BUFFALO, N.Y. - It was a state-of-the-art gateway to Buffalo when it was built in 1917. The D, L & W Railroad Terminal at the foot of Main Street had the capability of handling traffic from both steam trains and steam ships.
Its waterfront location made it a very valuable asset a century ago. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) says that same location makes it a valuable asset today as well. Higgins is asking the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to spend $10 million already earmarked for the parking ramp originally proposed at Canalside. The project is off the table, but the funding is not. Higgins wants the money spent to improve mechanics and accessibility to the building, making it more development-friendly.
The Congressman gave us a tour of the NFTA facility. It is massive and vacant for the most part. Ground level is still used for train maintenance and storage. the second-story is all-but-empty. It is a cavernous, 75,000 square-foot canvas.
Higgins would like to see the improvements made, then hold an open house for developers to come in and come up with ideas, and ultimately proposals to turn this building into another building block of waterfront development.
