Meeting highlights include: 1) Creation of a Medical Corridor Resident Advisory Committee 2) Designation of St. John Community Development Corporation ("CDC") as the developer of 50 City-owned parcels of land located in the Ellicott District. St. John CDC is proposing to construct 17 energy efficient townhomes on the sites as part of an overall project to build a total of 49 townhouses.
The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Delaware District Council Member Michael J. LoCurto and Majority Leader and Masten District Council Member Demone A. Smith supporting New York State ("NYS") Senate Bill #S2353-A and NYS Assembly Bill #A612-A, which would amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law to allow the City of Buffalo to adjudicate traffic infractions, which are presently adjudicated by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Passage of the Bills would benefit the City of Buffalo by allowing the City to participate in and receive traffic infraction revenue, providing the City with an opportunity to implement a system that would allow traffic violators to have the option of a plea bargain, and permitting all traffic related violations to be adjudicated in a single and convenient location.
The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ellicott District Council Member Darius G. Pridgen supporting the creation of a Medical Corridor Resident Advisory Committee consisting of volunteers who would function as a liaison between medical corridor developers, residents and the Ellicott District Council Member. During the past 10 years, major expansions of Kaleida Health and Roswell Park Cancer Institute have created a medical corridor in a community which has endured great economic hardship. Recently, property values within the region bounded by Best Street, Main Street, Cherry Street and Jefferson Avenue have increased dramatically due to the area's proximity to the medical corridor. With new opportunities continuing to arise for development and business in the vicinity of the medical corridor, residents have begun to voice concerns about the inconsistent information that they are receiving from developers as well as the lack of actual community input into development plans. The Medical Corridor Resident Advisory Committee will be composed of members that are elected annually from each street within the region bounded by Best Street, Main Street, Cherry Street, and Jefferson Avenue. In the event that a street fails to elect a volunteer to serve as a Committee Member, the Ellicott District Council Member will appoint a resident of such street to serve.
The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ellicott District Council Member Darius G. Pridgen amending the Common Council Rules of Order to include a formal orientation process for newly elected and/or appointed Council Members and their staff. This orientation process will begin no later than seven business days after a Council Member is sworn into office and will be conducted by the Council Majority Leader. The purpose of this orientation is to familiarize new Council Members and their staff with the duties and responsibilities associated with their positions as well as to provide information that they will need for managing their Common Council District office. The resolution also directs the Common Council Chief of Staff and City Clerk to prepare an orientation manual to be distributed to newly elected and/or appointed Council Members and their respective staff as part of such orientation.
The Council approved a resolution sponsored by Fillmore District Council Member David A. Franczyk dedicating the property located at 828 South Division Street as a City of Buffalo park to be used solely for park purposes. This property is owned by the City of Buffalo but is currently listed as municipal parkland for assessment purposes only. Formally dedicating this property as a park will allow 828 South Division Street to be included in the City's park inventory for the use and enjoyment of City residents.
The Council approved a resolution sponsored by Niagara District Council Member David A. Rivera requesting that the Department of Public Works waive all garbage tote fees for the use of Broderick Park by Buffalo United Front for its June 23rd and 24th for 2012 "Family Fishing Day" event. Buffalo United Front is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reduce youth violence while providing young people with exposure to positive experiences in the community. "Family Fishing Day" was established in 2008 to teach children about fishing.
The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Council President and Lovejoy District Council Member Richard A. Fontana waiving usage fees for the Machina Center for the Willett Street Block Club for the year 2012. The Willett Street Block Club is a newly formed community group focused on addressing the needs and concerns of the residents of Willett Street and the surrounding area.
The Council approved an amendment to Chapter 263, sections 263.39 through 263.40, of the Code of the City of Buffalo, sponsored by North District Council Member Joseph Golombek, Jr. This legislation states the requirements for operating licensed businesses within the City of Buffalo and provides that any person, firm, corporation or other entity violating the provisions of Chapter 263 or operating without a required City license shall be immediately closed by order of the Buffalo Police Department or the Department of Permit and Inspection Services.
