NIAGARA FALLS — A $12 million project to peel back the layers of urban renewal has

unveiled a view that hasn't been visible downtown for more than three decades.

Stand at the historic entrance to Niagara Falls State Park, and you can see straight up

three tree-lined blocks into the city. Gone is the seven-story glass Wintergarden. Gone are

two brick pedestrian malls constructed under a sweeping 1970s Urban Renewal plan to rebuild

Niagara Falls.

In their place is a newly constructed cobblestone street that stretches from the state park

to the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel.

"For the first time in a generation, it truly connects, both physically and visually, the

park and the city," said Christopher J. Schoepflin, president of USA Niagara Development Corp.

"It's the most important street in our downtown in terms of connectivity between where all the

visitors come and the rest of the city."

The Old Falls Street project is intended to revive the city's historic street grid, with

the hope of teasing visitors out of the state park and into the Falls.

"During the period of urban renewal, the city of Niagara Falls lost many of its most iconic

structures and it lost one of its most valued public spaces, that public space was old Falls

Street," Mayor Paul A. Dyster said. "This was the gathering place for the citizens of Niagara

Falls and the portal for visitors from the park into the heart of the city."

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After three years of construction, state and city officials are ready to show off the

project. An all-day festival Saturday with entertainment by Saxman Slim, The Boys of Summer

and the Black Widow will officially open the street.

The state — which has contracted with Global Spectrum to provide vending,

entertainment and maintenance on the street — also plans a lineup of summer events that

officials hope will entice visitors to stay in the area after seeing the falls.

In the absence of a cluster of restaurants and shops for tourists, officials hope to create

a buzz with daily live music, movie nights, storytelling hours, pilates classes and book

swaps, as well as summer festivals and Hard Rock Cafe concerts.

On Thursday, Edward and Freda Daly were lured down Old Falls Street by music and vendors.

The Ceres, Calif., couple arrived in the Falls for a few days on a month-long road trip to

celebrate their 25th anniversary.

"This is very nice," said Edward Daly, a truck driver. "If you have something on the

weekend that attracts people, they'll come."

The new street is lined with sugar maples, elms, wild roses and bioswales that slow

rainwater runoff. The southern face of the vacant Rainbow Centre mall — once connected

to the Wintergarden — has been rebuilt, along with a wall on the Quality Hotel & Suites.

"It's changing the whole perception of downtown," said John Percy, president of Niagara

Tourism and Convention Corp.

Roger Trevino, executive vice president of Niagara Falls Redevelopment, said the new street

helps marry two major downtown attractions — the casino and the state park — like

two anchor tenants in a traditional indoor shopping mall.

"Now what will happen is you'll be able to see in-fill traffic," Trevino said. "That's what

retailers want to see."

The next critical step, Trevino said, is a study commissioned by USA Niagara Development

that will develop independent demographic data of visitors in the area and their spending

power.

Schoepflin said USA Niagara and the city will try to work with surrounding property owners

to fill vacant spaces that line the street.

"As we do with everything else we're doing, we will spend a lot of time trying to make that

happen, but that should be measured a year from now, three years from now, five years from

now," Schoepflin said. "People have to allow the marketplace time to have those transactions

happen."

Officials hope a lineup of summer events, including the following, attract visitors to Old

Falls Street:

Saturday: 5K run/walk, 8 a.m.; Old Falls Street grand opening, noon to 8 p.m.

June 13: Niagara Falls Fire Department Toy Fund bike run, 2 to 6 p.m.

June 18: Open Mic Night, 7 to 10 p.m.

June 24: Girls Night Out, 7 to 10 p.m.

July 1: Air National Guard concert, 7 p.m.

July 16: Smokin' Eagles Falls Street Rib Festival

July 23-25: Taste of Niagara

Aug. 14, 15: craft expo

Sept. 4: Ontario House Jazz Reunion Concert, noon to 8 p.m.

Sept. 4-5: International Food, Film and Local Wine Festival

Sept. 10-12: Niagara Falls Blues Festival

For more events, visit this site.