Public Space

Heritage Gateways 

In 2018, USAN began purchasing vacant parcels near Niagara Falls State Park to return long-dormant land back to productive use. In total, USAN acquired seven buildings and over eight acres of vacant land through its Strategic Land Acquisition Program. With these important properties now acquired, USAN has begun to focus its attention on strategies to reactivate them. The first step in this process was the creation of a formal strategy to ensure new development is done in a thoughtful manner that responds to the character of downtown. The resulting “Downtown Niagara Falls Development Strategy” illustrated a range of interim interventions and attainable development guidelines to re-imagine a more vibrant downtown in the near-term while building momentum and continuing to promote sustainable dynamic growth over time. 

Implementation of the Development Strategy includes the construction of several public infrastructure projects, including a series of heritage-themed “gateways” to better connect downtown amenities with the natural assets of Niagara Falls State Park. These Heritage Gateways will include checkpoints where people can learn more about the historical events that shaped the City of Niagara Falls and find their way to other cultural destinations nearby. The first three Heritage Gateways to be built are: 

• Hydraulic Power Plaza
• Niagara Gorge Gateway Park
• Riverway Tree Walk

Gorge Gateway Park will transform approximately 2.27 acres of city-owned vacant land (formerly DiFranco Park) into a multi-use recreational space to act as transition between the natural setting of Niagara Falls State Park and the dense urban setting of downtown Niagara Falls. The park will include an event lawn for gatherings and picnicking; woodland gardens with walking paths and benches; stormwater meadows to capture and store rainwater on-site; and an accessible seat wall terrace that will allow for views above the rest of the site. Construction on the park will begin in fall 2024 with an estimated summer 2026 completion.

Hydraulic Power Plaza will be built on vacant land between 1st and 2nd streets. The approximately 1.4-acre plaza will follow the alignment of the historic hydraulic canal that once ran through the site to provide a power source for early local industry and eventually large-scale electricity generation. The plaza will include landscaping, informal seating areas, a small play structure and an array of lights supported by steel structures, inspired by historic transmission towers. The site will also feature 105-foot-long misting fountain that invokes the former canal. The plaza’s design incorporates space for the installation of a temporary ice rink during the winter months. In addition to providing a new connection from the State Park to downtown Niagara Falls, the plaza will be an asset for future developments to be constructed on the surrounding state-owned land. Once completed, the plaza will remain accessible to the public. Construction on the plaza will begin in fall 2024 with an estimated summer 2026 completion.

The Riverway Tree Walk—which will be accessed from Buffalo Avenue and Niagara Falls State Park via existing stairs—is currently being designed. The project will include a platform that emerges from a wooded embankment and extends towards the Niagara River. The Tree Walk will have panoramic views of the Upper Rapids and Goat Island and will serve as a beacon that guides visitors from Riverway to downtown.

The Niagara Falls Heritage Gateways project is funded by the state through Buffalo Billion II and through the Regional Revitalization Partnership.

Old Falls Street, USA

Old Falls Street, USA is a three-block destination connecting Niagara Falls State Park with Niagara Falls Convention Center and downtown hotels, restaurants and attractions. Serving as a welcome center for residents and visitors alike, Old Falls Street, USA provides exciting spaces for free family-friendly games and activities, seasonal concerts, outdoor movies, festivals and special events.  This project aims to turn this area of the city into an active public space through a quality and environmentally sustainable design that provides key pedestrian amenities.

USAN, in partnership with the City of Niagara Falls, advanced the Old Falls Street reconstruction project.  The project consisted of two individual, but related components included in USA Niagara’s 2005 Downtown Niagara Falls Multi-Modal Access Program. 

Improvements along Old Falls Street between Third Street and First Street included new paving, full-depth roadway reconstruction as needed, drainage systems, new granite curbing and accessible curb-cuts. In addition, the project included the introduction of limited vehicle access, while maintaining suitable access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

In 2009, USAN and the City of Niagara Falls completed the $7.9 million Old Falls Street - West Mall Initiative. The West Mall Initiative included major infrastructure investments toward the full-depth reconstruction of Old Falls Street from Prospect Street to First Street. The West Mall Initiative included the restoration of the public right-of-way and re-introduction of vehicular access during off-peak and off-season periods. Together with USAN’s completion of the Old Falls Street reconstruction between First and Third Streets, the West Mall Initiative marked the completion of the restoration of Falls Street in its entirety in the downtown district.

Cataract Commons, a public square or “commons” space located on Old Falls Street, was completed in Summer 2020. The project transformed an empty parcel into a more usable and inviting outdoor facility that has permanent structural seating and shade, as well as flexibility for hosting various events.  The roughly $1.3 million project was funded through Buffalo Billion II.

Managed by Destination Niagara USA, Old Falls Street continues to grow its programming of activities and engaging special events, successfully raising the visibility of the street for both visitors and regional audiences. For more information on Old Falls Street, please visit Old Falls Street, USA.