Buffalo Cruise Terminal Phase 1 Construction Underway at Outer Harbor Slip 2

Phase 1 construction is underway on the Buffalo Cruise Terminal at the Outer Harbor's Slip 2, with Union Concrete and Construction Corp. working on seawall repairs, guardrails and modernized mooring bollards. The Buffalo Business First report on September 24 marks the shift from approvals to active marine construction on a project state officials want open by spring 2028 Buffalo Business First Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

WCG first covered the cruise terminal plan in May. This update covers the approved Phase 1 contract, the work now in the field and the Phase 2 bid expected next.

What happened

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation board authorized a Phase 1 contract with Union Concrete and Construction Corp. in July, at a cost not to exceed $13.4 million Buffalo Rising Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Spectrum News reported that work was set to start in August Spectrum News, and Business First reported in late September that Phase 1 is underway Buffalo Business First.

The site is the Slip 2 parcel on Fuhrmann Boulevard, the former site of The Pier Restaurant Buffalo Rising.

Phase 1 scope

Buffalo Toronto Public Media reported that Phase 1 will rehabilitate roughly 950 feet of seawall, install mooring equipment, utilities and lighting, and build a waterfront promenade Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Buffalo Rising listed seawall repairs, guardrails and heavy-duty mooring bollards as the initial work Buffalo Rising. The broader site design includes seawall shoring upgrades, site remediation, improved public access, a multi-use path, a pedestrian promenade, a sunset point with seating and a small parking lot Buffalo Rising.

ECHDC President Mark Wendel said officials expect the outlined work to be completed by late 2027, and that the contract runs longer because "we just do not know about the weather that's going to be allowed and permitted" Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

Phase 2 and the operator

Phase 2 will be bid separately and focuses on upland buildings: a terminal building with public restrooms and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility Buffalo Rising. Buffalo Toronto Public Media reported that Phase 2 is expected to go out to bid early next year Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

The ECHDC board also approved a 20-year revocable license agreement with American Cruise Lines, giving it non-exclusive rights to dock passenger vessels, manage boarding and handle resupply Buffalo Rising. American Cruise Lines' 130-passenger American Patriot docked in Buffalo at the end of May at a temporary berth at the Erie Street dock, the first cruise ship to do so in decades Spectrum News. Officials said the line was making seven Buffalo stops this year and that could grow to roughly 12 next year Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

"By transforming this long-vacant Slip 2 site into a cruise line terminal, we are ensuring that Buffalo is no longer a city that cruise ships bypass, but a destination where they begin and end their journeys," Governor Kathy Hochul said Spectrum News.

Early demand signals

ECHDC Chair Joan Kesner called the project "the beginning of a game changer for Western New York" and said passengers from Buffalo's first cruise visited Niagara Falls and local museums and commented on the city's architecture and friendliness Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Kesner also said the Slip 2 work will connect with public spaces ECHDC has already built at Wilkeson Pointe and the Bell Slip Buffalo Rising. American Cruise Lines President and CEO Charles B. Robertson said guests "have long asked for our style of cruising on the Great Lakes" Buffalo Rising. Those early visits give the state a demand case for the terminal building in Phase 2.

Why it matters to construction professionals

Waterfront marine work in Buffalo depends on the weather and the season, and Phase 1 shows how owners are writing contracts around that. A longer contract window gives the contractor room to work around lake conditions and permits, but it also means the Phase 2 schedule depends on how quickly seawall and utility work wraps up.

Phase 2 is the bigger opportunity for building trades. A terminal building with a CBP facility means federal inspection space requirements, security systems and coordination with federal reviewers, which add design and procurement complexity beyond a typical public restroom building.

Implications for owners, contractors and subs

• Marine and civil contractors: Seawall rehabilitation, mooring and utilities are active now, and the long contract suggests seasonal sequencing.
• General contractors: Watch the Phase 2 bid for the terminal building and CBP facility.
• Specialty subs: Electrical, lighting, site utilities, landscaping and hardscape are all part of the site design Buffalo Rising.
• Hospitality and tourism owners: More cruise calls could support nearby waterfront business demand.

What to watch next

Key milestones are progress on the roughly 950 feet of seawall, the Phase 2 bid release and whether the late 2027 Phase 1 target and spring 2028 opening hold Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Construction firms should also watch for CBP design requirements in the Phase 2 bid documents.

Bottom line

The Buffalo Cruise Terminal has moved into construction. Phase 1 is a $13.4 million marine and site package now in the field, and Phase 2 will bring a building bid that matters to Western New York general contractors and trades.

Sources

• Buffalo Business First: https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2026/09/24/buffalo-cruise-ship-great-lakes-terminal.html
• Buffalo Rising: https://www.buffalorising.com/2026/07/phase-1-of-buffalo-cruise-terminal-construction-is-approved-by-echdc/
• Spectrum News: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2026/07/14/buffalo-cruise-terminal-construction-to-begin-in-august
• Buffalo Toronto Public Media: https://www.btpm.org/local/2026-07-13/state-development-board-green-lights-buffalo-cruise-terminal-construction-project