A New Beginning at Hotel Henry

My most recent adventure in Buffalo led me to the newly opened Hotel Henry. I love exploring all the new happenings going on in what is being dubbed the Rust Belt Renaissance in Buffalo. Mother’s Day afternoon seemed the perfect time to explore the new grounds and treat my mom to a lovely brunch at Hotel Henry’s 100 Acres restaurant.

What was once an abandoned Asylum and destination for trespassing and ghost hunts has been turned into an urban oasis and event space for visitors and Buffalonians alike. The building originally opened its doors back in 1880 as the state-of-the-art Buffalo State Asylum. Around 1970 when treatment began to change the building was abandoned and left to deteriorate. After years of neglect the Richardson Center Corp has restored the building to the gem it once was, and what is sure to be a dream location to host many a stunning wedding and event.

I pulled into the campus from the back on Richmond. From behind the building appeared ominous, almost eerie, which intrigued me that much more. My mom and I entered on the lower level and climbed the stone and mental staircase to the 100 Acres restaurant. The haunted feeling quickly dissipated upon entering the front doors. The building came to life with the clink and clatter of glasses and the sweet aroma of coffee and bacon.

100 Acres is made up of several different rooms. My mom and I were sat in a beautiful plum room with rich dark wood floors and molding. The table for two was a heavy stone slab. A table that felt intimate while at the same time like we wouldn’t be cramped once our plates arrived. Along with our fresh OJ mimosas my mom had a smoked Gouda, tomatoes, and egg stone pizza. I put my carb phobia aside for the day and sprang for the pancakes with a Grand Marnie syrup and tart lemon curd. In addition to sharing an afternoon of laughs my mom was nice enough to share her breakfast pizza. My next visit I’ll be sure to get my own, it had an intoxicating rustic taste.

After our brunch, we decided to go explore the hotel. I had always wondered what the facility looked like when it was abandoned and black behind the chain linked fence. The architecture is enhanced with modern fixtures and fresh crisp paint. They clearly tried to salvage as much as they could with the hand-blown glass windows and hard woods floors and moldings. Each of the floors has a little nook with a built-in window seat. Mom and I killed some time and took some selfies as a rain shower passed through. Luckily the nook was a cheery bright yellow to distract us from the gloominess outside.

The last spot we visited would be the future site of many a wedding and event. The ballroom is nestled between the two towers in a space that was once a women’s place of worship. From the windows you can catch a glimpse of the green tower peaks. The room is a mix of old and new. The ceiling is adorned with the original medallion surrounded by these ultra-modern glass and black shapely chandeliers. From the interior of the hotel, to the majestic grounds, and exterior facade, it is an ideal destination for anyone who wants their wedding to be modern-chic meets old-world grandeur.

I was very pleased with the amount of work I saw and cannot wait to see what else the building has in store. They have only completed phase one of a three-phase project. What I like most about the transformation thus far is the renovation is taking a space that has held a lot of sadness and suffering and is now being transformed into a space that will hold laughter, joy, and hopefully only tears of happiness.