$250 Million Marine Drive Redevelopment Rises in Buffalo
The waterfront project will replace aging public housing with modern apartments while allowing current residents to remain in their community.
The Buffalo Marine Drive redevelopment is moving forward with a $250 million first phase designed to replace an aging public housing complex with 254 modern apartments. State officials say current residents will be able to remain in their existing homes until the new buildings are ready, reducing the risk of displacement during construction.
The work is the opening stage of a larger, three-phase transformation expected to cost about $600 million. Once completed, the project will replace the complex’s existing 616 apartments with approximately 730 affordable homes near Buffalo’s waterfront. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
The project represents more than a construction effort. It is also a test of whether a major waterfront redevelopment can improve housing conditions without pushing longtime residents out of a neighborhood that is becoming more valuable.
First Phase Will Create 254 Apartments
Marine Drive Apartments was built in the 1950s and currently consists of seven residential buildings. State officials described the existing complex as nearly obsolete because of its age and outdated systems.
The first phase will construct 254 apartments across four new buildings. The apartments will range from studios to four-bedroom homes, giving the development space for individuals, seniors and larger families.
The homes will be available to households earning up to 120% of the area median income. That income range allows the development to serve residents with different financial circumstances while preserving a significant amount of deeply affordable housing.
The first phase will include:
- 254 apartments in four buildings
- Studio through four-bedroom homes
- More than 100 apartments supported through a federal Section 8 contract
- 36 additional apartments supported by state-administered Section 8 vouchers
- A new community center
- About 5,000 square feet of retail and commercial space
- Landscaped green areas and a public plaza
- New electrical, water and sewer infrastructure
The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority previously reported that the first phase would include residential towers, townhouses and a multilevel parking garage. (BMHA Housing)
Residents Will Not Be Displaced During Construction
One of the project’s most important promises concerns current tenants.
Residents will remain in their existing apartments until newly constructed homes are completed. After residents move into the new buildings, the vacant older structures can be demolished to make room for later phases.
That sequence is intended to prevent families from being temporarily pushed out of Marine Drive or forced to find housing elsewhere in Buffalo.
The development team includes The Habitat Company, Duvernay and Brooks, and Bridges Development, an affiliate of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. Officials said residents and surrounding community members participated in discussions that helped shape the project’s design and construction timeline. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Jeff Head, vice president of development for The Habitat Company’s affordable housing group, said the plan was designed to preserve affordability while allowing residents to remain connected to the neighborhood.
“We have created a plan that preserves affordability, expands housing opportunities and ensures current residents can remain part of the community throughout the redevelopment process,” Head said.
That commitment will need to be closely monitored as the project moves through all three phases. Large redevelopment plans can span several years, and residents will need clear information about relocation schedules, tenant rights, lease terms and the availability of comparable apartments.
A Major Investment in Buffalo’s Waterfront
Marine Drive occupies a valuable location near Canalside, downtown Buffalo, the city’s Metrorail system and its Amtrak station.
That location makes the project especially significant. Waterfront neighborhoods across the country often attract private investment, tourism and higher-priced development. Those changes can improve public spaces and expand a city’s tax base, but they can also make it harder for lower-income residents to remain nearby.
The Marine Drive project seeks to preserve affordable housing in the middle of that growth.
“The Marine Drive redevelopment will help transform the Lake Erie waterfront for generations to come,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
Hochul said the project combines affordability, neighborhood revitalization and the modernization of housing.
The development will also add public and commercial amenities. Plans call for a plaza, green space, a community center and retail space that could serve both residents and people visiting the waterfront.
Apartments Will Be All-Electric and Accessible
The first phase is being designed as an all-electric development.
Planned energy and environmental features include:
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Water-conserving plumbing fixtures
- LED lighting
- Energy-recovery ventilation systems
- Improved indoor-air circulation
- Modern electrical and building systems
The project will also include apartments designed for residents with disabilities.
Twenty-seven units will accommodate people with mobility disabilities. Seven additional units will be designed for residents with sensory disabilities. Other apartments will be adaptable so they can be modified as residents’ needs change. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
These features could improve comfort and safety while lowering energy consumption. However, the long-term effect on residents’ utility costs will depend on electric rates, building performance and how utility expenses are divided between tenants and housing providers.
How the $250 Million Phase Is Being Financed
The first phase relies on a combination of federal, state and local financing.
According to the governor’s office, major funding sources include:
- $81 million expected from federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity
- $18 million expected from New York’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program
- $93 million in state subsidy
- $31.6 million in brownfield-related tax credits
- $4 million from the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
- $2 million in HOME funding from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency
- $900,000 from the City of Buffalo for infrastructure
The property participated in the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Brownfield Cleanup Program, making it eligible for tax credits related to environmental cleanup and redevelopment. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Federal rental assistance will remain another important part of the project. More than 100 units are expected to be covered by a project-based Section 8 contract under the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration program.
Why New Construction Was Chosen
Project officials determined that replacing the existing buildings was more practical than attempting a complete renovation.
A feasibility review found that full replacement would provide a more sustainable way to install modern heating, electrical, accessibility and energy systems while protecting long-term affordability. (REBusinessOnline)
That argument has merit. Buildings constructed more than 70 years ago can have outdated pipes, inefficient systems and layouts that are difficult to adapt for modern accessibility standards.
Still, demolition-and-replacement projects often raise understandable concerns among residents.
Tenants may ask:
- Will every current resident have a guaranteed right to return?
- Will rent calculations remain affordable?
- Will families receive apartments of an appropriate size?
- How will moving expenses be handled?
- Who will assist seniors and residents with disabilities?
- Will future management rules change?
Officials have promised that residents will not be displaced during construction. Continued public reporting will be necessary to show that this promise is being honored through each phase.
Part of New York’s Broader Housing Strategy
The Marine Drive redevelopment is part of New York’s five-year, $25 billion housing plan.
The state says the plan is intended to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 units with support services. As of July 20, 2026, the governor’s office reported that more than 81,000 affordable homes had been created or preserved under the plan. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
In Erie County, New York Homes and Community Renewal says it has created or preserved more than 11,600 affordable homes, including more than 8,300 in Buffalo.
Those numbers show the scale of the state’s investment. They do not, however, eliminate the need to measure affordability based on local wages, rent burdens and the actual experiences of tenants.
Building more housing is important, but the success of the Marine Drive redevelopment will depend on who can afford the apartments and whether current residents benefit from the waterfront’s continued growth.
A Promising Project That Requires Accountability
The Buffalo Marine Drive redevelopment could offer a model for renewing public housing without removing the people who already live there.
The project promises modern apartments, accessible homes, upgraded infrastructure and new community spaces. It will also add more affordable apartments than the current complex provides.
The strongest part of the plan is its commitment to build new homes before residents are asked to move. That approach treats tenants as members of the community rather than obstacles to redevelopment.
But promises made at the beginning of a long construction project must be followed by transparency.
Residents and the public should receive regular updates on construction, costs, rent protections, relocation procedures and the right to return. Tenant representatives should remain involved as decisions are made.
Buffalo has an opportunity to show that waterfront development and housing justice do not have to work against each other. The public should watch closely and insist that the people who kept Marine Drive alive for generations share fully in its future.
