New York Secretary of State Vazquez, Senator Bill Stachowski and Mayor Brown Annouce Brownfields Revitalization Initiative for South Buffalo

April 23, 2009

NEW YORK SECRETARY OF STATE VAZQUEZ, SENATOR BILL STACHOWSKI AND MAYOR BROWN ANNOUCE BROWNFIELDS REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE FOR SOUTH BUFFALO
 

Buffalo chosen as one of three “Spotlight Communities”
As part of a state-wide tour, New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez joined Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Senate Economic Development Committee Chairman Bill Stachowski (D58th) and Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Antoine Thompson to announce the state’s Brownfields Smart Growth “Spotlight Communities” Initiative.

This initiative is designed to advance, through a state-local partnership, how existing state programs can support and complement local efforts to redevelop brownfields and simultaneously achieve neighborhood revitalization and smart growth objectives.  Buffalo is one of three communities state-wide that has been selected to be a part of the “Spotlight Communities” Initiative.

The South Buffalo project was chosen due to the community’s united approach to redeveloping a large area once used by the steel manufacturing industry, but is now largely unproductive.  Extensive public input has led to community consensus for revitalization that allows for a balanced mix of land uses for development, habitat restoration and recreation, allowing for a higher potential to achieve sustainable economic growth over the long term.
 
Community participants and several state agencies on the Governor’s Smart Growth Cabinet were on hand at the announcement to discuss South Buffalo’s  re-development plans, tour key sites, and hear from local and state stakeholders. 
Governor David A. Paterson said: “The goal of the “Spotlight Communities” Initiative is to create jobs, stimulate economic investment, and spur public private partnerships in South Buffalo. The people of Buffalo have show great leadership in getting this project off the ground, and I believe that once this project is completed, South Buffalo will serve as a wonderful example in our state of how to plan healthy, vibrant and livable communities.”  
New York Secretary of State Cortés-Vázquez said:   “The South Buffalo project is the perfect example of Smart Growth planning at work -- a bottom-up process driven by the localities and supported by the state. This initiative is putting forward a coordinated state response to important revitalization in South Buffalo.”     
" The redevelopment and restoration of south Buffalo's brownfields is a critical step in bringing jobs back to western New York,” said Senator Stachowski. “My office has worked diligently to secure funding for the relocation of rail in that area and the clean up of the former steel manufacturing sites. The Brownfields Smart Growth initiative and workshop will help bring about the finalization of restoring this area of South Buffalo and once again making it a valuable and productive area of our waterfront."