About this Location

Facility Overview

Pay2Park Lot #28 is an open-air surface parking facility situated at 196 Franklin Street in the heart of Downtown Buffalo, New York. Positioned directly between West Huron Street and West Mohawk Street, this central parking lot offers exceptional convenience for drivers heading into the city core. Because it is a ground-level, uncovered asphalt surface lot, there are no overhead ceiling height limits, making it uniquely accommodating not only for sedans, crossover vehicles, and compacts, but also for lifted pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, commercial service vans, and vehicles outfitted with roof racks or cargo carriers that typically cannot enter multi-story parking ramps.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Located in one of Buffalo’s most energetic commercial and cultural corridors, Lot #28 serves as an ideal base for business, theater, and nightlife destinations:

Chippewa Entertainment District: Just one to two blocks north (a 3-minute walk), offering Buffalo\'s premier concentration of bars, pubs, nightclubs, and dining establishments along West Chippewa Street.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center: Located approximately two blocks east on Main Street (a 5-minute walk), providing hassle-free parking for Broadway touring productions, concerts, and historical theater events.
Buffalo Niagara Convention Center: Situated only two blocks south on Franklin Street (a 3 to 4-minute walk), perfect for convention attendees, trade show delegates, and corporate travelers.
Downtown Buffalo Financial & Civic Core: Within a short 5 to 7-minute walk to Niagara Square, Buffalo City Hall, the Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse, and major downtown office towers.
Fountain Plaza & Theater District: Just around the corner, hosting winter ice skating, outdoor seasonal events, and numerous fine dining choices.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Entering and exiting Pay2Park Lot #28 is simple via Franklin Street, a key north-south arterial running through downtown Buffalo. The open-lot design allows for easy maneuvering and straightforward turnaround when parking. Following major evening performances at Shea\'s or peak dining rushes on Chippewa Street, drivers can quickly exit onto Franklin Street or connect to West Huron Street to reach Route 33 (Kensington Expressway) and Interstate 190 without enduring the bottleneck delays typical of crowded multi-level garages. Additionally, the NFTA Metro Rail Fountain Plaza and Theater stations on Main Street are just one block away; the above-ground section of the rail is completely free to ride, allowing visitors to park here and take a quick ride down to Canalside and KeyBank Center.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Open-air surface parking with straightforward, well-marked parking stalls.
Unrestricted vertical clearance, comfortably accommodating high-roof vans, SUVs, and work trucks.
Contactless mobile payment integration supporting cashless digital parking solutions (pay-by-phone, text-to-pay, or QR code).
Paved, clearly painted surface layout with wide drive aisles for smooth turning.
Perimeter commercial lighting for evening arrivals and theater dismissals.
Direct sidewalk curb cuts for seamless pedestrian access to the street grid.

Ideal For

Theater patrons and concertgoers attending performances at Shea\'s Performing Arts Center or nearby Theater District venues.
Nightlife and dining guests visiting the vibrant West Chippewa Street corridor.
Convention delegates and exhibitors participating in expos at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
Daily office commuters and civil service workers heading to Franklin Street and Niagara Square offices.
Drivers with oversized or roof-rack-equipped vehicles requiring unrestricted vertical clearance.

Visitor & Driver Tips

During popular weekend Broadway shows at Shea\'s or high-traffic Friday and Saturday nights on Chippewa Street, downtown surface lots can fill up quickly. Drivers are encouraged to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early to secure a convenient stall. Look for posted signage displaying the lot zone code upon parking to complete mobile payment immediately and avoid parking citations. If you are heading to events at Canalside or KeyBank Center, parking here and hopping on the free NFTA Metro Rail at Fountain Plaza is an insider strategy to bypass southern downtown event congestion.