19:43.099 banking elite was not siloed. They were intermarrying 00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:44.740 with the national, industrial, and political 00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:47.140 aristocracy of families like the Bushes and the 00:19:47.140 --> 00:19:49.019 Walkers. It's such a powerful illustration of 00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:51.440 the way the American elite operates. Regional 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:54.220 economic hubs like Buffalo generate immense localized 00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:57.319 wealth. And that wealth then seeks to solidify 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:00.559 its status through marriage into established 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.779 or rapidly ascending political and dynastic families 00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:06.420 elsewhere. So the Clement House became an ancestral 00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:09.980 node linking Buffalo's industrial past to America's 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:12.910 national political future. It adds an enormous 00:20:12.910 --> 00:20:15.329 layer of historical significance to the building 00:20:15.329 --> 00:20:18.829 itself. When Carolyn Clement moved in, she wasn't 00:20:18.829 --> 00:20:21.250 just a widow living in a large house. She was 00:20:21.250 --> 00:20:24.150 the matriarch of a family that was actively intertwining 00:20:24.150 --> 00:20:26.049 its roots with the nation's future political 00:20:26.049 --> 00:20:28.779 leadership. The House only holds national weight, 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:31.140 not just regional. Absolutely. This realization 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:33.759 is why a deep dive into a single street address 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.039 can be so enlightening. You start with architecture 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:40.019 and end up tracing the lines of power that shaped 00:20:40.019 --> 00:20:43.160 the entire 20th century. The House, in a sense, 00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:45.539 represents the marriage certificate between finance 00:20:45.539 --> 00:20:47.819 and political destiny. So the story of the Clement 00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:50.539 House takes its final, definitive turn due to 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:53.079 the immense philanthropy of Carolyn Jewett Clement. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:56.119 The woman who inherited this monumental, but 00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:58.599 as we discussed, ultimately melancholy project. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:01.539 This is the moment where the house shifts from 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:04.599 a private monument to a public utility. And that 00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:07.609 shift is what ensures its survival. Carolyn was 00:21:07.609 --> 00:21:10.950 clearly dedicated to giving back. It sort of 00:21:10.950 --> 00:21:13.549 reflects that later stage Gilded Age ethos that 00:21:13.549 --> 00:21:15.750 massive wealth carried civic responsibility. 00:21:16.069 --> 00:21:18.289 It does. We know she had already been a major 00:21:18.289 --> 00:21:21.049 donor. She'd given $80 ,000 to the University 00:21:21.049 --> 00:21:24.269 of Buffalo and endowed a chair at Yale University. 00:21:24.650 --> 00:21:27.490 She understood the power of leveraging wealth 00:21:27.490 --> 00:21:30.170 for institutional stability. And her most impactful 00:21:30.170 --> 00:21:34.230 local decision came in June of 1941. A very significant 00:21:34.230 --> 00:21:36.490 year. With the United States preparing for entry 00:21:36.490 --> 00:21:38.990 into World War II, Carolyn donated the Clement 00:21:38.990 --> 00:21:40.769 House to the western New York chapter of the 00:21:40.769 --> 00:21:44.109 American Red Cross. That timing, 1941, is incredibly 00:21:44.109 --> 00:21:46.269 important. It's everything. It placed the house 00:21:46.269 --> 00:21:48.569 directly into the service of a massive humanitarian 00:21:48.569 --> 00:21:51.609 effort during a period of national crisis. It 00:21:51.609 --> 00:21:53.869 immediately shifted the building's public perception 00:21:53.869 --> 00:21:56.990 from an ostentatious symbol of wealth to a vital 00:21:56.990 --> 00:21:59.250 center for community service. It's likely secured 00:21:59.250 --> 00:22:01.930 its status and local affection for decades to 00:22:01.930 --> 00:22:05.089 come. For sure. It did. The building became informally 00:22:05.089 --> 00:22:08.250 known simply as the Red Cross Building. The sheer 00:22:08.250 --> 00:22:11.069 size and layout of the mansion, with its reception 00:22:11.069 --> 00:22:13.309 rooms, conference rooms, and ample administrative 00:22:13.309 --> 00:22:17.009 space, made it an ideal headquarters for a large 00:22:17.009 --> 00:22:19.210 regional organization. And they took care of 00:22:19.210 --> 00:22:21.730 it. They did. The sources note that the residence 00:22:21.730 --> 00:22:24.250 underwent a significant restoration in 1999, 00:22:24.529 --> 00:22:27.269 which illustrates the long -term institutional 00:22:27.269 --> 00:22:29.490 commitment to maintaining the structure's historic 00:22:29.490 --> 00:22:32.730 integrity. even while maximizing its utility. 00:22:32.970 --> 00:22:36.170 So the Red Cross occupied the property for nearly 00:22:36.170 --> 00:22:39.009 eight decades. A very long time. But the next 00:22:39.009 --> 00:22:42.230 major transaction, starting around 2017, completely 00:22:42.230 --> 00:22:44.950 redefined the use and ownership of the entire 00:22:44.950 --> 00:22:47.849 four -acre plot, moving it into this unique shared 00:22:47.849 --> 00:22:50.789 campus model. This brings us to modern Buffalo 00:22:50.789 --> 00:22:54.150 philanthropy, specifically a man named John Yerchak. 