United States · New York · Buffalo
Lower West Side, Buffalo — Area Guide & Where to Stay
The Lower West Side runs from Porter Avenue down to Niagara Square in Buffalo, along the Niagara River.
About Lower West Side
Where to stay in Lower West Side
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Niagara Street is the spine of the Lower West Side. It runs north and south with Virginia Street crossing it, Allentown sits to the east and Niagara Square and West Village to the south, and the river and Interstate 190 close the western edge. LaSalle Park is the largest green.
Downtown is a walk from the square.
About Lower West Side
What are the main landmarks in Lower West Side?
Olmsted's work reaches this far west. Front Park and Columbus Park, which used to be called Prospect Park, both belong to his system, and LaSalle Park is the biggest open ground in the neighbourhood. D'Youville has its campus here.
Grover Cleveland and Leonardo da Vinci are the high schools.
What is the history of Lower West Side?
The neighbourhood changed hands twice. It was largely Italian-American for a long stretch and has since become largely Puerto Rican, which is the shift the record notes most plainly about these streets. Porter Avenue marks the northern limit.
The Upper West Side begins there.
Where is Lower West Side?
The Lower West Side lies between Porter Avenue and Niagara Square in Buffalo, with the Niagara River to the west.
Good for
More areas in Buffalo
Updated September 2026