Smith Real Estate Exchange Building (1892-1938)

Smith Real Estate Exchange Building (1892-1938)

The six-story Smith Building, c. 1936.At six stories, the towering Smith Real Estate Exchange building at the northeast corner of Webster and Tremont Streets was once the tallest building in the Tonawandas. It afforded magnificent views of the exploding young city.

Brief history from Tonawanda News, February 19, 1938:

The building was erected in 1892 [another source states finished in 1896] by George P. Smith and was known as the Smith building for a number of years. When the Riviera theater and other new buildings were erected in the block, bounded by Tremont, Webster and Main streets the Smith Building was taken over by the present owners and subsequently converted into small apartments.

Originally the building had ten apartments and offices on the Webster street side of the building with the exception of the first floor, which was occupied by stores and other business places.

There are approximately 30 apartments in the present building.

George Perry Smith

As the son of H. R. Smith and Christiana Long Smith (of Christiana Street fame), George P. Smith hails from impeccable Tonawandas pioneer stock. Smith is heavily involved in lumber and real estate (he is president of the Ironton Land Co. and involved with the North Tonawanda Land Co.,) and also rises to leadership in several local utility and transportation companies, operating "Smith's" streetcar line. 

A fire in Smith's building is described in the Niagara Sun, January 21st, 1898:

It is believed the fire started in George P. Smith’s office in the south-west corner on the fifth floor. Large holes were burned through the ceiling, floor and walks. The flames climbed to the sixth floor and entered the offices of Barrall & Snowy, city engineers, where many valuable maps and records were stored. Quite a number of new maps were ruined and others badly damaged, among them being the maps of North Tonawanda and Wheatfield which were completed about two months ago after nearly a year’s work.

Plaza Apartments

The Smith building is later (1930) known as  as the Plaza Apartments at 89 Webster Street. It burns again on February 18, 1938. Owner Max Yellen of Buffalo considers razing just the top three floors, then decides to raze it all, having lost thousands of dollars on the building annually. It is taken down a few months later.