South Buffalo Brownfield Opportunity Area Implementation Strategy

Project Description

Located in the southern portion of the city of Buffalo, the community of South Buffalo was once home to heavy industry. Bordered by both Lake Erie and the Buffalo River, it is seen today as one of the city’s most promising areas for economic revitalization, sustainable redevelopment, and community resilience.

The South Buffalo Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) presents a unique chance to progress toward that vision. The development of an Implementation Strategy for the BOA is the final step in a three-stage process to craft a community-driven plan that restores brownfield areas to productive, sustainable uses. Despite the area’s industrial history, the natural resources and environmental features that exist within the BOA provide numerous opportunities for ecological enhancement and connectivity to nearby parks, open space, and recreational areas.

A key member of the planning team led by Architectural Resources, Biohabitats provided green infrastructure expertise to explore innovative approaches that integrate functional landscapes within the urban context, restore ecological processes, and promote water quality treatment. The result is an Implementation Strategy that successfully blends economic revitalization, improved public access, and strengthened community with restored natural processes and a greater appreciation for the ecological resources that help define the space. The strategy outlines next steps for focusing redevelopment on strategic sites, encouraging public investment, and improving environmental quality throughout the study area.