The revitalization of Buffalo, New York’s Cobblestone District is intended to bring more people to this historic downtown area.

Named for the cobblestones used to pave the streets and the cobblers who once dwelled here during the early 1800s, the District is several city blocks in size and home to the new $200 million Marine Midland Arena, where the Buffalo Sabres professional hockey team competes.

Like older areas in many cities across the U.S., in recent years, the Cobblestone District had fallen into a state of disrepair. Crime had also become a problem. After the area was designated a Preservation District, a renaissance began that included remodeling many of the old structures and building new ones. The renovation also included the installation of a high quality lighting system to promote safety and a sense of security.

“During event nights at the Arena, pedestrian traffic is particularly heavy because automotive traffic is restricted,” said James Zern, superintendent of street lighting for Buffalo. “The lighting system selected had to be able to provide high levels of illumination yet complement the District’s architecture.”

The lighting system installed is Jefferson® series fixtures from Holophane Corporation. The eight-sided lanterns feature a spiked “crown” on the top and bottom that creates a distinct Colonial flavor. The 100 fixtures installed use 175-watt metal halide lamps and are mounted on forest or “Buffalo” green North Yorkshire lamp standards that are 10 feet high.

According to Zern, management of the Sabres requested these specific fixtures and standards because they blend well with their surroundings. The units are owned and maintained by Niagara Mohawk, the local utility.


“Niagara Mohawk representatives considered the fixture and its performance, and agreed it’s a quality system that is pleasing from an aesthetic standpoint. The Jefferson also offers certain performance and maintenance advantages. Because the fixture has a glass reflector, it will not cloud up, which means we don’t have the veiling effect that is common with polyurethane and plastic reflectors,” Zern explained.

Spacing ranges from 50 to 80 feet, depending upon the fixtures’ location. On Main Street near the subway system, for example, the units are spaced 50 feet apart to boost light levels. The average illumination level within the District is 1 footcandle.

Fixtures are individually controlled by a photocell, and are lighted approximately 4,170 hours per year. Niagara Mohawk is responsible for regularly cleaning and relamping the units.

“The Jefferson fixtures are reliable and provide the uniform illumination we need to facilitate large crowds,” said Zern. “We have used nearly 5,000 RSL-350 series fixtures throughout Buffalo and have been very pleased with their performance.

The Holophane units are top of the line as far as their operating efficiency and reliability are concerned.”

Marine Midland Arena has a capacity of 20,000 and plays hosts to a variety of events, including concerts, circuses, indoor soccer, college basketball and arena football.