Upon the recommendation of the Department of Permit & Inspection Services, the Council approved the following license and permit applications:
• Delaware District
Restaurant Dance License
Mr. Goodbar, located at 1108 Elmwood Avenue
Permit to Erect 1 Story Addition for Take-out Restaurant with an Outdoor Café
D. Sutton, agent of the property located at 1049 Elmwood Avenue
• Ellicott District
Restaurant Dance License
Bayou, located at 67 West Chippewa Street
Bottoms Up V LLC, located at 67 West Chippewa Street
Club W Inc., located at 199 Delaware Avenue
Big Bad Wolf, located at 234 Delaware Avenue
Social, located at 228 Franklin Street
Food Store License
Quick Mart, located at 468 Niagara Street
• Fillmore District
Permit for an Awning
La Tee Da Café Inc., located at 206 Allen Street
Lodging House License
Muhammad Sadruzzaman, owner of the property located at 825 Fillmore Avenue
Karen Scherer, owner of the property located at 850 Sycamore Street
• Masten District
Restaurant Dance License
New Golden Nugget, located at 2046 Fillmore Avenue
• University District
Permit for a Freestanding Sign
J. Fletcher, agent of the property located at 2515 Bailey Avenue
The Council denied the following license application:
• Fillmore District
Food Store License
Broadway Mart, located at 1069 Broadway
• Upon the request of the Mayor of the City of Buffalo, the Council:
Approved a one year extension of the City's leasing arrangements with the Buffalo Bisons through March 31, 2013. This extension includes a one-time only provision not included in prior lease extensions, whereby the City will reimburse the Bisons for an additional $150,000 for utility costs. Consistent with past lease extensions, the City will pay for stadium property damage insurance and will continue to provide refuse collection and water at the stadium.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning ("OSP"), the Council:
Authorized the designation of St. John Community Development Corporation ("CDC") as the developer of 50 City-owned parcels of land located in the Ellicott District. St. John CDC is proposing to construct 17 energy efficient townhomes on the sites as part of an overall project to build a total of 49 townhouses. The fair market value of the properties is $80,500. St. John CDC previously built 28 townhouse units (lead image) on several Fruitbelt steets five years ago (see below).
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Administration, Finance, Policy & Urban Affairs, the Council: Authorized the Division of Purchase to enter into an Inter-Municipal Agreement with the Buffalo Board of Education to supply food for the Buffalo Police Department City Court Lock Up. The Division of Purchase had originally solicited a formal Request for Proposals ("RFP") in the open market for the supply of meals at the Lock Up, but ultimately determined that the Board of Education could supply this service significantly cheaper to the City while still meeting all Department of Justice Guidelines.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Fire, the Council:
Authorized the Department of Fire to accept grant funding in an amount up to $281,693 from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. The objective of the grant program through which this money is being administered is to prevent terrorist attacks and to help the Department prepare for, respond to and recover from man-made and natural disasters.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Police ("BPD"), the Council:
Authorized BPD to use New York State Homeland Security UASI Funds to purchase a Command Bus vehicle. This vehicle will be used within all five of the City's Police Districts and by BPD specialty squads, during all festivals and large community events, and during emergency crisis situations that include natural and man-made disasters. This vehicle will serve as an "on-scene" mobile command post to coordinate public safety measures.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works ("DPW"), the Council approved the following contract change orders:
The contract with Nussbaumer & Clarke, Inc., for the Broderick Park Master Plan Project, was increased by $4,970 for additional services related to evaluating the reuse of the existing Concession Building, including site visit and report preparation. The contract was initially awarded in the amount of $63,000 and with this change the contract will increase to $67,970.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works ("DPW"), the Council:
Authorized DPW to hire an engineering consultant to provide architectural and engineering services for various projects throughout the City of Buffalo including 725 Humboldt Park, the Buffalo & Erie Historical Society, the Police Radio Annex, Shea's Performing Arts Center, the Seneca Babcock Community Center, Cazenovia Casino and Marcy Casino. It is estimated that the costs for these consulting services will not exceed $300,000 and the consultant will be chosen through a Request for Qualification ("RFQ") process.
• Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, the Council approved the following reports of bids:
Of the bids that were received for the 60 Hedley Place Reconstruction - Phase 2 Project, Greater Niagara Mechanical was the lowest, with a bid of $172,300.
• The Council appointed the following individual as a Marriage Officer within the City of Buffalo:
Michael P. Kearns
• The Council accepted the appointment of the following individuals to positions within various City of Buffalo Departments at the base salary:
Office of the City Clerk
Clerk
Tanika Hubbard
Department of Public Works
Senior First Class Stationary Engineer
Richard Veroba
Edward Anken
Laborer II - Seasonal
Delano Fabor
For any questions, concerns, or further information regarding the above, please contact your District Council Member, the Common Council Legislative Staff Office, or the respective City Department.
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To view the final Common Council Meeting agenda and/or supporting communications, please visit the City of Buffalo website at
BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL
David A. Franczyk
Fillmore District
1315 City Hall
851-4138
David A. Rivera
President Pro Tempore
Niagara District
1504 City Hall
851-5125
Richard A. Fontana
Majority Leader
Lovejoy District
1414 City Hall
851-5151
Michael J. LoCurto
Delaware District
1405 City Hall
851-5155
Darius G. Pridgen
Ellicott District
1408 City Hall
851-4980
Demone A. Smith
Masten District
1316-A City Hall
851-5145
Joseph Golombek, Jr.
North District
1502 City Hall
851-5116
David A. Franczyk
Fillmore District
1315 City Hall
851-4138
David A. Rivera
President Pro Tempore
Niagara District
1504 City Hall
851-5125
Richard A. Fontana
Majority Leader
Lovejoy District
1414 City Hall
851-5151
Michael J. LoCurto
Delaware District
1405 City Hall
851-5155
Darius G. Pridgen
Ellicott District
1408 City Hall
851-4980
Demone A. Smith
Masten District
1316-A City Hall
851-5145
Joseph Golombek, Jr.
North District
1502 City Hall
851-5116
South District
1401 City Hall
851-5169
Bonnie E. Russell
University District
1508 City Hall
851-5165
Common Council Legislative Staff Office
1413 City Hall
851-5105
1401 City Hall
851-5169
Bonnie E. Russell
University District
1508 City Hall
851-5165
Common Council Legislative Staff Office
1413 City Hall
851-5105
James N. Jackson
Legislative Assistant
City of Buffalo Common Council
1413 City Hall
Buffalo, NY 14202
Buffalo gets it wrong again....
- Recently, property values within the region bounded by Best Street, Main Street, Cherry Street and Jefferson Avenue have increased dramatically due to the area's proximity to the medical corridor.-
This is a good thing for the city. Higher values = higher taxes. Higher taxes = more money for schools and the overall community.
Subsidized housing hurts property tax values. Subsidized housing either brings a neighborhood down or is a weight from pulling it up. That is sadly a fact and for those of you who will be upset with that comment...how about some subsidized housing right on Elmwood right in the heart of the village?
It is one thing to allow property owners to ride the waves of increased property values. Good for them in sticking it out in the fruit belt. But this is not the mission of Pridgen and Co. They want to build taxpayer supported properties for those who are not able to buy in one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city.
I know these projects are great for elections but they are bad for the community long term.
I am also not saying they should not be constructed. I am just saying you do not create anchors in one of the few neighborhoods that is rising.
On a residential level what makes this area hot? Nothing, totaly not trendy. If anyone thought that, people would of started wonderful renovations years ago. I have many friends who work in the Medical Campus. They do not leave for lunch and certainly do not want to live in THAT area. It's a shame that the Campus is well on it's way to be an invisable gated community of sorts. That end of Allentown is the pits and uninviting and then the fruitbelt on the other side. Yea, real hot area. More like "hot goods" for sale.
Maybe we'd leave if there was someplace to eat besides Ulrich's. Unless their is a food truck there, it's a hike to get to someplace for a cheap lunch. It's a mile+ roundtrip to get to Allen and Delaware area to eat and where are you eating once there?. Get some decent pizza/sub/sandwich places within a 10 min walk and maybe we'd leave
What makes it hot? Hundreds of millions in investments. Blight is replaced with new. More people on the medical campus = a safer community = a safer bet to invest.
