CITY OF LIGHTS: RE – VIEW OUR WATERFRONT

Vision
Future Mixed-Income Housing

Downtown Infill

Our concept for Re-View the Waterfront is quite simple—remove the barriers separating
Canalside
the City of Buffalo from its waterfront. The waterfront has served the needs of commerce,

Buffalo River
industry, and transportation, providing the catalyst for historic growth and economic
development. The end of World War II brought outward migration from urban areas to
Harborcenter

the suburbs—aided by the interstate highway system. The Skyway and Route 5 along
with NYS Routes 33, 190, and 90 expedited and facilitated what we thought of as the
Keybank Center
First River Marina “American Dream.”
Cobblestone

Today we have a new vision and a shift in social expectations; returning to urbanized
Times Beach Preserve
areas which offer density, mixed uses, and walkability. The Skyway Bridge and elevated
Skyway Park

Route 5 corridor remains a barrier—physically, visually, and emotionally—separating the

Ohio Street City (and region) from the waterfront.
St. Michigan Ave Bridge
Wilkeson Point

I C O N I C S K YW A Y P A R K
Michigan Pier Ramps on either side of the existing Skyway bridge will be removed, the remaining
New Silo Tower Kelly Island
bridge deck will become Skyway Park, providing panoramic views for pedestrians
Marina Hamlet and cyclists.

G R E AT DE S I G N
Outer Harbor
A legacy of design quality will continue with improvement to Main Street, Canalside,
Louisiana Street Outer Harbor and First Buffalo Marina, reclaiming land to be added to Tifft Nature Preserve.

EQUITY
Establishing new connection to the waterfront will contribute to social, environmental
and transportation equity.

Silo City
C O N N E C T I VI T Y
This transformation of a commuter corridor to create a visual and physical connection
Bell Slip New Road to the waterfront, rerouting commuters inland with multi-modal improvements.

L AN D U S E L E G ACY
These improvements will create economic development helping the waterfront realize
Open Space
its full potential as regional entertainment and cultural destination.
Terminals A&B

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 CITY OF LIGHTS: RE – VIEW OUR WATERFRONT

Skyway Park

Land Use
Marina Hamlet Silo City
Erie Canal Extension Complete Streets
New Road to Ohio Street & Silo City
Infill Development
Infill Development
New Bridge at Michigan

The proposal offers the opportunity for economic

Kelly Island Infill Development Elk Street
Open Space
Future Development
development in Downtown and Canalside. Removal of
Future Mixed Income Housing
the Skyway (Church Street to Prime Street) along with the
Outer Harbor
Canalside

Infill Development
access ramps makes 12 acres available for development.
Skyway Park
Land uses will be consistent with the UDO and advances
1 2 3 Smith Street 4
To Silo City
densifying downtown and allows Canalside to realize its full
New Fixed Bridge Crossing

Tifft Street Extension Boulevard (4 Lane with Median) potential as a regional entertainment and cultural destination.
Solar City
Future Development, Remove
New Development Route 5 and Embankment
Remove Bridge / New at Grade Intersection
On the Outer Harbor proposed development includes a Marina Hamlet around South
Existing Multi-Use Trail Complete Street Improvements Michigan Avenue, the area adjacent to Terminals A & B, as well as the mixed-use corridor
along Ridge Road proposed in the Lackawanna Comprehensive Plan. We anticipate the
New Tifft Street Extension (4 Lanes Blvd, NYS DOT 2008 improvements to the local street network will support private development in Silo City,
Complete Street Improvements along Ohio Street, in Riverbend and the Elk Street BOA, with incremental infill development
New Development
across the First Ward.
Ridge Road

