Buffalo is continuing the effort to pump up its waterfront. A popular eatery at the Erie Basin Marina is now in the process of getting a facelift. Tuesday morning, Mayor Byron Brown unveiled a $900,000 investment into the marina's restaurant, The Hatch. Construction has already begun and should be finished later this summer.
The Hatch will transform into a year-round restaurant, rather than a seasonal one, featuring a new kitchen and a 80-person dining room. Brown says the renovations will bring even more people to Buffalo's waterfront.
"With these improvements, The Hatch will continue to be one of the most popular destinations on the Buffalo waterfront," Brown said.
"The amenities are going to be really beautiful. The views are going to be spectacular."
Brown says his administration has invested nearly $4 million into the Marina since 2006. He says the city expects more than 2.5 million visitors to the waterfront this year.
The mayor announced similar renovations to The Hatch back in 2012. The plan, at the time, was to add a second story to the restaurant. But Public Works Commissioner Steve Stepniak says renovating out, rather than up, was the better way to go.
"Originally the plans were that we could build up on top. The supporting structures weren't enough to do that," Stepniak said. "It made a lot more sense to build out."
Organizers say a new name for the revamped restaurant should be decided on by next week. One possibility is One Harbor Line.