Bringing life to the DL&W.
Programming is the key to success.
The DL&W project is designed to be Buffalo’s public space. It’s a place to tuck in and stay awhile, and that’s where creative and consistent programming comes in.
For this public space to serve the population and its district, its programming must meet the needs of its tenants and guests, inviting the public to return again and again.
Insight into our intention
We've created a simplified sample calendar to show how the space might be programmed in a given month (scroll down to view it). This calendar doesn’t represent the full scope or scale of actual programming; it’s just a glimpse at the basics. Recurring fitness classes and farmers markets, evening concerts, family-friendly experiences, and special seasonal offerings are just the beginning.
The building’s direct access to KeyBank Center, the NFTA Metro Rail station on its first floor, and plenty of adjacent parking make the DL&W project an easy stop, especially before and after sporting events and concerts.
Regular events like Family Supper Night, timed to the middle of the week when the highest number of families go out for dinner, create a rhythm that area residents and commuters can count on. Study Halls give college students a reason to return between bigger events.
With indoor and outdoor concert venues, flexible common areas, a food hall, a waterfront restaurant, a pocket grocery store, and spaces tailored for everything from pop-ups and cultural experiences to public seating, the DL&W project is built to support a range of activity. On any given day, that might include cooking classes, a senior social meetup, trivia nights, or a jazz and wine club.
Add free and low-cost fitness, a bike repair meetup, and a happy hour networking event, and it starts to feel like a true community hub.
Signature happenings, like a Harvest Hall Fest, showcase the best of the region while drawing a wider audience to the site. Smaller moments, whether it’s a mid-morning stroller bootcamp or a quiet hour with a good book from our free little library and a glass of wine, will fill out the daily experience.
Serving the public
The mix of events offered is both essential and intentional. We’re programming for families, downtown residents and workers, students, tourists, and people who live along the Metro Rail. That includes Buffalo residents looking for free things to do, friends planning a weekend, couples looking for a live show or other entertaining experience on a Friday night, or out-of-towners seeking a waterfront restaurant with a view.
While the calendar you’re seeing below is just an example, it showcases some of our priorities.
A project like the DL&W doesn’t succeed on restaurants or concerts alone. It thrives when people know they always have a reason to stop in and linger or make visiting part of their routine.
From weekly farmers markets to special events and accessible entertainment to everyday recreation, the D&W project is a public space that’s connected to Buffalo’s past, open to everyone, and grounded in the needs of the people who live and work nearby.
It’s a response to the call for more fresh food, healthier ways to move and gather, and an everyday use of Buffalo’s beautiful and historically significant waterfront.
