The Western New York Land Conservancy invites designers, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and artists to submit visionary concepts to a juried competition laying the groundwork to transform the abandoned, 1.5-mile elevated DL&W rail corridor connecting Buffalo’s downtown with its waterfront through three distinct and historic neighborhoods.
This Design Ideas Competition is the next step in reimagining the DL&W corridor, following the work of community leaders, residents, planners, and advocates who have championed the potential of this site for years.
The new nature trail and greenway will be an inspiring community gathering place alive with the history and voice of the surrounding neighborhoods. More than just a trail, the reimagined rail corridor will be a vibrant, safe, and welcoming space for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to connect with each other, with nature, and with the waterfront, throughout the year. The nature trail and greenway will be the focal point of a revitalized community and a restored ecosystem.
Additional information regarding the goals and intended outcomes and disclaimers for the Design Ideas Competition are available in the Competition Brief.
Participants must register to enter the competition. Registration is free. Detailed information regarding the project site and background is available for registered participants. Teams should register using the instructions at the bottom of this page.
Monetary awards are available for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the juried competition and will be judged anonymously. An award will also be given to the community choice, selected with resident input.
Competition Schedule:
- November 16, 2018: Design Ideas Competition launch.
- January 4, 2019: Optional site visit for applicants.
- January 11, 2019: Deadline for questions from applicants. All questions will be answered and posted in writing to the Supporting Materials and Data site.
- February 15, 2019: Deadline for submissions (5:00 p.m. EST)
- March 2019: Public exhibition and selection of winners
Registration
Those wishing to participate in the Design Ideas Competition are required to register by sending an email to dlw@wnylc.org. Please include your name, email address, design team name, and phone number. Once your registration is received, we will send you a password to access the information page for participants. If you have any questions, please email dlw@wnylc.org or call (716) 687-1225.
After registering, visit https://wnylc.org/dlw-design-info/