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David A. Paterson, Governor

Project Status

View a timeline of the waterfront redevelopment effort here.
INNER HARBOR

Phase One - Complete

This phase, which encompassed the redevelopment of the Erie Canal Harbor into a new harbor with waterside and landside components, was an outgrowth of the Inner Harbor Development Project Master Plan completed in 1999. Those elements completed during Phase One include:

  • Relocation and rehabilitation of the three naval vessels to a new excavated Naval Basin west of their original location.
  • Relocation of memorials to a new Veterans Park.
  • Enhancement and expansion of existing esplanade facilities to create a continuous walkway along the water's edge.
  • Pedestrian connections from the waterfront esplanade to the proposed Phase Two Commercial Slip and to Scott Street.
  • Force Main relocation.

Phase Two - Complete May 2008
 
Phase Two of the Preferred Master Plan is designed to provide basic infrastructure for the full Master Plan with a priority of finished projects at the water's edge.

As in all phases, the design allows for incremental development. As additional funds are identified the site will be further enhanced as per the design vocabulary established in the Master Plan including historic finishes and interpretation.
 
View the Site Plan

Commercial Slip

  • A re-watered navigable Commercial Slip in alignment with original Commercial Slip.
  • A towpath/walkway on the west and east sides of the Commercial Slip.
  • Construction of a bowstring truss bridge.
  • Commercial Street reconstructed and made available for service and emergency access.
  • Steamboat Hotel and Lloyd Street ruins uncovered and preserved as an archeological site with a combination hard and grass surface.
  • Site of the former Union Block as an interpreted site with a grassy, sloped lawn.

Historic Streets

  • Reconstructed cobblestone street sections rebuilt by the City of Buffalo at historic grade.
  • Reconstructed Lloyd, Perry and Hanover Streets for pedestrian and limited access vehicle use only.
  • Commercial Street re-built and reopened as a cobblestone street (complete).

Central Wharf

  • 40 ft. wide wooden wharf at upper level with steps down to floating steel framed wooden surface dock.
  • Hardscape with interpretive elements integrated into the paving.
  • Interpretive exhibits.
  • Festival site.
  • Floating steel framed wooden surfaced docks floating 400 ft. along Buffalo River.

Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park

  • Two buildings with walkway over Commercial Street.
  • Buildings sited to have immediate connection and open access to Exhibit Yard.
  • Exhibit building in the yard will allow for flexible expanded exhibition space that will open out to Naval Yard.

Open Space

  • Transitional greenway with pedestrian and service access under skyway.
  • Development Parcels defined by historic building footprints and treated as landscaped space.
  • Crossroads Plaza north of Naval Yard at Commercial Street.
  • Intermodal Transit Plaza at Main and Scott Streets.


Phase Three – Project Commencing Winter/Spring 2008

Phase Three of the project encompasses the much-anticipated twelve acre Canal Side redevelopment plan. This project, located adjacent to the Erie Canal Harbor site, will include significant mixed-use retail, office and housing facilities under planning by the Benderson Development Company, to help reestablish Buffalo’s historic canal district as the focal point of downtown Buffalo. Under the plan, a Bass Pro Shops megastore is slated to occupy a significant part of the former Memorial Auditorium (Aud) site and will become one of the largest retail attractions in the greater WNY region. Canal Side redevelopment activities will include:

  • Execution of a revised Pre-Development Agreement with Bass Pro Outdoor World and Benderson Development Company.
  • Title transfer of the Donovan State Office Building from NYS and the 16,000 seat Memorial Auditorium Aud from the City of Buffalo.
  • Site-preparation for asbestos remediation and demolition at the Aud and Donovan buildings by removing various semi-hazardous materials
  • Recovery of spectator seats and dasher boards from the Aud for public auction.
  • Asbestos removal and demolition of the Aud and Donovan building to make way for Bass Pro Shops megastore and other Canal Side redevelopment.
  • Initiation and completion of SEQR process for the entire Canal Side project area, inclusive of review of schematic drawings of key buildings and public facilities.
  • Initiation of NEPA process and preliminary engineering design process with NYSDOT for proposed Buffalo River bridge connecting downtown to the outer harbor.
  • Execution of property transfer agreement with the City of Buffalo for an additional 13 acres of project area.


