Buffalo's Outer Harbor
New boat launches at Buffalo Harbor State Park
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 helped to attract more than 134,000 visitors to the park in 2015 during its first year of operation.
The Outer Harbor Access & Activation Project consists of several capital improvements, including:
- Selected locations for visitor and information nodes with pedestrian, bicycle and renewable energy amenities.
- New multi-purpose trail segments to link the Greenbelt loop to the already-established trail networks along Fuhrmann Boulevard.
- Remediation of appropriate Outer Harbor areas for multi-use flex space that will include outdoor recreation facilities, seasonal gathering, and food and beverage areas.
- Overlook locations to facilitate birding, painting, photography and astronomy.
- Wayfinding and interpretive sign systems as an expansion of the already-established "Shoreline Trail" system.
Environmental studies, structural and building surveys, and architectural and engineering design for these improvements have begun.
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 commits $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 commits $5 million to enhance access and facilitate greater public use and enjoyment of Buffalo's Outer Harbor. This $5 million will fund a series of improvements to faciliate active and passive recreational uses and future recreational programming on the Lake Erie waterfront outside of the Buffalo Harbor State Park. All the improvements are being constructed in phases.
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