The Buffalo Central Terminal's original campus included a main concourse, a train concourse, a 17-story office tower ascending 271 feet into the air and mail and baggage buildings. Steel girders rose from an elevated plaza constructed of reinforced concrete and steel beams. A granite base grounded the entire Buffalo Central Terminal site. The foundation was poured in alternating ribbons of asbestos and lead; these "vibration mats" served to insulate the interior from the rumbles of trains.
The exterior of the Buffalo Central Terminal featured gray brick with limestone accents. Characteristic of its Art Deco design, the terminal tower swept upward with setbacks occurring every few stories. The tower's eight-sided ornamental stone summit was illuminated and visible more than 10 miles away. Tall metal casement windows and parallel stone insets drew visitors' eyes to travel vertically. The terminal building itself flanked the tower. Enormous vaulted windows composed of thick decorative glass allowed natural light to flood the terminal's interior.
Technically, the Buffalo Central Terminal's interior materials reinforced the structure's soundproofing techniques. Two inches of cork lay underneath the terminal's concrete slab. Sound-absorbing tile lined the building's walls and ceilings. Aesthetically, the terminal's interior materials echoed its Art Deco exterior. The tower lobby featured deep gray Botticino marble on the floor and walls. The walkway connecting the tower lobby to the terminal continued the gray palette, eventually giving way to blue- and fawn-colored Guastavino tile work. The terminal's floor was covered in deep reddish hues of terrazzo.
Enormous foot traffic was expected through the Buffalo Central Terminal; the main terminal was cavernous with vaulted tile ceilings. Bronze frames and grilles adorned the ticket stations. Botticino tile covered the countertops. Pressed metal in typical Art Deco designs decorated the walls along with terra-cotta inlays. An enormous clock with four faces perched above the terminal's information booth. A metal and concrete statue titled "Progress" stood outside the terminal. Wide sidewalks composed of exposed aggregate ran parallel to the city streets.
