The redevelopment of the First Buffalo River Marina within the 200-acre Buffalo Outer Harbor Development will transform a formerly industrial site to meet the expanding need for public waterfront recreation in Buffalo. A centerpiece of the new marina and park designed by OLIN landscape architects is our transformation of the 1954 Connecting Terminal grain elevator annex into a new interpretive center that will allow visitors to explore the unique structure and learn more about Buffalo’s industrial history. Along with the adjacent Mainhouse, these structures once held just over one million bushels of grain.
A meandering, gently sloping path through the elevator bins connects different park datums and serves as infrastructure to support exhibitions and immersive environments. Allowing for unscripted public use and exploration, the path invites visitors to discover a wide variety of unique platforms and spatial arrangements. A series of new doorways, windows, and skylights cut into the cylindrical bins produce diverse light and environmental effects, while forging connections at different scales to the wider site.
In addition to the renovation of the grain elevators, we’ve also designed a new park pavilion accommodating a food and beverage vendor and public restrooms, housed in a volume beneath an expansive shade canopy.
