The Habitat Company and its development partners have started above-ground construction on the first phase of the Marine Drive Apartments redevelopment in Buffalo, New York, advancing a $600 million project that will ultimately create approximately 730 affordable homes along the city’s waterfront.
Habitat is developing the project with Duvernay + Brooks and Bridges Development, an affiliate of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. The team recently joined New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, residents and community stakeholders to mark construction progress on the $250 million first phase.
Phase I will deliver 254 affordable apartments across four new residential buildings and a collection of townhomes. Plans also call for a three-level parking structure, approximately 5,000 square feet of retail and commercial space and site improvements supporting future phases. Completion is expected in 2028.
“The start of construction at Marine Drive is the culmination of years of collaboration, planning and commitment to ensure Buffalo residents have access to high-quality, affordable housing,” says Habitat President Matt Fiascone. “Since closing on the property in late 2025, our team and partners have worked diligently to advance construction, which is why seeing the first structures rise above ground level is a momentous sign of the progress being made.”
Built in the 1950s, the existing seven-building Marine Drive complex includes 616 apartments. The three-phase redevelopment will replace those units with approximately 730 new homes while addressing aging infrastructure and outdated building systems.
Habitat is using a “build first” strategy designed to prevent displacement of existing residents. Current residents can remain in their homes until newly constructed apartments are ready for occupancy.
Phase I will offer studio through four-bedroom apartments affordable to households earning up to 120% of Area Median Income. The all-electric buildings will incorporate energy-efficient appliances, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, LED lighting and Energy Recovery Ventilation systems.
Accessibility is also central to the plans, with 27 apartments designed for residents with mobility disabilities and seven designed for residents with sensory disabilities.
Beyond housing, the full redevelopment will include upgraded electrical systems, sewer and water infrastructure, enhanced streetscapes, publicly accessible open space and parking facilities.
“This transformative project will have a positive ripple effect well beyond its first residents,” says Habitat Affordable Group VP of Development Jeff Head. “Through strong public-private partnerships, visionary leadership on the local and state level and ongoing engagement with residents, our team is creating a community that will provide safe, modern and accessible housing while preserving the affordability and sense of inclusiveness and community that have defined Canalside for decades.”
Phase I financing includes federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, $93 million in direct subsidy support and approximately $31.6 million in anticipated tax credits through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.
Additional funding includes $4 million from the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, $2 million in HOME funding from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency and $900,000 in infrastructure funding from the city of Buffalo.
