ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Public Works has announced the completion of renovations at the Buffalo Convention Center, a $6 million investment that has reinvigorated Franklin Street in downtown Buffalo. The project included the removal of the existing marquee and maintenance repairs to the existing façade including whole-building power-washing, concrete panel repairs and joint recaulking/ repointing as well as installation of a new facade along Franklin St. with a new cladding system to cover the existing concrete panels. New multi-color undulating metal panels on the street-facing portion of the building consist of translucent polycarbonate panels with color controlled back-lighting, adding a colorful new dimension to the downtown area.

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined today by President & CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara Patrick Kaler, Commissioner of Public Works William Geary, and Buffalo Convention Center General Manager Jeff Calkins to review the improvements.

“These renovations give the Convention Center a new, brighter, and more welcoming look while improving the streetscape and adding new vibrancy to the downtown area. Improved lighting and pedestrian access and a brilliant new façade that is reflective of the waters of Lake Erie will greet convention-goers and create an exciting exterior that is visually attractive and draws people inside,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Tourism is on the rise in Erie County and with these investments the new Convention Center is going to be very busy in upcoming years.”

“The Convention Center continues to be an economic engine for our community and with the improvements we’re unveiling, we have every reason to believe that our meetings and convention business will continue to grow,” said Patrick Kaler, Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO. “Visit Buffalo Niagara brought several groups of meeting planners to town this summer and they agree that the investments we’ve made in our tourism product make us an extremely attractive destination for both convention delegates and leisure visitors. All of the leading indicators we use to monitor future business are signaling robust growth for Erie County’s convention business — a trend we believe will be enhanced by the improvements to the Center we are revealing today.”

Other improvements to the facility include:

· New decorative linear grille soffit above the pedestrian sidewalk along Franklin on the Convention Center side of the street with improved lighting above the sidewalk for nighttime events;

· Reconfigured door entry for better flow of pedestrian traffic as well as a more obvious entry/ exit location for events. Doors include three 10-foot-wide sliding main entry doors with egress leaf doors on either side of the main entrance;

· New vestibule with terrazzo floors that match the previous Lobby Renovation project, including radiant heat panels mounted to the ceiling for larger events that requiring queuing in the vestibule upon event entry;

· Revised curb layout developed in conjunction with the City of Buffalo to provide a loading & unloading zone with curb bumpout in front of the main entrance. This includes removable traffic rated bollards in front of the main entrance for pedestrian safety during events;

· All new concrete within the loading/ unloading zone in front of the main entry including an integrated snow melt system;

· Enhanced wayfinding signage mounted to the underside of the upgraded soffit (3 signs) along with 2 large display screens to show eventgoers where to enter as well as advertise for upcoming events;

· Rebranding of the convention center to the “Buffalo Convention Center” with new lettering on the façade; and

· New ceiling panels within the lobby to complement the upgrades (floor and finishes) as part of the Lobby Project (completed in 2021).

For more information:

On the Erie County Department of Public Works, visit https://www3.erie.gov/dpw/