Pearl Street

De-paving a downtown street to support pedestrian safety

Buffalo’s Theatre District and Chippewa Street are important downtown destinations, but lack of public realm amenities, inconsistent lighting fixtures, and a lack of plantings detract from the district’s image and sense of place. In particular, the district is characterized by a lack of street trees, plantings, pedestrian amenities, and parks and public spaces.

Located in the downtown district, Pearl Street recently underwent infrastructure and public realm improvements to support existing business activity and investment in the area. Specifically, improvements to widen sidewalks and accommodate increased pedestrian activity to support commercial and retail businesses along the street. Curbs were reduced from approximately 50 feet to 30 feet on Pearl Street between Edward Street and West Tupper Street. This de-paving reduces the amount of paved surfaces on the street, reducing stormwater runoff and creating space to add other green infrastructure elements such as street trees or rain gardens in the future.