BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​Construction on the new pavilion at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor is officially underway.

The $13 million structure will be constructed at the former Terminal B site on Fuhrmann Boulevard. State officials say the pavilion will be able to host 8,000 people, which will make it idea for performances from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and eventually Canalside’s Summer Concert Series.

"Projects like Terminal B's transformation are critical to my administration's continuing efforts to invigorate and elevate the unique cultural attractions that make Buffalo so special," Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "I am incredibly excited for the opportunity the pavilion will provide New Yorkers to appreciate my hometown's beautiful waterfront in a whole new way."

The project is also meant to reclaim seven acres of property that used to be part of a landfill, creating a greenspace.

The project has been met with some criticism.

Some say the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation ignored calls for the pavilion to become state park property.

"I can't wait to come to this one-of-a-kind entertainment center to hear the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and other great performers, in what will be a beautiful open-air setting,” Mayor Byron Brown said. “It will be a perfect complement to all the projects that have been successfully developed on the Outer Harbor. I thank Gov. Kathy Hochul, Robert Gioia, and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, and the Empire State Development Corporation, for their unwavering mission to deliver world-class venues and activities on our City's Outer and Inner Harbors. I also thank my colleagues in government who made this project possible."

Construction is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2023.