The details of the Canal Side development are revealed in the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) now out for public review. A public hearing on the 2000+ page document will be held tonight at 6:00 PM at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Avenue. The following is a summary of the project's proposed layout from the DGEIS document.
Project Scope
Canal Side consists of one million square feet of commercial, cultural, and residential space on 20 acres of land at the foot of Main Street. The "preferred alternative" analyzed in the DGEIS shows 277,250 square feet of retail space; 173,750 square feet of restaurant and entertainment space; approximately 293,600 square feet of office space; approximately 215 residences; two hotels with a total of 250 rooms; and, 20,000 square feet of cultural space. At build-out, 1,670 are expected to be employed in the development. Total investment is expected to be roughly $300 million in public and private dollars.
The master plan along with design guidelines prepared by Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn Architects emphasizes downtown's connection to the Lake Erie waterfront through the construction of a network of interpretive water elements evoking the character and vibrancy of the historic canals that once crossed the area, including segments of the Erie Canal, the Commercial Slip, and the Prime Slip. Recreation of historic buildings and/or original canals is not planned.
Design Guidelines
The intent of the Design Guidelines is to foster the formation of active, visually-interesting spaces with high-quality materials and contemporary techniques that connect to the unique history of the Project Area and Buffalo as a whole. To this end, the focus of the guidelines is on the pedestrian - to provide a human-scaled setting with good way finding and a comfortable walking environment.
Moreover, the design guidelines are also intended to create visual interest from near and far. Up close, ground level design features should produce comfortable, inviting, and stimulating environments. From afar, a variable skyline of roof edges, vertical shafts, and signage should create visual interest.
Standards concerning such features as fenestration, materials, color, scale, lighting, and signage are proposed. At full build-out, the project will have the appearance of a variety of buildings and spaces that have been built over time, by different owners and designers. Bulk controls for buildings will provide continuity at the scale of the block and respond to the heights of existing site conditions such as the heights of the HSBC Arena, Marine Drive Apartments, and the Skyway.
A Canal Side Design Committee will assist the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Board of Directors with the development, adoption and implementation of the guidelines. The committee's role is to help ensure that the Guidelines and all development at Canal Side promote a cohesive atmosphere that is inspired by the architecture of Buffalo's historic canal district.
Bass Pro
A Bass Pro store would be located on the block that formerly contained the now-demolished Memorial Auditorium. Bass Pro will serve as the anchor for Canal Side and provide a "destination retail experience" as well as "unique recreational opportunities that would take full advantage of the project's waterfront location."
Designed to resemble a canal-era warehouse, the store would include 130,000 square feet of development space, with 121,000 square feet of retail space located above a three-level, 532-space parking garage. The parking levels would include space for boat service and equipment storage. The Bass Pro store would also have 9,000 square feet of restaurant space. The building would be 160 feet high at its peak, with distinctive signage, and sloped roofs.
Pedestrians would be able to enter the Bass Pro store either through the primary entrance on the East Canal or from an entrance off Main Street. In addition, there would be a link to the store through a water tube that would pass through the West Canal and to the Canal Side Hall. Loading docks would be accessed off of Pearl Street.
Bass Pro's unique exterior and interior motifs have branded them as visually distinctive outdoor stores. The outdoor feel would be brought indoors through massive log and rock work, large indoor aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species, as well as an extensive collection of museum-quality fish and wildlife mounts. Historic photos and exhibits would pay tribute to Western New York's outdoor heritage. More than just fishing and hunting store, Bass Pro also offers equipment, clothing and footwear for hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, golfing, boating, camping, outdoor cooking and more.
The Bass Pro store at Canal Side would operate from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday thru Saturday and from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday.
Public Space/Cultural Attractions
An ambitious public open space component is planned. Canal Side Hall, an adaptable space with an array of cultural, retail, food, entertainment and community attractions is proposed in front of the Bass Pro store. Open space and a promenade is planned along the Buffalo River.
A street-level canal system flanked by towpaths is planned. Anticipated summertime canal uses would include boats on this canal including display boats from Bass Pro, as well as paddle boats and/or row boats for rent. During winter months, these water features would be drained out and ice skating rinks would be set up lining the West Canal. Water depth for the West Canal would range from 18 inches to three feet. Finishes would be dark to enhance the appearance of depth and provide greater reflectivity at the water surface.
Tables, outdoor seating and staging areas will be located throughout the area creating a "public canal environment animated with music and activity." The project's design pays special attention to shielding visitors from the elements of the winter through landscaping and massing elements such as building overhangs that will seek to break the lake winds.
A proposed fresh water aquarium would divide the West Canal. The aquarium would be approximately 20-feet-deep with an acrylic tunnel passing through on the ground floor between Canal Side Hall and the Bass Pro atrium. The aquarium would be stocked with species indigenous to the area. This would help local fishermen purchase equipment specifically targeted at catching those kinds of fish. It is anticipated that Bass Pro would allow guests to fish directly in the aquarium during occasional store events.
Canal Side Hall and Canal Side Commons will be located across from Bass Pro and the canal. Canal Side Hall, with 23,000 sq.ft. of space, would be built slightly below grade at the intersection of Pearl Street and Marine Drive, and would be covered by a large public events space to be known as Canal Side Commons. This public space would have access to Bass Pro and Marine Drive. It would also serve as a venue for a variety of events, including major Bass Pro events, throughout the year. Canal Side Commons would be elevated from the street and canal levels and would be connected to the public environment and Bass Pro store by stairs, elevators, and a pedestrian bridge.
