Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of construction on North Aud Block, a $225 million mixed-use development on the former Buffalo Memorial Auditorium site in Canalside, Buffalo.
Project overview
Developed by Pennrose, the project will create 251 apartments — including 187 affordable units targeted to households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income — alongside 18,000 square feet of commercial space, 137 parking spaces and 20,000 square feet of public open space along the canal. Buildings are described as an all-electric design with heat pumps, energy recovery ventilation, ENERGY STAR appliances, water-conserving plumbing and electric vehicle charging.
Design and accessibility
The developer says building facades will reference historic materials — exposed brick, terracotta and stone — and reflect portions of the neighborhood’s 19th-century street grid. The project will include a waterfront plaza with seating and landscaping intended to improve connections between Canalside, the KeyBank Center and the surrounding district. The development will include accessible and adaptable units, with 13 designed for residents with mobility disabilities and six for residents with sensory disabilities.
Funding and approvals
According to the announcement, North Aud Block is supported by federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs (expected to generate more than $30 million and $35 million in equity, respectively), $65 million in subsidy, and additional support from Empire State Development programs including $12 million from NY-RUSH, $10 million from the NY Works Economic Development Fund, and $2.5 million from the Regional Council Capital Fund Program. The site is participating in New York State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program and could be eligible for approximately $20 million in tax credits administered by the state Department of Taxation and Finance.
Context and local reaction
The development sits on the parcel where the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (the Aud) once stood; the building was demolished in 2009. State officials framed the project as part of a broader effort to redevelop the Aud parcel and to expand affordable housing in Erie County; the release places the project within Governor Hochul’s five-year housing plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.
Officials quoted in the announcement included Governor Kathy Hochul, HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas, Empire State Development President Hope Knight, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Chair Joan Kesner, State Senator April Baskin and Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes. Pennrose Regional Vice President Dylan Salmons also provided a statement.
What’s not yet detailed
The release does not include a construction completion timeline, the general contractor, street address for the project site beyond the Canalside/old Aud parcel, or a bedroom-by-bedroom breakdown of the 251 units. Some funding figures are described as anticipated or expected rather than finalized.
This report is based on a July 20, 2026 press announcement from the New York Governor’s Office.