00:22:54.289 --> 00:22:56.390 He's a local developer and philanthropist who 00:22:56.390 --> 00:22:59.380 co -owned CalSpan. And in 2017, he purchased 00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:01.759 the entire property. Which was viewed initially 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.640 with some trepidation, you know, given the history 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:05.500 of demolition in the district, particularly the 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:07.180 Gratwick House's fate. People were probably worried 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:10.220 he'd tear it down. Exactly. But Yurchuk proved 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:12.519 to be following Carolyn Clement's philanthropic 00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:15.079 playbook. What did she do? Immediately after 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:18.299 the purchase, he executed a monumental gift. 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:21.180 He donated the campus centerpiece, the Clement 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:24.400 residence itself, to the Buffalo Philharmonic 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:27.640 Orchestra, the BPO. As an outright gift. An outright 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:30.940 gift. Wow. So that decision created a genuinely 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:34.380 fascinating logistical and institutional scenario. 00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:37.829 It did. The BPO and the Red Cross announced they 00:23:37.829 --> 00:23:39.789 would share the historic residence for their 00:23:39.789 --> 00:23:42.910 administrative staff. So you now have two major 00:23:42.910 --> 00:23:45.890 seemingly unrelated nonprofits, humanitarian 00:23:45.890 --> 00:23:49.789 aid and high culture sharing a 17000 square foot 00:23:49.789 --> 00:23:51.910 building originally designed for a single family. 00:23:52.029 --> 00:23:53.829 And the way they share it is the best part. The 00:23:53.829 --> 00:23:56.170 distribution of space is almost poetic when you 00:23:56.170 --> 00:23:58.789 consider the house's original hierarchy. It really 00:23:58.789 --> 00:24:01.329 is. Let's look at the modern floor plan split. 00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:04.160 The Red Cross occupies a portion of the first 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:06.900 floor, which includes the formal entry and conference 00:24:06.900 --> 00:24:09.339 spaces. But also the entire third floor. The 00:24:09.339 --> 00:24:11.420 entire third floor. The former servants' quarters. 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:15.019 That's right. The humanitarian organization occupies 00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:17.859 the entire former servants' quarters. It's a 00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:20.819 wonderful irony. The space once dedicated to 00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:23.079 the invisible labor force supporting the Clemens 00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:25.940 private luxury is now the nerve center for an 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:28.799 organization dedicated to public aid and relief. 00:24:29.470 --> 00:24:32.670 That's incredible. And meanwhile, the BPO administrative 00:24:32.670 --> 00:24:36.190 staff occupies the entire second floor. The space 00:24:36.190 --> 00:24:38.029 that was originally dedicated to the Clement 00:24:38.029 --> 00:24:40.369 family bedrooms. So the family's private spaces 00:24:40.369 --> 00:24:43.109 are now managing the arts, while the staff quarters 00:24:43.109 --> 00:24:46.309 are managing humanitarian aid. And the main floor's 00:24:46.309 --> 00:24:49.029 foyer and reception rooms function as shared 00:24:49.029 --> 00:24:51.849 common areas. So the architectural hierarchy 00:24:51.849 --> 00:24:55.109 of 1913 has been functionally flattened and repurposed 00:24:55.109 --> 00:24:57.710 into a collaborative community resource hub. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:00.539 The house has literally internalized the concept 00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:03.240 of shared utility. But the evolution of the property 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:05.480 doesn't stop at the mansion's walls, right? We 00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:07.279 have to consider the rest of the four -acre lot. 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:09.539 Right. The original estate was sprawling. Yeah. 00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:12.700 In 1979, long after the Red Cross took over, 00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:15.059 an office building and an adjoining structure 00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:18.079 connected by an atrium were built on the back 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:20.589 portion of the plot. Near the old carriage house 00:25:20.589 --> 00:25:22.509 and the parking lot. And this brought a distinct, 00:25:22.750 --> 00:25:26.029 utilitarian 1970s aesthetic onto the historic 00:25:26.029 --> 00:25:28.569 land. It's quite a contrast. And that complex 00:25:28.569 --> 00:25:30.990 was recently subject to another major transaction. 