Outer Harbor - Completed Development Projects
Wilkeson Pointe – 2013
This area is located just south of Times Beach, on lands that were once used to store the NYPA ice boom, along with a former private welding and ship repair establishment. A $5 million capital investment placed a soil cap on areas of the site to open the property to public use for the first time in the parcel’s history, with a network of bicycle and pedestrian pathways, a kayak launch and fishing pier, playground, comfort station, event lawn, parking facilities, and regenerative landscaping using native plants and green infrastructure such as bioswales. The property’s edge was also reinforced with heavy stone to repair earlier seiche damage, while wind sculptures were placed on the “pointe” to celebrate the site’s year‐round breezes. The site is currently being renovated.
Queen City Bike Ferry – 2015 and 2016
The Queen City Bike Ferry connects pedestrians and bicyclists from Canalside to the Outer Harbor and back daily, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, for $1 per person each way. In 2015, a $492,000 project involved the construction of a ferry landing along the Buffalo River across from Canalside. This seasonal public transportation route drew over 55,000 passengers in its inaugural season and further enhanced the regional bicycle trail network, while directly connecting Canalside and the Outer Harbor via a short, five‐minute ride across the Buffalo River. In 2016, ECHDC built a new, expanded landing on the Outer Harbor side with new boat docks, pedestrian pathway, signage, benches, planters, and bike racks, at a cost of $835,000. Learn more here.
Lakeside Complex – 2019
This $5.4 million project includes: Lakeside Bike Park presented by Independent Health; the Lakeside Lawn presented by the Upstate Honda Dealers for events and activities; and the Lakeside Food Truck Plaza. The Lakeside Bike Park includes three mountain bike tracks of various skill levels, a pump track, and a skills track. Lakeside is also home to the Lakeside RC Crawler Park, a course designed for slower off-road RC vehicles, called “crawlers,” to climb and maneuver through obstacles and trailers. It also established habitat restoration areas on nearly 20 acres. Learn more here.
Terminal B Events Center – 2024
The $13 million Terminal B Events Center is an outdoor events center and surrounding open space that rehabilitated a vacant structure and utilized existing parking, while reclaiming 7 acres of contaminated property to open additional public access with new lake views. The project converted the existing 100,000-square-foot enclosed structure into an open-air structure featuring a canopied stage that is utilized for performances, not-for-profit events, and cultural organizations. Along the event structure’s base, new landscape foundations and stairs were added to enhance accessibility. The existing asphalt drive was renovated, with a secondary walkway added around the sloped lawn, connecting to the existing Lakeside event lawn and circulation path. The sloped lawn was created to provide seating for events or watching the sunset. Previously used as a storage facility, this is the first time Terminal B has been accessible to the public since 1967. Learn more here.
Bell Slip Improvement Project – 2024
The $5 million Bell Slip Improvement Project added many long-sought-after amenities to Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, including a public restroom building and an additional parking lot at a central location. A covered seating area is located along one side of the restroom building, facing Bell Slip. A new overlook deck at Bell Slip also allows the public to get closer to the water’s edge and pedestrian and bike paths are slightly modified to provide a connection to Fuhrmann Boulevard. A large portion of the site includes soil amendments and landscaping improvements, including forest, meadows, grasslands, and pollinator fields. Learn more here.
Wilkeson Pointe Improvements – 2025
Working within an approximate 7-acre site, the area between water’s edge at Wilkeson Pointe and the nearby Fuhrmann Boulevard entrance underwent a $11 million renovation to expand access to the waterfront site and enhance the visitor experience. A new restaurant, “Perro & Poni” (operated by the team behind South Buffalo’s popular Dog & Pony Saloon) is also now located onsite with a relaxing beer garden, featuring sand seating areas as well as a patio deck and gorgeous views of the water. The parking was shifted away from the water and separated from the pedestrian trail. The existing trails were relocated based on the new design and raised in elevation near the water’s edge. The landscaping within the site is improved with the utilization of natural species, creating habitat zones. Recreational activities returned to the park with volleyball courts, an open lawn area, and a new park golf location, as well as kayak and bicycle rentals and programming throughout the summer.