International Design Ideas Competition for the Elevated DL&W Trail and Greenway

The Western New York Land Conservancy is excited to announce an international Design Ideas Competition for the DL&W corridor. Professional and student designers, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and artists are invited to submit their visionary concepts 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.

The competition is the next step in reimagining this former industrial space as a multi-use urban nature trail and greenway. It follows the work of community leaders, residents, planners, and advocates who have championed the potential of this site for years. And it also follows on the heels of a year-long community visioning process that resulted in a published community vision plan that will guide the future of the DL&W corridor.

Competition winners will be selected by a jury of community leaders and local, national, and international experts in planning, design, community development, public art, architecture, and urban trail projects like New York City’s High Line and Toronto’s Bentway. The proposals will be revealed on the Land Conservancy’s website and at several public exhibitions this spring. In addition to three winners selected by the jury, the community will also be able to select their favorite proposal. The winners will receive monetary awards ranging from $1,000 to $7,500.

Jurors include:

• Charles Davis II, Assistant Professor of Architectural History and Criticism, University at Buffalo

• Ken Greenberg, Principal of Greenberg Consultants/author of Walking Home – the life and lessons of a city builder

• Sara Heidinger, President of the Old First Ward Community Association/co-owner Undergrounds Coffee House & Roastery

• Chris Reed, Founding Director of Stoss Landscape Urbanism/Professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design

• Robert Shibley, Professor and Dean of the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning/ UB Campus Architect/Senior Fellow at the UB Regional Institute

• Janne Sirén, Director of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

• Ana Traverso-Krejcarek, Manager of the High Line Network, at Friends of the High Line

Kishore Varanasi, Director of Urban Design and Principal at cbt, is the competition adviser for the Land Conservancy. Anthony Armstrong, Principal at Make Communities, is the community engagement consultant and project manager.

More detailed information about the Design Ideas Competition, including the Competition Brief with goals and intended outcomes can be found on the Land Conservancy’s website at www.wnylc.org/dlw-design. Those wishing to participate in the competition must register by emailing [email protected]. There is no cost to participate. Submissions are due by February 15, 2019. Winners will be announced this spring.

The Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, not-for-profit land trust that permanently protects land with significant conservation value in Western New York for current and future generations. The Land Conservancy envisions a future in which open spaces, working lands, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty are cherished and protected as part of the landscape and character of Western New York. The Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and is one of 1000+ land trusts nationwide, including 90 in New York State. Land trusts have protected 56 million acres of land.