A former major trade gateway, the Buffalo Waterfront was once a bustling industrial port at the Western terminus of the Erie Canal. Perkins Eastman designed and implemented the Canalside development plan to bring life back to the water. The district incorporates a wide mix of cultural, entertainment, retail, commercial and residential uses and establishes a new center of activity in Buffalo’s historic inner harbor area with dynamic places running along a spine connecting the city’s downtown and waterfront. The completed phase of Canalside traces the original path of the Erie Canal with a waterway and tow paths that allow visitors to walk along the water. Re-watered canals anchor waterfront activities and are lined with restaurants and shops with connections to the many different levels of the public and retail environments. Canalside brings people together in a unique setting where city streets lead into canals packed with boats, towpaths, great buildings, and bridges.