The new stadium rose up on Washington Street in downtown Buffalo at the hands of
HOK / Populous. The architecture firm thought that building a ballpark that perhaps
looked like a ballpark of old... harkening back to beloved old Offerman Stadium
would bring that nostalgic feeling and all the rest of the old Bisons fans
back to the ballpark. Keep in mind this is 1988... several years before HOK would
go on to build the famed "Oriole Park @ Camden Yards" which is mistakenly credited for starting the "retro ballpark movement". In actuality,
that movement started here in Buffalo with this stadium. Dubbed the "Downtown
Ballpark" the stadium would debut in 1988 and when it opened its doors...
it wasn't just Buffalo that was stunned to see their new baseball stadium. |