Buffalo's Outer Harbor
Outer Harbor's Lakeside Complex, which opened in May 2019. Photo credit: Joe Cascio/ECHDC.
Completed projects at Buffalo Harbor State Park include:
- Public boat launch
- Expansion of utilities
- Redesigned vehicular roadway and parking to improve traffic flow for park users and boaters
- Nautically-themed destination playground
- Two open-air picnic pavilions
- New park furnishings
- Improved lighting and walkways
- Landscaping
- Redesign of the break wall at the marina, which features a pedestrian walkway overlook, fishing access and seating.
These improvements, which helped to attract more than 134,000 visitors to the park during its first year of operation in 2015, continue to attract visitors. In 2019, the park attracted more than 260,000 visitors.
The new Lakeside Complex on Buffalo's Outer Harbor opened in May 2019. The 20-acre site includes a new bike park, event lawn, trail for walking or cycling and beautiful landscaping to attract more visitors and residents to the city's waterfront.
The new Lakeside Complex will be open from dawn to dusk and includes:
- Bike Park: A combination of trails, a skills loop and a pump track. The bike park provides three introductory to intermediate-level tracks for mountain bike riders. The activity zone includes a pump track, skills loop and tot track with a viewing area and concourse. Nearly one mile of dirt trails are installed throughout the site and present varying degrees of skills and obstacles.
- Great Lawn: A 4-acre grassed oval provides space for both passive and active uses, including events of all sizes and a fantastic setting for sunset views.
- Independent Health Wellness Trail: Nearly one mile of additional multi-use trails connect the existing Outer Harbor trail system with Fuhrmann Boulevard to complete the shoreline loop. The nature trail will be surrounded by habitat enhancements and encompass the 4-acre Great Lawn.
- Habitat Restoration Areas: More than 10 acres of habitat enhancement and restoration areas feature the addition of hundreds of new trees and shrubs, as well as 1.5 acres of pollinator fields. These areas have seen the removal of invasive species and are now providing habitat for several species of nesting and migratory birds.
- Mountain Bike Rentals.
For more information, visit here.
ECHDC is planning and undertaking a number of open space and recreation projects that will improve the use and enjoyment of 208 acres of ECHDC’s 247 acres of Outer Harbor lands outside of Buffalo Harbor State Park (i.e., not including former Terminal A building/lands) in three areas: the First Buffalo River Marina; lakefront lands around Wilkeson Pointe, Michigan Pier, and Bell Slip; and the former Terminal B building and surrounding lands.
Project Status
May 2019 - ECHDC and its consultants held a final open house and presented the preferred Outer Harbor plan. This preferred plan was developed as a result of public input from two previous public meetings and online public surveys.
June 2019 - ECHDC’s Board of Directors received and filed the final Outer Harbor Preferred Plan at its June 10, 2019 meeting.
August 2019 – ECHDC’s Board of Directors approved three contracts that will move projects forward on the initial master planning work already completed for the three waterfront zones on the Outer Harbor. Read more here.
November 9, 2020 - ECHDC’s Board of Directors adopt a long-term general project plan (GPP) for the “Buffalo Outer Harbor Civic and Land Use Improvement Plan,” which formally consolidates and prioritizes components of planned improvements presented in the June 2019 Preferred Plan and sets forth an initial list of project components that will undergo final design in 2021, with construction initiating thereafter. The GPP is being made available for public review and comment prior to affirming the plan, which is anticipated in early 2021. Read more here.
December 4, 2020 - The public comment period for the General Project Plan of the Buffalo Outer Harbor Civic and Land Use Improvement Project has been extended to January 8, 2021. More information here.
Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State is making a historic commitment to improving and expanding access to outdoor recreation. As part of the 2013 transfer of almost 400 acres of land on the Outer Harbor from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) to New York State, Buffalo Harbor State Park was designated as the 180th State Park in New York’s system and the first in the City of Buffalo. The Buffalo Billion committed $10 million for improvements to transform Buffalo Harbor State Park into a new visitor destination that continues the revitalization of the city's waterfront. The Buffalo Billion also committed $5 million to enhance access and facilitate greater public use and enjoyment of Buffalo's Outer Harbor via the Outer Harbor Access & Activation Project I, now opened and called Lakeside Complex. Buffalo Billion II commits $15 million to provide rapid, visible and usable improvements to the Buffalo Outer Harbor via the Outer Harbor Access & Activation Project II.
February 8 - ECHDC Affirms Outer Harbor General Project Plan, Hires Construction Manager for Future Improvements
November 2020 - ECHDC Adopts Outer Harbor General Project Plan, Sets Path for Future Improvements
August 2019 - ECHDC Board Approves Contracts to Move Buffalo’s Outer Harbor Projects Forward
May 2019 - ECHDC Presents Preferred Vision for the Outer Harbor to the Public
May 2019 - Governor Cuomo Announces Opening Of $5 Million Lakeside Complex On Buffalo's Outer Harbor
March 2019 - Results of Second Outer Harbor Public Input Survey Now Available
November 2018 - ECHDC Holds Open House for Outer Harbor Plans
Septmber 2018 - Results of Outer Harbor Public Input Survey Now Available
July 2018 - ECHDC Holding Open House and Listening Session
April 2018 - ECHDC Board Approves Outer Harbor Projects Moving Forward
October 2017 - Governor Cuomo Announces Buffalo Harbor State Park Transformation is Complete
August 2017- ECHDC and Assemblyman Sean Ryan Announce New Public Art Display Coming to the Buffalo Outer Harbor
October 2016- Governor Cuomo Highlights Success of Outer Harbor and Transformation of Buffalo Harbor State Park
November 2015 - Governor Cuomo Announces Next Phase of Multi-Million Dollar Transformation Underway at Buffalo Harbor State Park
August 2014 - Governor Cuomo Announces Progress at Buffalo Harbor State Park
May 2014 - Governor Cuomo Announces New Buffalo Harbor State Park