Ellsworth Statler built the Hotel Statler in 1923 as the second property in his chain. He started the first restaurant in the Ellicott Square Building and ran a temporary hotel at the edge of the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition before opening the Hotel Buffalo on the southeast corner of Swan and Washington Streets. The Hotel Buffalo was the first in the world to feature a private bath in each room using the "Statler plumbing shaft." This design features the baths of each room set back-to-back with fixtures and pipes opening into a common shaft. It revolutionized the design of hotels, office buildings, and apartment houses.

After construction, the hotel contained more rooms than all other Buffalo hotels combined. In its heyday, the hotel was home to major conventions, foreign dignitaries, debutante balls, and performances. The Statler chain was among the first to implement standardized operating procedures in each hotel, including basic decorating schemes and kitchen operations. At the time of Statler's death in 1928, the hotel chain was a national institution almost in a class with Henry Ford's Model T.

The Statler family built hotels in 11 major metropolitan markets before selling a controlling interest to Hilton Hotels in 1954. Occupancy at the Hotel Statler (renamed the Statler Hilton) declined substantially during the late-1950s and mid-1960s. Between 1967 and 1983, the building served both as a hotel and an office building. Mark Russell (of PBS fame) began his career at the Statler during this time. It was fully converted into an office building in 1983, but still features banquet facilities, shops and a cafe.

Continue around the Square and take a left onto Court Street. Head East one block and take a left onto Pearl Street.