Western New York Senators Antoine Thompson and William Stachowski yesterday joined the ranks of state legislators signing on as co-sponsors of the "Bigger, Better" rehabilitation stimulus bill introduced in the state legislature earlier this month. Introduced as A6471 in the Assembly by Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, and as S2960 in the State Senate by Senator Valesky of Syracuse, this bill stands ready to turn the abundant supply of old buildings in communities all over Upstate New York into a "cash crop" to stimulate reinvestment and economic development. The story of how that came to be in Rhode Island was told at the recent Syracuse summit organized by "ReInvest New York" where this year's stepped-up effort to push for a similar program in New York was launched.
"I am very proud to co-sponsor this legislation; I believe it will assist with the continued redevelopment of blighted historic structures, ushering in a new renaissance for our historic and architectural treasures. It will also help to create jobs, return property to the tax rolls, and increase adjacent property values," Thompson said.
With the recent change in majority in the State Senate,
Thompson has moved up in the ranks and has close ties to the new majority
leader, Malcolm Smith. "His rapid
rise comes as no surprise to those of us who have known him since early on,"
Preservation Architect Clint Brown told me. The senator has been developing a reputation as a friend of
the environment, championing initiatives to clean up brownfields and create
"green-collar" jobs. Clint told me
that the senator sees support of preservation as another way to support the
environment. That has certainly
been the experience in Rhode Island, where a majority of the projects supported
by that state's model historic preservation tax credit program have also
provided direct environmental benefits such as cleanup of toxic materials,
asbestos removal, and lead abatement.
Sam Hoyt welcomed Senator Thompson's support, saying, "It is great that Senator
Thompson has joined us in the fight to stimulate the economy through an improved
rehabilitation program for historic properties. Support in the Senate on this issue will be vital
to its enactment into law. And when enacted, this law will be a huge boost to our struggling
upstate cities."
Senator William Stachowski of Lakeview said, "as a co-sponsor of this important legislation, "I support the effort to create economic stimulus and community redevelopment, especially in Western New York. Many historic buildings in upstate are vacant, underutilized and deteriorating. By providing a tax credit for the rehabilitation of these properties, we can encourage their restoration to their former beauty and build up many distressed neighborhoods."
Senator Stachowski is Chairman of the New York State Senate
Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, and a strong
supporter of initiatives to improve Buffalo such as the UB 2020 plan, and the
Seneca Street improvements in South Buffalo. Last year, he joined with Senator Thompson and three other
Upstate senators to organize the Senate Democratic Upstate Caucus.
The Buffalo News also weighed in, calling the measure, "...a stronger bill with more effective incentive levels, which at the same time gives more fiscal cost certainty to New York State." The News concluded, "The rehab tax incentive concept holds promise for renewing time-damaged neighborhoods in places like Buffalo and some of its surrounding communities. That rejuvenation means not only jobs but economic redevelopment at very local levels through construction starts, job creation and putting buildings back into reuse. This year's bill does a good job of meeting economic stimulus goals while not making the program too expensive for the state."
If this program is enacted, Buffalo is poised to put it to
use immediately. The Preservation
League of New York State noted that projects such as the Cooperage on the
waterfront, the Kamman Building in the Hydraulics, and proposed lofts at AM&A's downtown would be able to put this program to work immediately--enabling the
projects to either launch, or accelerate their timetables.
According to Daniel Mackay, Director of Public Policy for
the Preservation League of New York State, folks
in Western New York can show their support for this program by sending letters
to the editor of the Buffalo News, encouraging their local assemblymember or
state senator to co-sponsor this measure (if they haven't signed on already),
and letting Senate Majority Leader and President Pro Tem Malcolm Smith and Assembly
Speaker Silver how important this legislation is to projects in Buffalo and
Western New York.
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