After being ignored for decades, the hulking Connecting Terminal became the canvas for a nightly light show three years ago on the Outer Harbor that could be seen from a distance.

Now, people might get an even closer look at the 1915 grain elevator.

They might be able to walk inside a silo or even view the city skyline from the grain elevator's rooftop.

Reusing the grain elevator has emerged as part of Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp.'s strategy to bring more activity and amenities to the Outer Harbor. The agency's plans involve remaking First Buffalo River Marina, which the state agency took ownership of in 2016 from the New York Power Authority.

Under variations of three proposals, the public could enter the lower level of the behemoth, 100-plus-feet-tall grain elevator and the 1954 annex alongside it. Plans call for looking out from a rooftop viewing deck on one or both of the concrete structures, with views of the city, Lake Erie and the Buffalo River. A rooftop restaurant is a possibility.

The idea behind the Connecting Terminal concept is to let the public interact with the grain elevator and learn about its history through some historical interpretation, said Steven Ranalli, Erie Canal Harbor's vice president of waterfront development.