Buffalo
The Richardson Hotel
H. H. Richardson's Buffalo State Asylum on Olmsted-designed grounds, a National Historic Landmark that reopened as The Richardson in 2023.
- Built
- 1871–80Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane by H. H. Richardson: excavation began June 1871, cornerstone laid September 18, 1872, and the Administration Building (Towers Building) and first wards were complete by 1880 (NHL nomination). The hotel occupies the Towers Building and adjoining wings.
- Style
- Richardsonian Romanesque
- Architect
- H. H. Richardson (grounds: Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux)
- Type
- Boutique hotel
- Credentials
- National Historic Landmark; Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The story
H. H. Richardson designed the state asylum on the Kirkbride plan, and Frederick Law Olmsted sited the buildings and designed the grounds in 1871; the cornerstone was laid in 1872 and the administration building and first wards were done by 1880. The NHL nomination calls it an important transitional building in Richardson’s developing style. After the buildings were vacated and restored, Hotel Henry opened here in 2017, closed in February 2021, and reopened as The Richardson Hotel in March 2023.
Good to know
- Address: 444 Forest Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14213
Sources (3)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.