BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Rep Brian Higgins (D-South Buffalo) has unveiled a priority list of projects which he believes should be funded through the federal relicensing agreement brokered with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) nearly a decade ago, and which has provided millions of dollars to the region.
Standing near Canalside, which was largely developed with funds from the settlement, Higgins noted that we are nearly half way through 20-year agreement, which provides $8.4 million annually to the region.
“To date, $62 million has been spent, and what remains is $92 million,” he said, in urging that plans be put in place now to allocate the remaining future funds.
To that end, Higgins is recommending the funding of six projects in particular, totaling $40 million.
They are:
- The North Aud Block which nearly a decade after the old arena was demolished, remains an empty pit in the middle of Canalside, and not the residential and commercial neighborhood with cobblestone streets as has been envisioned.
- The DL&W Corridor where the vision is to transform the former rail line along the Buffalo River into a multi-use trail.
- The redevelopment of the now barren Michigan Pier along the outer harbor.
- Further improvements to the Erie Basin Marina, to bring it up to date and make it more attractive to visitors
- Further buildout of exhibit and event space at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Servicemen’s Park.
- And a pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Silo City to the Outer Harbor.
- According to Higgins, there is a common thread among his list of priority projects.
“These are all projects that are fundamentally consistent with as to why these monies were secured in the first place, and that was to build to construct waterfront access projects for the people of Buffalo and Western New York,” he said.
However, there is another common thread among most of them, in that it will be up to the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) as to whether the proposal become reality.
"It's a good list," said ECHDC Chairman Robert Gioia. "I think the congressman's list is very comprehensive, and there's some very interesting ideas."
Gioia said he agrees with Higgins that the Aud block has remained for far too long a hole in the ground, but says the ECHDC can only do so much at a time, while noting that it has several other construction projects now underway.
Gioia added that plans for the Aud block, while delayed, have not changed and that the ECHDC soon hopes to formally request proposals for its development.
Before that, however, Gioia says efforts will be made to try and make it less unsightly before visitors begin flocking to Canalside again this summer.