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Home > Leadership > Mayor > Spotlight On Buffalo

Spotlight On Buffalo

Buffalo ranked as the 3rd cleanest city in the nation “With the help of environmental quality bonds and Superfund dollars, Buffalo has made great strides in containing and cleaning up brownfields and contaminated sites.”

  • Reader’s Digest , June 2008

City Honors High School named the nation’s 11th best public high school and 50th among all high schools in the United States

  • Newsweek, May 2008

Buffalo rated as the 39th best city to raise a family (257 cities analyzed in the United States).

  • Best Life, May 2008

Buffalo is the top Mid-Sized City arts destination in the United States. Buffalo beat out cities such as Scottsdale, AZ and Pittsburgh, PA for this recognition.

  • AmericanStyle, April 2008
Save Our Streets Task Force was recently named to American City & County magazine's list of the 2007 "America's Crown Communities".
  • American City & County, November 2007
Elmwood Village declared one of the 10 Great Neighborhoods in America
  • American Planning Association (APA), October 2007
Buffalo ranked as the top city America for cost of living standards.
  • Forbes, 2007
Buffalo declared the “Cookout Capital” of the Northeast
The ranking compares the top 100 metropolitan areas in the U.S., placing Buffalo at 14th nationally, and 1st regionally.
Buffalo named an All-American City "…the All-America City Award is the 'Oscar' for communities of all sizes," National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortés. "[This award] recognizes the efforts of entire communities and exemplifies extensive civic engagement. When people attend the event for the first time, they are energized by the can-do spirit, excitement and optimism of the participants. The spirit of community-pride and unlimited possibility is contagious."- National Civic league website.
  • National Civic League
2008 Excellence in Public-Private Partnership Award Buffalo and American Water were recognized for their partnership and subsequent improvements to the city’s water system. “After six years of working with American Water, the City of Buffalo recognizes $21 million in savings through operational and financial improvements. The public-private partnership between the City of Buffalo and American Water has made significant improvement’s to the city’s water system, including the complete automation of customer records, the design and construction of a brand new customer service center and a new computerized maintenance and management system,” New York State Municipal Bulletin.
  • U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.
Quotable Quotes:
Buffalo was “…recognized for its Save Our Streets Campaign to eliminate crime, vacant buildings and drug houses while expanding human services.”
  • American City & County
“While Toronto talks endlessly about revamping its waterfront, Buffalo – yes, that Buffalo, is already hard at work on a $1 billion (U.S.) renewal scheme.”
  • Murray Whyte, Toronto Star, May 2007
“…this is a city of culinary anomalies that serves up a straightforward, comforting, proudly regional cuisine. Existing as it does outside the coastal orbit of the modern urban trendsetters is what makes the city special.”
  • Paul Goldsmith, Southwest Airlines Spirit, October 2006
“The city is a testament to the enduring majesty of America’s great architectural styles.”
  • Paul Goldsmith, Southwest Airlines Spirit, October 2006