Governor Hochul Announces Start of Construction on $225 Million North Aud Block in Buffalo’s Canalside

Mixed-Use Development Will Create Affordable Housing and Commercial Spaces, Broaden Efforts to Reconnect Buffalo to its Historic Waterfront

Photos of the Groundbreaking Available Here

Renderings Available

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction at North Aud Block, a $225 million mixed-use development in Buffalo's Canalside. This transformative project will convert a vacant parcel into 251 affordable and market-rate apartments, and will include 18,000 square feet of commercial space, 20,000 square feet of open, community space and 137 parking spaces. The project is built on the site of the former Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, also known as the Aud, which closed in 1996. It is part of a comprehensive plan to redevelop the entire parcel of land where the Aud once stood and follows last year's opening of a visitor center there. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 11,600 homes in Erie County, including more than 8,300 in the city of Buffalo. North Aud Block continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul's $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

"For too long, the North Aud Block has sat in the shadow of Canalside as a vacant reminder of the past, but today, we are rewriting its future as a vibrant destination on Buffalo's historic waterfront," Governor Hochul said. "This transformation represents exactly what our strategy was designed to achieve: turning underutilized land into hundreds of new homes and enhancing an important economic corridor. By honoring Buffalo's rich history while investing in the future, we are ensuring Canalside remains a premier, welcoming destination for generations to come."

Read the full press release here.