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jacob kedzierski | profile | all galleries >> North Tonawanda, NY >> The Wurlitzer Building tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

The Wurlitzer Building

The Wurlitzer Building originally started as the DeKleist Barrel Organ Works in 1893. Within a few years The Rudolph Wurlitzer moved their band organ manufacturing facilities to the North Tonawanda location. During the 1910's Wurlitzer started building their famous Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organs. Throughout the years the plant manufactured radios, jukeboxes and electronic organs. The plant closed in 1973 and was purchased, in the early 1980's, by a group of investors with the goal of turning the old plant into an industrial park.
wurlitzer building tower
wurlitzer building tower		 inside tower water tank
inside tower water tank		 beneath water tank
beneath water tank		 wurlitzer 9
wurlitzer 9
wurlitzer down the road
wurlitzer down the road		 front wurlitzer wide
front wurlitzer wide		 side of wurlitzer building
side of wurlitzer building		 tower through
tower through
statue
statue		 side
side		 alley vert
alley vert		 alley wurlitzer building wide
alley wurlitzer building wide
the mighty saw teeth of the wurlitzer complex
the mighty saw teeth of the wurlitzer complex		 far back
far back		 old power house
old power house		 power house
power house
power house 3
power house 3		 side view
side view		 construction date
construction date		 tsk
tsk
wurlitzer park
wurlitzer park		 middle sawteeth color
middle sawteeth color		 walkway roof
walkway roof		 roof
roof
mighty saw teeth
mighty saw teeth		 tower back wide
tower back wide		 front parking lot wide color
front parking lot wide color		 back hallway
back hallway
main room
main room		 organ
organ		 organpicture
organpicture		 pana tower two.jpg
pana tower two.jpg
pana tower.jpg
pana tower.jpg		 wurlitzer power tower
wurlitzer power tower		 pana four.jpg
pana four.jpg		 third floor wide.jpg
third floor wide.jpg
IMG_8940.JPG
IMG_8940.JPG		 i cleaned this bathroom in 1993, iron maiden tag still up!
i cleaned this bathroom in 1993, iron maiden tag still up!		 Dan grafitti still up two.... amazing
Dan grafitti still up two.... amazing		 the frank zappa too!
the frank zappa too!
slop room hasnt changed in 15 years
slop room hasnt changed in 15 years		 20060001v
20060001v		 20060003v
20060003v		 20060005v
20060005v
20060012v
20060012v		 20060020v
20060020v		 20080011v
20080011v		 20080019v
20080019v
20090022v
20090022v		 IMG_1650vg.jpg
IMG_1650vg.jpg		 old fr. sams breakroom
old fr. sams breakroom		 box folding station
box folding station
oven area
oven area		 elevator door
elevator door		 elevator door
elevator door		 north tonawanda from above
north tonawanda from above
the mighty wurlitzer building
the mighty wurlitzer building		 stoned lady
stoned lady		 power house is gone
power house is gone		 gonna be a parking lot
gonna be a parking lot
chop sticks
chop sticks		 storage
storage		 grass now
grass now 		power builidng gone
power builidng gone

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Tom Christopher 28-Jan-2015 15:22
Grew up in Wurlitzer Park... 1313 Greenbrier Lane.. love the pictures.
Dave Lechner 18-Dec-2013 20:00
It was the Summer of 1962. I worked in the drafting department on the second floor, no air conditioning, you could only open the windows that over looked the factory roof a couple of inches because the soot and roof cinders would collect on your drafting board. One day before noon it was over 90 degrees , the drafting paper would wrinkle from the sweat off of your arms. Chester said if it hits 100 degrees I'm going home. With the heat generated from the large blue print machine that day the temperature reached 103 degrees in the drafting department and no one went home early.
Tom Losito 08-Dec-2012 23:18
I think it was '70 or '71 my friend and I were walking by the Wurlo plant, and everyone was going back inside after lunch. I told him "Look like you know what you're doing, we're going in." And we just walked in with everyone else. The place was booming back then, electric pianos the big thing. We just walked around for a while, when we were spotted by our friend Tony K. "What are you guys doing?" He couldn't believe we were just wandering around in there ! So he took us on a little guided tour. Showed us where the government was doing some kind of secret work, the receiving docks, testing area etc. Well, it was time to go, so we went to the main lobby because we also wanted jobs. We walked up behind the guard, and asked him about employment. We were only 16 and 17 at the time so no jobs, but he was kinda upset about us getting in and sneeking up behind him. He escorted us out !!
jessi 05-Nov-2010 01:17
Not sure how old this page is but I enjoyed your work. I am currently working on my portfolio for Pratt. I have to pick three places in mu surrounding neighborhood that go overlooked and. He wurlitzer building was one of my choices. Hence the reason I Stumbled upon your work. I am interested in how you gained access to all these areas of the complex.? I would appreciate it if you could tell me so I can do some paintings and sketches and whatnot. Thanks again.
Richard Burton 07-Jan-2006 15:24
Thank you for your wonderful photos. I grew up in NT. Our church (Community Christian Church-Ruie Rd.-no longer in existance) held services in the Wurlitzer building (I believe 2nd floor) for several years before the church was built. Thank you for the the great work. Brings back many memories.
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