BUFFALO, N.Y. — While various tributes marked this six-month date since the May 14th Tops shooting, there was also the effort to look ahead for ways to rebuild the affected area.
The state has already announced various initiatives and today Governor Kathy Hochul was in Buffalo to emphasize that work.
Flanked by architectural renderings on big screens, the now newly elected Governor Kathy Hochul tried to project her vision for a newly revitalized East Buffalo.
While we have heard of many of these projects before and some were even in the works before the Tops shooting tragedy, they have become prioritized in Albany and here in Buffalo.
Governor Hochul told those assembled at the Matt Urban Center that "It's all about redevelopment, new development, job creation, job retention, and economic housing, food security, as well as housing. Costs are getting too high in Buffalo - we have the mission of continuing to build out our housing inventory for affordable housing."
They have ranged from more development at iconic community symbols like the Broadway Market and the Central Terminal to new phases of work at the Northland Avenue and Michigan Street corridors.
And on top of that, there is the state's decision to specifically earmark $10 million dollars for the Broadway - Fillmore District. Hochul told reporters, "This ten million dollar is on top of that as talk about places like the lawn at the Central Terminal and Broadway Market and streetscapes and affordable housing and so many other great projects. Because I truly believe this community has not truly achieved its full potential."
And perhaps a prime example of that is the property on Broadway now up for lease as a future supermarket. Broadway - Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski says, "The owner has not told me who that person will be - the operator would be in particular - but they're moving through municipal approvals to build it out to be a supermarket in the 800 block - 900 block of Broadway."
Nowakowski added "When you're talking about this neighborhood - a lot of them are relying on public transportation and walking. So to have somewhere truly accessible as a supermarket will be transformational to those folks in their lives."
And with the idea of this specific $10 million from the state as seed money, Hochul expects there could be another $30 to 40 million dollars in private development investment in this council district.