Governor Hochul Launches Strategic Planning Process To Drive Growth And Investment On Buffalo’s Waterfront

New Initiative Will Unify Stakeholders, Accelerate Sustainable Infill Development, and Shape the Next Decade of the Buffalo River Waterfront Neighborhood

See Map of Preliminary Study Area Here

Governor Kathy Hochul today launched a strategic planning process to shape the next decade of growth, investment, and transformation at Canalside, KeyBank Center, the Cobblestone District and along the Buffalo River waterfront. This planning effort will unite local stakeholders around a shared strategy to maximize previous investments, increase neighborhood density, and accelerate the area's transition into a vibrant, year-round sustainable community. Led by Empire State Development, the strategy will deliver specific development recommendations for a targeted zone spanning from the Erie Basin Marina to Michigan Avenue, bounded by the Buffalo River and the I-190, and including Sahlen Field. A map of the preliminary study area can be viewed here.

"This strategic initiative marks the next great chapter for Buffalo's waterfront, transforming decades of momentum into a unified vision for a vibrant, year-round community," Governor Hochul said. "By bringing together local partners and analyzing market demand, we will ensure that future investments don't just build a better waterfront - they build a stronger, prouder Western New York."

To develop the strategy, a planning consulting firm will be retained by ESD to conduct a comprehensive market and urban design analysis, lead stakeholder engagement, and establish an overarching vision. This plan will provide ESD, ECHDC, Erie County, the City of Buffalo and other public and private stakeholders with the data-driven insights necessary to guide future state actions and investments - prioritizing financial feasibility, market demand and seamless integration with ongoing City of Buffalo projects and other major neighborhood developments.

Following three decades and a three-quarters of a billion-dollar investment, the Buffalo River waterfront has successfully evolved from a decaying industrial corridor into a premier regional destination rooted in Buffalo's rich Erie Canal history. Initiated by the construction of KeyBank Center and the revitalization of the Cobblestone District in the mid-1990s, and now anchored by the state's premier mixed-use Canalside development, the waterfront is poised to unlock significant new mixed-use development over the next three years.

This strategy arrives at a critical juncture as several major neighborhood investments take shape, including:

• The start of construction of Pennrose's mixed-use North Aud development;
• The resumption of construction at Heritage Point on the South Aud Block by Sinatra Development Company;
• The completion of The Chandlery on the North Aud Block by ECHDC;
• The evolution of the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship;
• The grand opening of the NFTA's DL&W Terminal facility; and
• The redevelopment of affordable housing at the Commodore Perry Homes and Marine Drive Apartments by the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority.

To capitalize on this momentum, the plan will evaluate potential development sites and scenarios for the district and provide the public and private partners with a vision of what's next for the district.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State's historic investments have already laid the foundation for a remarkable waterfront revival in Buffalo. By creating this comprehensive strategic plan, we are ensuring that the next phase of development is data-driven, market-ready, and optimized to drive long-term economic growth, business investment, and job creation along Buffalo's waterfront."

Read the full press release here.