Canal Side Commons would be located approximately 25 feet above the street level, directly atop Canal Side Hall and fronted by a 20,000 sq.ft. museum/cultural facility and accessed by both elevators and stairs. One possibility for the space is a children's experience center. A warming hut/fireplace would provide heat during cold weather.
The Winter Garden would be a three-story, 50,000 sq.ft. facility that would house retail and restaurant uses. An arcade over a section of the Prime Slip north of Marine Drive would create an indoor atrium that would protect visitors from the seasonal climate changes and would include a Prime Slip water feature. An option still being explored would mix residential and/or office uses on several levels above the Winter Garden.
Other Components
Canal Side is comprised of a series of walkable, overlapping neighborhood "districts" which would be defined by the existing street grid, public spaces, and convenient, yet unobtrusive, vehicle parking options. These districts would include:
Family Place/Central Place District - Located at the heart of the project, this area would be anchored by Bass Pro and would include canal water features, restaurants, recreational attractions, Canal Side Hall, parking, and public access space for visitors; it would be the "front door" of the project, as well as the location for major public events and gatherings. A signature billboard near the intersection of Pearl Street and Perry Boulevard will become an instant landmark.
Entertainment District - The center of nightlife in the project, the Entertainment District would be situated between the North and South Donovan Blocks and be home to proposed waterfront nightlife. In this area, various "barges" occupied by restaurants and cafes could be "anchored" in the canal. Located at the eastern terminus of the East Canal would be one of the iconic elements of Canal Side, a Liberty Pole similar to the 1838 original, constructed to symbolize American independence.
Riverfront District - Positioned on the banks of the Buffalo River, this area would respect the historic traditions of Erie Canal Harbor and the Central Wharf Green, while providing additional public spaces, a 100-room boutique hotel, maritime opportunities and boat docking space.
Prime Slip District - This "feeder" canal would be home to an intimate environment of small-scale shops, restaurants and offices, infused with local flair. Streets would cross the Prime Slip water element at Prime Street and Marine Drive to facilitate vehicular and pedestrian movement, offering a "bridge-like experience."
Skyway Plaza District - Utilizing canopy-like protection under the Skyway overpass, seasonal vending kiosks would provide merchants and visitors space to display and peruse various goods.
Donovan Building
The vacant Donovan Building (above) would be augmented and clad in a style consistent with the design guidelines for the area and would be reused to house retail, office, and/or hotel space. A remodeled Donovan Building would have its ground story extended to eliminate most of the setbacks that currently surround the building. While the proposed project assumes the reuse of the existing Donovan Building, an option still being considered would include the demolition of the Donovan Building in order to construct a new parking garage with ground floor retail, residential units, and possible office and hotel uses above.
On the South Donovan Block, across the East Canal from the Donovan Building, would be an additional development parcel with first-floor retail space and residential units on the upper floors.
Webster Block
Plans for the Webster Block are flexible. The Webster Block is bounded by Scott Street, Washington Street, Perry Street and Seymour H. Knox III Plaza. Boutiques, cafes and a 150-room destination hotel are proposed. Other options still being considered for the parcel would create an office tower on Scott Street, a residential structure fronting on Main Street, and consolidating the hotel in a tower above.
Commercial Slip Block
This block is located at the juncture of Marine Drive, Commercial Street and Perry Boulevard. A development parcel with a retail base, and a variety of potential uses above including office, hotel, and/or residential is anticipated. Behind the building would be the Commercial Slip Parking Garage situated over private surface parking for residents of the Marine Drive Apartments.
Parking
The project would include 2,613 parking spaces for Canal Side visitors, concentrated in five parking structures within the project area.
The Commercial Slip Parking Garage, to be constructed on the current Marine Drive Apartments' surface lot, is the largest of the proposed parking garages with six levels and approximately 1,280 spaces. Beneath the Bass Pro store, a three-level, 532-space garage would provide convenient parking. This parking garage would be accessed by two entries, one from Main Street and one from Lower Terrace Street. An approximately two-level, 100-space parking site is anticipated for the Donovan block. A four-level Webster Block parking garage, on the east side of the block, would provide approximately 400 spaces and would be accessible from Washington Street.
Phasing
Canal Side would incorporate a phased, market-based build out. Assuming that appropriate funding would be available and that there would not be any unanticipated delays, the initial phase would be largely completed by Memorial Day 2011. The remainder would be built out in accordance with a schedule to be agreed to by ECHDC and its development partners and, in part, would be based on market demand and other economic factors.
The initial 700,000 sq.ft. phase of construction (plan above) would include the Bass Pro Store, the Winter Garden, Canal Side Hall, Canal Side Commons, and the West Canal, a mixed-use development on the Webster Block, the Commercial Slip Garage, the Donovan Block parcels, the East Canal, Bass Pro slips, and infrastructure improvements associated with the same.
The project master plan and environmental study allows for flexibility. The DGEIS evaluates the well-defined components of the initial phase of development as well as the quantified, upper limits of expected subsequent phases. The environmental review process provides flexibility to later phases as plans are developed and allows the shifting of uses amongst parcels.
seriously, i'm in awe. SO excited