Buffalo Harbor State Park

Infill Development
Tifft Street Extension

5 6 7 8

1
Funding Strategy
2 4
6 Project Costs Fiscal Benefits - 20 Years Long Tern Job Impacts Annual Tourism-Related Impacts
Net New Visitor-Days 240,000
Demolition Source Benefits Source Jobs
Tourism-Related Spending $23,942,410
Skyway Bridge Segments $24,075,000 New Property Tax $166,469,727 New Office Space Jobs 1,661
3 Tourism-Related Wages $9,435,000
5 Route 5 Pavement Removal $15,750,000 New Sales Tax $40,873,601 New Office Space Jobs 121 Tourism-Related Jobs 383
Embankment Excavation $16,400,000 New Tourism Related Tax $20,936,885 New Industrial Space Jobs 272 Tourism-Related Local Tax Revenue $779,181
Bridge Removals $5,040,000 Total 20-Year Local Tax Benefit $228,280,214 New Tourism Related Jobs 383 Total Local Tax Revenue - 20 Year @ 3% $20,936,885
Total Demolition Cost $61,265,000 Avoid Costs Benefit $700,000,000 Total Demolition Cost 2,437

Improvements Total 20-Year Benefit $928,280,213

Skyway Park $60,000,000

New Bridges / Improvements $48,000,000
Misc. I-190 Interchange Improvements $5,000,000
New Roads $42,000,000
FUNDING SOURCES
Complete Streets Improvements $7,400,000
7 Open Space & Habitat Restoration $10,000,000
Transportation
Wayfinding Signage $7,000,000 Enhancement
Total Improvement Costs $179,400,000 Program (TEP)

Subtotal Construction Cost $240,665,000

8 General Conditions 8% $19,253,200

Design Contingency 10% $24,066,500
Construction Contingency 10% $24,066,500
Acquistions 2% $3,609,975
Design & Engineering 8% $19,253,200
Construction Management 4% $9,626,600

Total Project Budget $340,540,975

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 CITY OF LIGHTS: RE – VIEW OUR WATERFRONT
City of Buffalo

Skyway

Interchange Improvements Transportation

New Connection
As social norms change and the suburban/urban commuting
pattern wanes, residents and visitors desire improved access to
the waterfront. This proposal looks to Buffalo’s past transportation
networks that relied on local streets versus a limited access highway,
supporting the near-term needs of dispersing the peak hour traffic
New Connection

which currently uses Route 5 and the Skyway.

New Connection

We propose to leave the A section of the Skyway will remain allowing pedestrians and cyclists to get
from Downtown, Canalside, KeyBank Center, and Harborcenter across the Buffalo River and Ship
Canal to the Outer Harbor. Access from the ground surface up to the bridge deck will be via two iconic
structures.

However, the overall objective is the transformation of a commuter corridor into a visual and physical
link to the waterfront. The vehicles that currently use the Skyway will be offered multiple alternatives to
get to downtown, the First Ward, Larkinville, the Cobblestone District and Kelly Island.

The South Michigan Avenue bridge across the Ship Canal will be reestablished with a bascule bridge.

Copy of Buffalo Skyway Copy of Buffalo Skyway A new road near Terminals A & B will cross the southern portion of the Ship Canal, intersecting with
Ohio Street near Childs Street connecting Silo City and the Outer Harbor. The other new connection is
the Tifft Street Extension, extending to South Park Avenue, crossing the Buffalo River up to Elk Street
New Streets New Streets and improved access to the I-190Complete streets design and multi-modal improvements will be made
all existing interchange ramps and local streets.
All items All items

Lake Erie
Complete Streets Complete Streets

All items All items

TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTION

Skyway Park Skyway Park

LIFT BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS AND STREETSCAPE
ON S. MICHIGAN AVE AND GANSON ST. - PHASE 2 NIAGARA THRUWAY
Access to Waterfront
All items All items SOUTH MICHIGAN AVE I-190
LOUISIANA ST. STREETSCAPE - PHASE 2 AM PEAK 1,820 AM PEAK 515
PM PEAK 1,590 PM PEAK 1,520
Map used for quantifying Map used for quantifying
HAMBURG ST. STREETSCAPE - PHASE 2
SMITH ST. / FILLMORE AVE
areas for the Buffalo Skyway SKYWAY PARK
PHASE 4
areas for the Buffalo Skyway
STREETSCAPE - PHASE 2