OUTER HARBOR

ECHDC’s near-term outer harbor plans comprise of acquisition of significant land parcels for beautification, including planting of lawns and other grassy areas, as well as native vegetation, trees and other aesthetic improvements to the waterfront site. The focus is to prepare these sites for long-term redevelopment opportunities. Efforts include:

  • On-going negotiations regarding interim lease of over 113 acres and eventual transfer of 200+ acres of NFTA property and facilities.
  • Acquisition of a seven-acre outer harbor site from Cargill, Inc. (complete).
  • Transfer of the NYPA ice boom site parcel is under contract subject to relocation of ice boom.


OVERALL PROJECT BUDGETS

The budget for the Erie Canal Harbor project was established in 1997 at $27 million. This budget was increased to $46 million in June of 2002.


The sources of funds for the project are as follows:
 
New York State Thruway Authority
Federal Transit Administration
State of New York
County of Erie
City of Buffalo
Buffalo Sewer Authority
US Army Corps of Engineers
$11,700,000
$14,323,832
$10,000,000
$6,000,000
$300,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000

Total $46,323,832


The project team was also directed to prepare a Master Plan that included the addition of the heritage theme including restored historic elements and interpretive exhibits, and the use of such funds was structured as follows:
 
Phase I completed projects 2003:  
Naval Basin
Naval Vessels
Veterans Park
Force Main Relocation
$8,020,000
$2,120,000
$2,020,000
$540,000
   
Phase II completed projects 2004 - 2008:  
Commercial Slip
Hamburg Drain (Alt. 2)
Public Open Space Infrastructure
Central Wharf Bulkhead
South Basin and Pier
Naval Museum
Soil and Sludge Disposal
Soft Costs
Contingency
$3,733,000
$3,497,000
$5,425,000
$300,000
$2,700,000
$3,000,000
$656,000
$12,712,832
$1,600,000

Total $46,323,832

The budget for the Canal Side project is currently slated to include over $275 million in public and private investments. The project is expected to generate nearly $240 million in tax receipts alone, over the course of 20 years.
 

DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT (10/12/07)

Bass Pro Store

Assumptions:

(1) Size: 150,000 sq. ft.
(2) Direct jobs: 300 (est. based on 175 jobs at Auburn 90,000 sq. ft. store)
(3) Ave. Gross Payroll per job: $22,500
(4) Total Annual Payroll Costs : $6,750,000

Sales Estimates:

$350.00/ sq. ft. X 150,000 sq. ft. equals $52.5 million in annual sales
Sales Tax (Erie Co.) : 8.75% X $35.0 Million equals $4,594,000

Number of annual customer visits:

2,000,000. This is a rate of 5480 customers per day, or 450 per hour (12 hour shift) Based on estimated total annual sales, the average customer purchase would be $26.25.


Balance of Canal Side Retail/Restaurant Space

Assumptions:

Retail Size: 330,000 sq. ft.
Direct Jobs: At 2 jobs/1000 sq. ft. equals 660 jobs
Ave. Gross Payroll cost per job equals $22,500
Total Annual Payroll Costs: $14,850,000

Sales Estimates:

at $200/Sq. Ft. X 315,000 sq. ft. Equals $63.0 million in sales
Sales Tax Rate: 8.75% X $63.0 million equals $5,512,500 in sales tax revenue


Other Development

(1) Hotel sales tax revenues estimated at $350,000 per year
     Direct Jobs: 50
(2) 60 units of middle income Housing
     Direct Jobs: 10
(3) Museum sales tax revenues estimated at $250,000 per year.
     Direct Jobs: 10

Total Annual Payroll (Other Development): $22,500 X 70 jobs = $1,575,000


SUMMARY

Canal Side Totals:

  • Total New Jobs: 1090 – 1020 new retail/restaurant jobs, 70 other jobs in hotel, housing, other uses.
  • $10,706,500 in Total Annual Sales Tax Revenues
  • $1,300,000 in Real Estate Tax revenues @ 2.50/ sq. ft. X 520,000 sq. ft. of private buildings.
  • Total Annual Payroll: $23,175,000
  • Total Rent Payments: $600,000 X 50 years = $30,000,000
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Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation
95 Perry Street, Suite 500 | Buffalo, NY 14203-3030 | 716-846-8200 (ph) | 716-846-8262 (fax)
For more information, contact us at: eriecanalharbor@empire.state.ny.us

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