The Gateway Center is a proposed next-generation facility that will exemplify New York State’s commitment to climate leadership and zero-emissions goals. The Center, with a total cost of $13.5 million, will reinforce Buffalo’s 2022 certification as a “Climate Smart Community.”

The Center will feature a 21,000-square-foot canopy equipped with a photovoltaic array designed to meet Passive-Design standards and be net-energy-positive. The facility can generate sufficient electricity to “island” itself and other park amenities during extreme weather events. While the facility will be grid-connected, it will also include battery storage to function independently during peak demand times, black/brownouts, and climate emergencies.

The Gateway Center will be located at Buffalo Harbor, which serves as a trailhead for New York’s Empire State Trail - a continuous 750-mile route from New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany. The Center will include offices, comfort stations, and indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, all residing beneath the solar canopy providing shade for visitors while generating power.

The project is awaiting total construction funding but has received a $1 million grant commitment from NYSERDA.

The project will be a destination for visitors and showcase leading-edge sustainable infrastructure. The Gateway Center will symbolize the State’s commitment to sustainability and be a model for other facilities.