What you're looking for is the effects of a hot market. What others are talking about is the potential of a hot market. The difference is the person who looks for the former pays the inflated price. The person who looks for the latter makes the profit.
True, but other than on the campus there is next to no development to date. I do not see Allen street property's being snapped up and being turned into destination points or on the other side in the Fruit belt. That type of development should of been started by now. Again, invisable gated community to date.
Being a landlord within walking distance of the BNMC I find your comments about the area to not reflect what's really going on. If you own a property in that area, I'd buy it from you. Do you have one to sell?
I own a home in the area off Allen. When I see Doctors and other staff restoring homes along with restaurants, coffee shops and other retail opening and the streets teaming with life at lunch and the evening hours I will change my tune. Until then this end of Allentown is still a filthy embarrassment of the worst sort and the Fruit Belt, well that speaks for itself. Now if the Trico went into a conversion and we saw another 100 or so apartments and condos going in, then we would probably see an up tick. You Mr benfranklin are probably the type of old school Buffalonian that if 1 house gets painted the area is on an upswing and the real estate is hot.
ladyinwhite> They do not leave for lunch and certainly do not want to live in THAT area. It's a shame that the Campus is well on it's way to be an invisable gated community of sorts.
Development in the medical corridor benefits the region, but, yeah, it hasn't really brought much to the immediately adjacent neighborhoods.
The situation isn't much different than with the Cleveland Clinic a few hours away. The Clinic's longtime presence and recent construction boom has had only a very limited impact on the adjacent Hough and Fairfax neighborhoods. There's been some limited redevelopment, but no influx of Clinic employees. Ministers, community leaders, and others that feel a sense of obligation to live in the area make up most of the new residents.
http://g.co/maps/j4j7w
if and when buy-in does come from upper-income campus employees, it will probably be those arriving from big cities where housing costs 10 times what it does here.
these are the people who are used to multiethnic neighborhoods. they'll take a look at the fruit belt and say, "i can own a victorian cottage with a porch and a yard? walking distance from work? and fix it up for a tenth of my rent in new york/boston/toronto? sweeeeeet!"
maybe there won't be a flood of them but there will be a trickle. eventually it will grow.
> if and when buy-in does come from upper-income campus employees, it will probably be those arriving from big cities where housing costs 10 times what it does here.
IF someone is coming from NYC or Boston, more desirable neighborhoods like Allentown, Elmwood Village and North Buffalo will also seem extraordinarily cheap by their standards. Plus, those neighborhoods have the benefit of safety, good schools, services in a short walking distance, and vibrant street life. None of that is in the Fruit Belt.
The economic forces that drive gentrification are complex and nuanced. Being near a workplace isn't enough. Gentrification is usually driven when there's a demand for urban living, but housing in what are seen as desirable urban neighborhoods is unfordable to most. More affordable second-tier neighborhoods will see an influx of young professionals; the equivalent of places like North Buffalo and Parkside. Once those areas gentrify and become unaffordable, it's on to the third-tier choices; the equivalent of South Buffalo, Kaisertown, University Heights, or maybe the Vernon Triangle area. Very distressed and urban prairie areas and similar to the Fruit Belt only see signification market-rate investment and gentrification in the world's most expensive housing markets; NYC, London, and so on.
Buffalo's cheap housing has kept the process of gentrification slow for the past 40-plus years. Allentown has been "up and coming" since the 1960s, and it's still quite rough around the edges. Same thing with similar neighborhoods in Cleveland (Tremont, Ohio City).
TL/DR: Being close to work won't overcome the catastrophic problems of nearby neighborhoods, unless housing in the region is astronomically priced.
Downvote away.
Why does the gay area of Allen have to look so seedy? I know Q rents, so maybe it's lazy landlords, or landlords without the cash to make improvements. Also I know the residential building next to Q has had a hard time selling (?). I don't blame people for not buying it. Pearl between Allen and Virginia used to be bookended by crack buildings.
Then again, torontos gaybourhood gives the same vibe. Lame.
To people owning property in the area, the houses look great : ). I'm just speaking of that two blocks of Allen.