Mayor Brown Announces Submission Of “Restore New York” Grant Application

City seeking $30 million from state program for demolition of vacant properties

Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced the submission of the City of Buffalo’s Restore New York Communities Initiative grant application. The City is seeking a total of $29,950,273 in Restore New York grant funds for an overall demolition effort that is estimated to cost $62,289,000.  Once secured, the funds will help demolish 939 vacant residential properties and 5 vacant commercial properties.

“The Restore New York Communities Initiative will enable Buffalo to aggressively target demolition worthy structures for neighborhood revitalization efforts and economic development purposes,” said Mayor Brown. “Our application’s strong focus on demolishing blighted and vacant residential structures, many of which are Municipal Bond Bank Authority (MBBA) properties, is reflective of my strong belief that our economic future is dependent on removing this blight.”

The City’s funding request divides the future demolition effort into two distinct projects. The first is devoted to the City’s East Side 2020 Project (PROJECT 1), which will allow the City to target neighborhoods in the poorest areas of the city. Buffalo’s East Side has deteriorated incredibly over the past three decades with 40% of its population living well below the poverty line and 28% of its structures vacant, dilapidated and in need of demolition. Residential demolitions are essential to facilitate the rebound of these neighborhoods, such as Central Terminal Restoration Project, Saint Stanislaus Gardens Housing Revitalization Plan and Crescent Village Housing Project, several newly renovated Buffalo Public School sites, Fredrick Law Olmsted’s MLK Park Improvement Plan, NYS “Main Street Grant” Target Area, and lastly the East Delavan Neighborhood Plan’s Gateway Implementation Strategy.

The Economic Development through Livable Communities Project (PROJECT 2) targets nine of twelve existing Livable Communities identified through the Mayor’s Livable Communities Initiative: A Housing Strategy for the City of Buffalo, New York. The Project encompasses a number of neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo that have been slowly deteriorating due to a lack of investment over the past few decades. In addition, PROJECT 2 includes 5 commercial projects, including:

564   Dodge Street, a demolition to pave the way for affordable housing.  The project partner is the Community Action
        Organization.

640   Ellicott, a renovation of the Trico Building, to leverage funds committed by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

351   Grider, a demolition of a badly deteriorated building within a religious compound.

202   Walden, a former manufacturing facility

537   E Delavan, also a former manufacturing facility.

The goals of the Restore New York Program are fully aligned with the City’s Strategic Plan and Mayor Brown’s “5 in 5” Demolition Plan to demolish 5,000 of Buffalo’s blighted and vacant structures within five years. 

Buffalo has the highest percentage of these types of structures statewide and among the highest in the nation.  Recently referred to by the New York Times as “the scourge” of the City, this high stock of blighted vacant property destabilizes neighborhoods, is a source of crime and arson, and deters individuals, families and businesses from locating and investing in the City.  The high incidence of these properties corresponds to the City’s high rate of poverty, (second in the nation according to latest census figures) and the commensurately high rate of foreclosures.

“The preparation of this 4,000 plus page application was a gargantuan undertaking that involved the focused efforts of six city departments over a seven week period,” said Richard M. Tobe, Commissioner, Department of Economic Development Permit and Inspection Services. “I am pleased that we have produced a very compelling case to demolish over 900 properties in the City along with two high profile and high impact restoration projects. Buffalo will be a safer, stronger and more prosperous City with these funds.”
 
The grant requirement was a 10% match, but the City of Buffalo and its partners (BNMC, CAO) will provide 52% match, more than a 1 to 1 ratio, indicating the City's commitment to revitalize neighborhoods, induce economic development, and improve the municipal housing stock.

“Our application also reflects our priority to pave the way for new industry and businesses to locate and expand within the City,” said Mayor Brown.  “To this end, targeted demolition and rehabilitation of industrial structures with planned development projects in place are also included in this application.”