00:25:31.329 --> 00:25:35.039 In 2018, yes. The rear complex, a substantial 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:39.599 53 ,500 square feet on 2 .85 acres, was sold 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:42.019 separately. Two. Best Self Behavioral Health, 00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:44.720 another nonprofit agency focused on mental and 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:48.420 behavioral wellness, paid $3 .15 million for 00:25:48.420 --> 00:25:50.579 that larger structure behind the mansion. So 00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:52.819 the conclusion here is remarkable. What began 00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:55.740 as a single, highly exclusive private estate, 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:58.380 a monument to Stephen Clement's ambition and 00:25:58.380 --> 00:26:01.259 wealth, has been segmented. into a sophisticated 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:04.440 multi -organizational campus. Today, the entire 00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:06.940 footprint is dedicated to three distinct non 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:10.460 -profit organizations. the BPO, the Red Cross, 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:12.940 and best self -behavioral health. The original 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:15.640 $300 ,000 architectural statement now serves 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:18.440 as a dynamic, layered symbol of sustained community 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:20.579 utility in Buffalo. It's an incredible evolution. 00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:22.559 Hashtag, hashtag, hashtag, outro. That journey 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:24.900 from a single wealthy family's monumental dream 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:27.680 to a shared administrative hub for the arts and 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.500 humanitarian services is truly exceptional. It 00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:33.180 really is. We started by exploring a tragic timeline. 00:26:33.869 --> 00:26:36.450 Stephen Clement never seeing his completed mansion. 00:26:36.609 --> 00:26:39.369 And we ended by tracing a profound political 00:26:39.369 --> 00:26:43.809 bloodline, all centered on one address, 786 Delaware 00:26:43.809 --> 00:26:46.609 Avenue. And I think the Clement House provides 00:26:46.609 --> 00:26:50.430 an essential lesson. Historic structures are 00:26:50.430 --> 00:26:52.849 not preserved merely by accident or aesthetic 00:26:52.849 --> 00:26:55.130 merit. Right. It's not just because they're pretty. 00:26:55.289 --> 00:26:58.670 No. They are living, evolving assets that survive 00:26:58.670 --> 00:27:01.910 based on their ability to be continually repurposed 00:27:01.910 --> 00:27:04.890 by changing economic and critically philanthropic 00:27:04.890 --> 00:27:07.430 forces. Carolyn Clement's decision to donate 00:27:07.430 --> 00:27:10.829 the house in 1941 was an act of practical immortality. 00:27:10.950 --> 00:27:13.279 That's a great way to put it. She ensured the 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:15.440 structure's future through utility rather than 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:17.420 preservation alone. And when you consider that 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:19.519 the house was literally connected to the political 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.859 destiny of the Bush family, and yet its ultimate 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:23.920 purpose was serving local Buffalo communities, 00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:27.059 it just emphasizes the complex, intersecting 00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:29.799 layers of history that exist in every city. And 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:31.799 this raises an important final question for you, 00:27:31.859 --> 00:27:34.559 the listener, to mull over as you view the built 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.599 environment in your own community. Yeah. We spend 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:38.740 time detailing the ruthless demolition of the 00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:42.539 1855 trip residence to make way for the More 00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:45.980 profoundly, we noted the erasure of the 1888 00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:48.960 Gratwick House, a structure of national architectural 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:52.019 importance designed by H .H. Richardson just 00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.759 six years after the Clement House was finished. 00:27:53.980 --> 00:27:57.500 A huge loss. A monumental loss. The Clement House 00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:59.680 survived through strategic donation and function. 00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:03.539 So the question is, what criteria truly determines 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:05.980 which pieces of history are preserved and which 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:08.839 are erased for the next ambitious project? The 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:10.740 difference between a landmark and a parking lot 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:13.299 is often just one family's civic impulse, or 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:16.059 perhaps the perfect timing of a nonprofit organization 00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:18.579 needing a new headquarters. That's the layered 00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:20.700 history you can find when you take a deep dive 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.880 into a single street address.