Buffalo Outer Harbor

Great Lake Cruise Terminal

CTLA is leading the landscape and waterfront design for a multi-phased terminal facility along 1,000 feet of the Lake Erie shoreline on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. Building on prior planning efforts and completed waterfront projects throughout the district, the design balances public access and ecological restoration with the operational and security requirements of an active terminal facility. Restoration of native ecologies and improved physical and visual access to Lake Erie are central to the project vision, while pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular circulation are carefully integrated throughout the site.

Drawing from the character of the Outer Harbor, the design incorporates a rugged material palette of local stone, native plantings, and durable site furnishings to establish a strong connection to the waterfront context. A public art program further reinforces the site’s identity and relationship to place. The approximately $20 million project is being implemented through multiple phases and bid packages, with CTLA engaged from concept through construction, coordinating closely with the client, consultant team, local agencies, and federal partners.