BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is looking to breathe new life into the DL&W train station located across from the KeyBank Center.
According to real estate firm McGuire Development Co., the NFTA issued a Request for Development Proposal (RFP) recently.
A mix of residential, retail, office and/or commercial uses have been discussed for the DL&W Station.
“This is a new world, a new era in Western New York so when businesses come in... they look for how vibrant public transportation is. So you have a growth public transportation combined with growth in the water front it’s just a perfect combination," NFTA Spokesperson, Helen Tederous, says.
The NFTA along with a consultant began designing a new Metro Rail station for the ground level of the Terminal last year. This was following recommendations outlined in a Canalside/Cobblestone District Planning and Feasibility Study back in April of 2016.
“So you could have a situation where people could be living there and then moving throughout the Main Street corridor on the white rapid rail transit system without ever having to go outside in the months of January, February, March," Congressman, Brian Higgins, says.
The NFTA posted the RFP on their site. The submission deadline is Thursday, January 10th. The NFTA hopes to begin construction in 2019 and tells 7 Eyewitness News that it's not unrealistic to have a final product by the end of 2021.
