Small pieces of exterior decorative cornice on either the third or fourth floor of the Statler Towers tumbled onto West Genesee Street between Franklin Street and Niagara Square today, authorities said.

City engineers were continuing to examine the structure after that block of West Genesee was closed at approximately 11:10 a.m., according to Fire Battalion Chief Patrick Britzzalaro.

"The cornice is made of sand and lime mortar and deteriorates with weather and it looks like the weather caught up with it," Britzzalaro said.

No one was hurt by the falling building material.

This is not the first time cornices of the building have fractured and fallen.

The cornice from the top of the 18-story structure on the northwest corner at Delaware and West Mohawk streets fell to the sidewalk last October. And again, no one was hurt. But debris flew as far as 60 feet away, causing the temporary closings of sections of Delaware Avenue and West Mohawk Street until workers were brought in to remove other sections of loose cornice.

The landmark building was recently shuttered as efforts to sell it have not succeeded.