Published October 1, 2026 at 9:19 PM EDT

Starting this weekend, Buffalo will have a new, massive outdoor event space on the waterfront, at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s renovated DL&W Sky Deck.

The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad terminal, or DL&W, reopened as a Metro Station last year. Now, a 55,000-square-foot outdoor space with a more than 2,000-person capacity will offer new opportunities for public spaces.

Emyle Watkins

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BTPM

A panorama image of the DL&W Sky Deck on October 1, 2026 in downtown Buffalo.

Executive Director of the NFTA, Kimberley Minkel, says it’s hard to grasp how large the space is from the ground.

“You can see it's a massive space, and I don't think you really have a complete appreciation because so much of the deck is hidden as we look here. When we get up to the roof, and you see that space. I think you'll be absolutely amazed," Minkel said.

"The other great thing is when you're up on the roof, you can smell the Cheerios or the Lucky Charms, depending what's being made," she added.

Minkel says that now that people will be able to visit the Sky Deck, when the NFTA puts out a request for proposals for the 125,000-square-foot second level, it will be easier for developers to imagine its use.

The SkyDeck also uniquely features an elevator that can bring up food trucks, and starting in the spring will offer a connection to the Key Bank Center.

The DL&W terminal originally opened in 1917, but was closed-off to the public for decades. Minkel says for her the reopening also holds personal significance, as her great-grandfather worked on the railroad.

"In fact, when you go up to the roof, you will see a privacy screen that has an image of the workers and an old locomotive, the steam engine that traveled through there," she said. "That was a picture that my mother had of her grandfather that we were able to put onto the wall, along with other historic photos."

The Sky Deck will host a free, public grand opening Rooftop Rally on Saturday from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. ahead of the Buffalo Sabres game happening next door that evening in KeyBank Center.