Millrace Park Project Will Serve as a Catalyst for $50 Million of New Private Sector Investment Surrounding Park, Including Residential, Retail, Restaurants and Hospitality
New Park Will Be a Neighborhood Centerpiece, Supporting Further Development as Part of Larkin 2040 Plan
Complements Governor’s Get Offline, Get Outside Initiative, Expanding Outdoor Access to Safe, Modern Recreational Spaces for Families and Young People
Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $6 million State grant to support the construction of a new park which will be open to the public, in Buffalo’s Larkinville neighborhood, immediately adjacent to Buffalo’s lower east side. Millrace Park will serve as a catalyst for new developments including residential, retail, restaurants and hospitality. The grant will be administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). The park will be located at 822 Seneca Street (bordered by Seneca, Lord, and Seymour Streets) and slated to open by Fall 2028.
“Investing in such a creative public space like Millrace Park while encouraging private-sector investment in nearby properties is the best of both worlds and exactly the type of project that public and private partners should work together to build,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m pleased to add to the wide range of support for this project, including the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, National Grid, the City of Buffalo and the Zemsky Family.”
Millrace Park will be owned and operated by not-for-profit Millrace Park Inc and have amenities including a playground, mini-golf, tetherball, bocce, tennis court, restroom facilities, a passive lawn, shade structures and seating.
Larkin Development is in its 25th year of redeveloping the Larkin Historic District. The neighborhood, which was established in 1827 (long before the Larkin Soap Company arrived in the 1870s), was originally known as The Hydraulics and will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2027. In recent years, more than $100 million in private funding has been invested into the Larkin District, and more than two million square feet has been redeveloped into commercial, residential, restaurants and a growing corridor of retail shops.
The Larkin 2040 plan consists of three phases which will leverage the investment in the park to further revitalize the neighborhood. Phase 1 of the project will include the construction of Millrace Park as well as historic restorations to an 1869 home on Seneca Street, and the new commercial building/HQ of Oxford Pennant at 775 Seneca Street. These historic restorations will create and activate additional street level retail that is walkable to the park site. Phase 2 of the plan will include rowhouse style residential and additional food and hospitality developments. Phase 3 will consist of a new residential mid-rise building and a new boutique hotel. All of these projects are next to or adjacent to Millrace Park.
The total cost of the Millrace Park project is approximately $8 million. In addition to the $6 million State grant, the project has been awarded $1 million from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation; $1 million from the Zemsky Family Foundation, including donation of the land, soft costs and ongoing maintenance; $250,000 from National Grid’s Urban Center/Commercial District Revitalization Program; and support from the city of Buffalo for surrounding sidewalks and curbs.
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