Project Project
2050 Projected Traffic Volume BASCULE BRIDGE
(2 LANES)
PHASE 1 NEW FIXED
BRIDGE
PHASE 1 LOCAL ROADS
NEW ROAD AM PEAK 442
(2 LANES) ABBY STREET PM PEAK 3,220
I-90 / I-190 am pm PHASE 4 IMPROVEMENTS SILO CITY ACCESS NEW TIFFT STREET
PHASE 1 ROAD / OHIO STREET EXTENSION
AM PEAK 1,820 AM PEAK 3,235
Local Roadways FUHRMANN BOULEVARD NEW TIFFT STREET PM PEAK 1,590 PM PEAK 1,996
(2 LANES) TIFFT NATURE EXTENSION (4 LANES)
PRESERVE PHASE 1
I-190 / Tifft Street Arterial Connection FUHRMANN BOULEVARD TIFFT STREET
IMPROVEMENTS (4 LANES) TIFFT ST.
TO SILO CITY ACCESS ROAD TIFFT STREET
Silo City Connection PHASE 4

PHASE SCHEDULE
Michigan Street Extension/Bascule Bridge 1 2020-2025
CONNECTION TO
2 2022-2026 COMMERCE PARK (2 LANES)
3 2027-2028 FATHER BAKER
PHASE 5
4 2029-2030 BRIDGE TO REMAIN
Existing Skyway Bridge 5 2030-2032
NEW FUHRMANN BOULEVARD
NOTES: (4 LANES) RIDGE ROAD TO TIFFT ST.
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 1) SIGN & WAYFINDING - PHASE 2 PHASE 5
2) DEMOLITION - PHASE 3
3) OPEN SPACE / HABITAT ENHANCEMENT - PHASE 4

Transportation Network Improvements Traffic Distribution

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 CITY OF LIGHTS: RE – VIEW OUR WATERFRONT

Re View
Access to the bridge deck will be achieved vertically
Our Waterfront
in two iconic structures; a glass and steel tower in
Canalside and stylized silos in the Outer Harbor. This proposal includes removal of the Skyway structure from
The deck itself will have designated pedestrian
and bicycle zones with shade structures, furniture,
plantings, lighting and interpretive signage, further
Downtown through Canalside including access ramps to and from
catalyzing Canalside and the Outer Harbor as
tourist destinations. Route I-190. The remaining bridge structure crosses high over the
The Glass Tower will extend above the bridge Buffalo River and Ship Canal to South Michigan Avenue creating
deck and lit as a regional beacon. The structure
will include freight size elevators, stairs and
catwalks, a vertical art gallery and winter garden,
an iconic Skyway Park. The Skyway does have a place in Buffalo’s
with an observation deck at the top. The street
level will include a lobby, event space, restrooms, history and the panoramic views for visitors will be stunning.
restaurants and retail shops.

Vertical Art Gallery

Greenhouse
Observatory
Retail / Restaurants
Event Spaces

Covered Bike Routes

Scenic Overlook
Exterior Gardens
Freight Elevators

Hotels
Apartments
Public Market
Green Roof
Cultural Center

The “new silos” on the south end will

also extend vertically higher than
the bridge deck and be a year-round
mixed-use destination. The Fuhrmann
Boulevard frontage will be activated
with a food bazaar and performance
amphitheater. Also, on the ground floor
will be some indoor parking and service
space. The second floor will be devoted
to a cultural and technology center with
entertainment and recreation activities.
Skyway Park will be a destination specific
Floors three through five will be a
to Buffalo as the Highline is to New York
boutique hotel, with a green roof and
City and the Walkway over the Hudson is
observation deck with outdoor dining
to Poughkeepsie.
will top the structure.