Delaware / Elmwood Strip
This Buffalo neighborhood centers on Delaware Avenue from the Scajaquada Expressway south to North Street. A large residential area lies east of Elmwood Avenue. Delaware Park is the centerpiece of a city-wide park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Delaware Park is a green haven in the city offering meadows, gardens, trails, Delaware Lake, the Buffalo Zoo, and recreational facilities. In the summer it hosts “Shakespeare in the Park,� the second largest open-air Shakespeare festival in the country.
Adjacent to Delaware Park is Forest Lawn Cemetery. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cemetery is known for its park-like beauty and outstanding examples of memorial sculptures. Beautiful and often stately homes dating from the turn of the century surround the cemetery. Many of them have been converted to organizational or corporate headquarters.
Also in the Delaware District are the following amenities: the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, world-famous for its modern art collection; Temple Beth Zion, a contemporary architectural monument which features stained glass by Ben Shahn; and the Millard Fillmore Hospital at Gates Circle.
The Elmwood Village is considered, by many, to be the heart and cultural soul of Buffalo. Bounded by the world famous Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Buffalo State College campus on the north, and historic Allentown on the south, this community provides residents and visitors with a diverse retail experience. The Elmwood neighborhood is a shopper’s paradise, with boutiques, restaurants, cafes, delis, salons, speciality shops and nightclubs. It’s a combination that makes Elmwood one of Buffalo’s busiest commerical districts, bustling with foot and vehicular traffic.
The vibrant commerical scene on Elmwood Avenue is steps from one of Buffalo’s oldest and most intact residential areas. Its tree-lined streets, slate sidewalks and stone carriage steps help create a distinct flavor for this section of the city. The Elmwood Village has a rich tapestry of Queen Anne, Second Empire, Italianate, Victorian Gothic and French Second Empire residential building styles.
- 48 restaurants and cafes within the district
- The annual Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts (late August) showcases the creative artists living and working in and around the neighborhood
- The Albright-Knox Art Gallery enjoys a worldwide reputation as an outstanding center for modern art
- The Burchfield Penny Art Center is dedicated to the art and vision of Charles E. Burchfield and distinguished artists of Buffalo Niagara
- Buffalo and Erie County Historical Building
- World famous Frederick Law Olmsted Delaware Park
- Borders Forest Lawn Cemetary, which is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Former President Millard Fillmore, Indian Chief Red Jacket, from whom the land to create the City of Buffalo was purchased, Pony express pioneer William Fargo, and singer Rick James are buried here. Bird watching and Sunday hayride style tours of the beautiful grounds are available.
- Buffalo State College
- H.H. Richardson Complex
- Elmwood Village Charter School
- Oracle Charter School
- P.S. 17 Early Childhood Center
- P.S. 56 Frederick Law Olmsted School
- Tapestry Charter School
