Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse sits on the shores of Buffalo's Black Rock Channel — a working boathouse and architectural landmark that serves as one of the city's most singular event venues. Wright originally designed the structure for the University of Wisconsin in 1905 and thought so highly of it that he included it in his celebrated 1910 Wasmuth Portfolio. The building came to life in Buffalo in 2007 through the philanthropy of Charles and Marie Fontana and their son Tom, for whom it is named. Wright's classic design details carry through every floor: large ceiling beams draw visitors from one space to the next, and Arts and Crafts lighting fixtures adorn the stairwells, reflected in the second-floor windows. The main banquet hall opens onto an outdoor balcony overlooking the Niagara River and Lake Erie, and wedding parties can make a memorable entrance by arriving at the boat dock below. The Fontana Boathouse is available year-round for weddings, corporate gatherings, and cocktail events. The West Side Rowing Club and Canisius College Crew Team continue to store boats on the first floor, keeping the building in active use exactly as Wright intended.