Allen-Medical Campus (Metro Rail)

Allen/Medical Campus
Buffalo Metro Rail station

Train entering Allen/Medical Campus
Location 929 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14202
Coordinates 42°53′57.75″N 78°52′10.30″W / 42.8993750°N 78.8695278°W
Owned by Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Line(s)
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 2
Construction
Structure type Underground
Depth 40 feet (12 m)
Other information
Fare zone Free fare (southbound)
Paid fare (northbound)
History
Opened May 20, 1985
Previous names Allen-Hospital (May 20, 1985-September 1, 2003)
Services
Preceding station   NFTA   Following station
Metro Rail
Summer-Best
toward University
(Closed February 18, 2013)

Allen/Medical Campus (formerly Allen-Hospital until September 1, 2003) is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located at the corner of Main and Allen Streets at the northern end of Buffalo, New York's downtown and is the last underground station to the south requiring payment before entering the Free Fare Zone. Since Allen/Medical Campus Station serves as a terminal, immediately south is a double crossover.

During the weekend of August 9-10, 2013 and July 18-20, 2014, as well as on October 11, 2014, due to construction along the 600 and 500 block of Main Street, respectively, Allen/Medical Campus Station temporarily served as the southern terminus. As a result, NFTA-Metro offered shuttle buses to accommodate passengers between Allen/Medical Campus Station and Erie Canal Harbor Station, with each shuttle running every 15 minutes (prior to those dates, the last time Allen/Medical Campus Station temporarily served as the southern terminus was the week of November 20, 2000 due to a winter storm that hit Buffalo).

Bus routes serving Allen/Medical Campus Station

Allen/Medical Campus Station is one of only four stations that does not offer an off-road bus loop, requiring passengers to board/debark using curbside stops (the other three being Summer-Best Station, located 2,112 feet north, Humboldt-Hospital, located 9,504 feet north and Amherst Street, located 16,896 feet north). (Note: Due to construction at Allen/Medical Campus Station, route 7 buses heading the H.H. Richardson Complex Administration Building, route 8 buses heading toward University Station and route 29 buses heading toward Delavan/Canisius College Station temporarily board at the corner of Main and Carlton Streets, located 528 feet south.) Route 7 buses heading downtown and route 8 buses heading toward Marine Drive do not board at the curb at the same side as the station, which is served by six bus routes:

Artwork

In 1979, an art selection committee was created, composed of NFTA commissioners and Buffalo area art experts, that would judge the artwork that would be displayed in and on the properties of eight stations on the Metro Rail line.

Out of the 70 proposals submitted, 22 were chosen and are currently positioned inside and outside of the eight underground stations.

Allen/Medical Campus Station is home of four pieces of work, from Richard Friedberg (New York City), Scott Burton (New York City); Charles Clough (New York City); and Alberto Cappas, Juan Gonzalez and Olga Mendell of the Latin Gallery (Buffalo).

Richard Friedberg's offers an objective sculpture made of aluminum and steel. It is polychromed with highly durable paint and high gloss coloration. It is located on a wall over the escalator between the mezzanine and the level between the mezzanine and trainroom.

Charles Clough offers riders a large photographic mural based on the work of Charles Burchfield, Buffalo's most famous painter.

The Latin Gallery group offers riders a wall located along a sidewalk at the south end of the station in bright colors, and containing selected excerpts from chosen poetry. The work is on colored enamel fused to copper tile.

Though subtle, Scott Burton offers riders a pair of bronze benches located in the middle of the mezzanine near the ticket vending machines. The two benches pay tribute to the American Arts and Crafts Movement. The benches represent uptown and downtown directions to the station. Each of the benches are life-sized and invite participation, by passengers sitting in them.

Notable places nearby

Allen/Medical Campus Station is located near:

See also

References