Investing in community impact.
The DL&W supports access, equity, and opportunity.
A rendering depicting a portion of the DL&W terminal’s outdoor deck.
The DL&W project includes the restoration of the former train shed as a public asset and a measurable local impact, economically and socially.
Supported in part by the federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, the DL&W’s second-floor development is required to generate a range of benefits for the community, including job creation, increased access to fresh food, and support for transit use. Models show it will also contribute sales tax revenue of between $1.2 million – $1.8 million to Erie County annually.
The NMTC program encourages private investment in low-income communities by supporting projects that create jobs, expand access to essential services, and improve public infrastructure. To qualify, a project must demonstrate significant community benefit and be located in an eligible census tract. NMTC-supported developments often include job creation benchmarks, inclusive hiring practices, and clear plans for public-facing amenities such as markets, clinics, or cultural facilities.
Job creation.
With the DL&W project, job creation is a central outcome. Early estimates indicate the terminal could support more than 180 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs once fully operational. These jobs include year-round positions in food service, venue operations, retail, event production, and building management, and do not include the many construction jobs created by the interior fit-out of the project.
Additionally, more than 60 of the estimated FTE positions are expected to meet or exceed Erie County’s living wage threshold. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single adult with no children in Erie County must earn $21.88 per hour to meet basic expenses. That figure rises to $39.75 for a single-income household supporting two children.
Positions that pay a living wage are not the only community benefit the DL&W project is working to meet. Many of the jobs planned for DL&W are expected to qualify as accessible jobs, or jobs designed to remove barriers to employment. Accessible jobs are defined as those providing assistive technologies, fair scheduling, and inclusive hiring practices. The goal is not only to employ people, but to do so in a way that reflects a broader cross-section of the community.
Access to fresh food.
In addition to employment, the DL&W project will provide access to fresh food and everyday essentials. Its second floor includes a public market, a small grocery store, and space for seasonal vendors, producers, and emerging small businesses. These uses are bolstered by its location, which is just steps from the new Metro Rail station currently under construction on the historic terminal’s first floor.
Connectivity and commuters.
This connection to public transit has broad implications. Research shows that transit-oriented development can increase ridership and reduce barriers to access. DL&W’s location places it at a multimodal crossroads: connected to rail, walkable from downtown and the waterfront, adjacent to trail networks, and accessible by bike, bus, on foot, and via rideshare. Substantial parking nearby on Mississippi and Perry streets will serve as a park-and-ride option for commuters, making the site a practical transportation link for commuters.
The project also addresses critical neighborhood needs. Its combination of grocery offerings and market vendors puts healthy, affordable options within walking distance of residents and easy reach for those arriving by rail, bus, bike, or on foot.
Employment is another measure of TOD’s impact, and the DL&W is projected to support an estimated 180+ full-time equivalent jobs once operational, with more than 60 meeting Erie County’s living-wage threshold. Many of these positions will be designed to be accessible to individuals who face barriers to employment.
“The NMTC program is highly competitive. In the last award round, approximately $14.8 billion in projects were seeking the $5 billion of tax credit authority that was awarded,“ says Monica Clark Petersen, the principal and CEO of S.B. Clark Companies, which has provided NMTC consulting to projects for over twelve years. “Projects like DL&W Terminal that are committed to creating accessible and quality jobs while revitalizing communities are an ideal example of the types of projects NMTC financing prioritizes,” she notes. “Additionally, projects using NMTC financing report on community benefits annually for the seven-year compliance period, assuring that communities like those served by the DL&W project are bringing impact and opportunity because of the tax credit subsidy.”
While these projections represent an early look at outcomes, they point to the kind of community benefit the NMTC program was designed to deliver. They also illustrate how the DL&W is being redeveloped as part of a larger effort to create opportunity, improve access, and support Buffalo’s long-term growth from the ground up.
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