Design

Scenes From Above: A Former Steel Plant in Buffalo Goes Green

Decades since Bethlehem Steel shut down, the site sees small bits of new life.
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South of Buffalo sits the industrial suburb of Lackawanna. Its economic raison d'être? A massive Bethlehem Steel plant along Buffalo's Outer Harbor, which has been closed since 1983.

This area is not entirely dead. Vegetation has reclaimed much of the contaminated site, juxtaposing nature against industry. Commerce still exists there, too. Small logistics-related operations use portions of the property thanks to its rail infrastructure and road access.