A Vision for

The Outer Harbor

A Proposal for an Urban Village on Buffalo’s Waterfront o f w e s t e r n n e w y o r k , i n c .

Not Just A Plan—A Vision

The New Millennium Group (NMG) welcomes this opportunity to provide
a vision for the City of Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. NMG, with a Western New
York membership of nearly 500 people, has consistently championed
an open and fair process for public projects. We seek to raise the level
of debate in critical issues affecting Buffalo and Western New York.
We applaud the efforts of the NFTA to develop our waterfront, and
for soliciting community input as part of the process.
Some of the most cherished places in America are those created using
what is now called Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) or The New
Urbanism (NU). Some of our nation’s finest examples include the city of
Annapolis, MD, the Beacon Hill and Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston, Seaside, Florida (est. 1984). A paradigm of urban design. This waterfront community provides
MA, and our own cherished Chautauqua Institution. Each of these a balanced mix of housing, workplaces, shopping, and recreation, on a walkable, fine-grained
network of streets—with shared, public access to an undeveloped natural beach.
special places attracts throngs of tourists, residents, and businesses.
All have endured the test of time because they adhere to fundamental
planning concepts essential to longevity and sustained vibrancy.
A Fundamental Approach
In recent years, TND/NU principles have precipitated a nationwide shift in For Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, NMG’s vision is relatively simple:
planning and development, with over 200 such developments underway Create a compact, walkable, urban village adjacent to a linear park
or complete in the U.S. Real estate in these developments often sells at a system—with access for all.
premium when compared to conventional sprawl.
In order to accomplish this goal, the following six fundamental rules* must
The inevitable results of short-sighted, piece-meal plans have been well be used to distinguish the “Outer Harbor Village” from the typical low-grade
documented in the City of Buffalo. Given the location and scale of the project, this development we’ve all become used to:
waterfront development has the potential to be a high-profile model for urban infill
projects nationwide. Therefore, NMG advocates a visionary long-term approach 1. The center. The village must have a clearly identifiable center, focused
to any waterfront development. A master-plan should be developed that sets on the common activities of commerce, culture, recreation, and governance.
both high standards and clear ground rules in order to ensure lasting value. It must be a unique place to visit to engage in civilized activity.
2. The five-minute walk. A local resident should be no more
than a five-minute walk (or about ¼ mile) from the ordinary needs
of daily life: living, working, and shopping. By living so close to all
that they need, residents of the Outer Harbor Village will drive much
less, if they have to drive at all.
3. The street network. The street pattern must take the form of
a continuous web or grid to make numerous connections from one
location to another. Blocks must be relatively small, not exceeding
¼ mile in perimeter. A traditional street network provides the
pedestrian and the driver with a choice of routes, in contrast to
suburban-style development where walking routes are scarce and
traffic is concentrated on a small number of highways.
The good connectivity inherent in this network of streets should
be extended to the rest of the city by reconnecting three or four
CONTINUED ➤
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario: popular and vibrant by design. Wide sidewalks, buildings with no
setback, landscaping, and a properly proportioned streetscape combine to make a beautiful town. * Excerpted from Suburban Nation, by Duany, A., Plater-Zyberk, E., & Speck, J. (2000).

Outer Harbor Vision Rev. C 25 March 2004 1

➤ FROM PAGE ONE

cross-streets in the existing city street network (such as Michigan

Ave.) via new lift-bridges.
4. Narrow, versatile streets. Because there are numerous
streets to accommodate traffic, each street can be small and intimate.
Streets need not be more than two travel lanes wide and should have
parallel parking on both sides, resulting in a pleasant and safe place
to walk. The pedestrian-friendly environment is enhanced by wide
sidewalks, shade trees, and buildings close to the street.
5. Mixed-use. Buildings should be arranged by their physical
type rather than zoned by single use, as is often the case in post-
WWII development. Buildings along a commercial street should
include a mix of retail, office, and apartments. Parking lots, if
any, should be hidden below ground or in back. Buildings should
collaborate to define the space of the street by pulling right up Kentlands, Maryland (est. 1988). A masterpiece-in-progress. Front porches close to the street, orderly
to the sidewalk. Any building set-back from the sidewalk should rows of trees, and narrow residential streets encourage walking and sociability—and calm traffic.
be a rare exception, and should do so only to accommodate a
public plaza or garden.
Other access issues: The Outer Harbor Village and parks must be
6. Special sites for civic buildings. Traditional neighborhoods devote connected to Downtown—the region’s transit hub. Frequent bus service,
unique sites to civic buildings—those structures that represent the collective or better yet, a new light-rail spur from Downtown would effectively
identity and aspirations of the connect the Outer Harbor to the rest of the city
community. These may include
schools, places of worship, “Create a compact, walkable, and the region, and lessen the need to drive to,
from, or through the neighborhood. Light-rail
libraries, police stations,
or museums. Their physical
urban village adjacent service would give residents and visitors who
do not drive a viable transportation option.
locations should contribute to to a linear park system, Moreover, a traditional, compact village provides

with access for all.”

their prominence. the density, accessibility, and ridership needed to
make a light-rail line economically feasible.
Given the natural beauty
of the lakeside location, TND/NU principles are inherently efficient—both
attention should be given to the creation of vistas and views, utilizing the spatially and economically. By designing our waterfront community using
natural topography, the streetscape, and important civic buildings. these principles, we’ll be creating a beautiful, thriving neighborhood
while maximizing parkland and natural beachfront. We’ll also maximize
the project’s economic investment.
Finally, it should be noted that the Outer Harbor Village, like any
successful TND/NU project, will never be “finished.” It should be a
changing, organic place—growing according to the basic principles
and form established in the long-term plan.
NMG strongly encourages the NFTA and its partners to solicit and give
consideration to developers with experience in Traditional Neighborhood
Design and/or The New Urbanism.

Contacts
We hope you enjoyed reading this proposal. If you would like more
information, or would like to share your comments or suggestions,
please feel free to contact us using the information provided below.

Therese Hickok
VP of Communications
P.O. Box 512
Buffalo, New York 14201
Annapolis, Maryland: a ‘terminated vista’ in this beautiful old waterfront city. Traditional 716.316.4159
street networks provide orientation through the celebration of significant civic buildings. www.nmgonline.org

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