Willert Park Housing

Spring Street between Peckham and William Streets

architect: Fredrick Backus

owner: State Housing Authority

years built: 1939

demolished: N/A

Among the group of housing developments in Buffalo this seems to be the best planned. Although the excellent color which enlivens the design is not apparent and the sculpture insets hardly show, the straightforwardness of composition derived from the industrial tradition gives real character.

The apparent barrenness will in time be mitigated by planting. It is a pity the windows are so few and so small. Certain details, such as the shelter at the entrance and the syncopated ranges of horizontal windows at the stair walls are remarkably well studied. On the other hand, the conventional, double hung windows and the recessed bands of the ground story weaken the impression of a really new architecture.