BUFFALO, N.Y. — Big plans are brewing at St. Luke's Mission of Mercy, and on Tuesday the organization announced who will be heading it all.
Buffalo City Mission CEO and Executive Director Stuart Harper is leaving the organization to be the president of "Build Promise."
He says he's excited about the challenge and that the site is crucial.
"Not only a shelter for men, because the shelter space in Buffalo is pretty much full every night, and there's still a lot of men that are living in warehouses or living in their cars or in other inappropriate places to live. So by having a hundred plus beds here in our emergency shelter will be a real game changer, " Harper said.
St. Luke's wants to build a new emergency shelter and care center for those facing poverty and addiction. It's planned to go up on Sycamore Street, right across from the Mission's main building on Buffalo's East Side.
The 21,000 square foot building will feature an industrial-sized kitchen to serve over 600 people a day.
They hope to open in 2023.