Home is where the heart is. After spending eight years studying to become a landscape architect in Toronto, Daniel Seiders came back to the Queen City to enhance "The Del's" legacy.

"We spent a lot of time researching the typography, the position of the old rail-lines and space and configuration of the old bridges," explained Seiders. 

Seiders and his fellow designers focused on the condition of The Del, an abandoned railroad corridor near the Erie Canalside and Downtown Buffalo, and the history of how it was made. 

The goal and focus wasn't just on beauty. 

“Our goals are really more around habitat and ecology and social opportunities. Helping people meet each other and get to know each other and become better neighbors and get in touch with nature — that just only happens to look beautiful," added Seiders. 

It's not just art design: it's earth design. And there are people from all over the world competing to get their vision to be here: in the 716. 

"We had 97 proposals come in and out of them, 25 are here tonight. And we are handing everyone tickets to put them in the basket and tell us which one they like," explained Anthony Armstrong, project manager for the Western New York Land Conservancy.    

Armstrong says besides the 300 people who voted on Wednesday, officials will also tally up results from Perry, the Old First Ward, and Valley neighborhoods exhibitions to help determine the community choice award winner.

“Early May we will announce the winner of the Community Choice Award and the winner will be announced by a jury that they had. Urban Design professionals from Toronto, Boston, NYC — and here in Buffalo — will be awarding first second and third prizes,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong adds it has been an incredible outpouring from designers, all to add to Buffalo's revitalization. 

A soon-to-be new place where everyone, including nature, can thrive.