21 May 2019
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates unveil plans to transform Buffalo's largest waterfront park
BY Andrew Manns
Brooklyn-based architecture office Michael Van Valkenburgh (MVVA) have unveiled the latest set of renderings of their design for the future Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park in Buffalo, NY.
According to the firm, the expanded public realm – set to replace the historic LaSalle Park on the Niagara River waterfront – will feature numerous leisure and recreational amenities, including athletic fields, docking areas for canoes and kayaks, and a hilly "Great Lawn" for picnics and large-scale events.
The site will also comprise new and restored hiking and cycling paths, as well as a lagoon reserve for migratory birds.
Speaking on the development, the design team said that the site's sloped topography would "create opportunities to be immersed in the park landscape, including sheltered valleys, wooded ridges, and constructed wetlands".
The project, which is being supported by the municipal government and the University at Buffalo Regional Institute, has also received US$100m (€89.7m, £78.8m) from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.
Groundbreaking is slated to occur in 2022, with an estimated completion date of 2024.
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