H-O Oats Elevator (Site) (Buffalo, New York)

 historical building, grain elevator / grain silos

Founded in New York City in 1893, the H-O Oats Company relocated their offices to the booming grain port of Buffalo in 1895 and began construction of a grain mill and cereal production facility at the corner of Perry and Marvin Streets, along with several wooden silos.

Producing two lines of oat cereals by 1905, the H-O Oats facility saw tremendous growth and eventually added a multi-silo 130ft tall concrete elevator with a 580,000 bushel capacity to its facility in 1931. Fully modernized during the Second World War to supply US and Allied forces, the H-O facility reached its peak operation in 1950's when the plant was producing over 6,000 cases of cereal a day and had a dedicated rail yard for supply and distribution network alongside its mill. Changing trade patterns and economic troubles eventually forced H-O to cede control of the facility to Best Foods and eventually Corn Products Company, but the landmark silos retained their "H-O OATS" branding throughout. Corn Products elected to shut down cereal production at the ageing mill 1975, followed by the milling operation in 1983 after which the facility was sold to a local tire dealer and used for storage. Following a large fire in the former cereal factory in 1987, the entire facility was abandoned and left in a derelict condition for the next 18 years.

After negotiations with the Seneca Nation of Indians, the State of New York ceded the land which the H-O Elevator stood on back to the tribe, which announced plans to build a casino on the site and several adjoining plots. Despite sharp public outcry for the preservation of the H-O Oats elevator, which was added to the NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's list of building which should be considered for the National Register of Historic Places, the demolition of the H-O Oats Elevator and facility began in late 2005 and completed in mid 2006.


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