That's great new for Center City, an area I've always felt deserves a LOT more credit than given. The 10-year tax abatement has also worked wonders in Columbus. After just 5 years, downtown Columbus has seen in excess of 5,000 residential units added. Most of them have been developed in vacant warehouses, on surface parking lots, and even an office tower converted.

Buffalo has so much potential for residential, commercial, cultural and technological development.....

Its a lack of unification of will!

The politicians hold back the city with laws and patronage

The teachers unions hold back the schools (making past, present and future generations ignorant and unable to handle change)

Every project in Buffalo gets held up....and adds to the pile of pessimism and cynicism.

Tax Abatements are one aspect

Taking the Casino revenue off Budget so the unions cant get ahold of it is another.

Adding seed money to local college incubators to keep the patents marketed in the Buffalo Niagara area is another

BUT AS I HAVE LONG FEARED THERE IS A FRONTAL ATTACK BY THE SENECAS AGAINST BUFFALOS HOTEL AND CONVENTION INDUSTRY. DIDNT ANYONE READ THE ADDED LAND THE SENECAS ARE BUYING IS FOR A FUTURE 250 ROOM HOTEL WITH BANQUET AND CONVENTION CAPABILITY!

its scary how this city fails to anticipate the future and safeguard its interests for present and future generations.

its scary how few people care but then its hard to have time to care when Buffalo is one of the poorest cities in the country.

Well, enough said.....I support this plan....along with all the other plans that are tabled for implementation

One of the strengths of the central-Philadelphia housing revival has been its attraction to the city of New Yorkers-- including lots of artists and craftsmen-- who can no longer afford to live in New York City, and who, in the case of the artists and craftsmen, cannot afford the kinds and sizes of studio space in New York that they need. Of course, Philadelphia is connected by pretty good, regular train service to New York City, but in terms of living costs and space, Buffalo could compete for this type of resident, if the city government had the will and imagination. Maybe someday, after the departure of the current national mindset, with its excessive promotion of suburban, interstate, gas-guzzling values, this country will again have a passenger rail system worthy of a civilized nation, and an artist's trip between Buffalo and New York will be a convenient pleasure.

Buffalo is far behind in not producing an as-of-right tax abatement for development in targeted areas (if not the city as a whole). This should certainly be pursued. I have an uneasy cynicism that makes me think it has not been because that would make tax breaks one less tool for politicians to hold over the heads of (their favored) developers.

Another aspect of taxing strategy buffalo needs to enact to end land speculation is the use of land-value-taxation. Or how about a vacant building/vacant lot tax, or an asphalt tax?... We need both the carrot and the stick to turn things around.

This is doable. Wait till the cranes start dotting the skyline this year: Court Street, Health Now, Federal Courthouse, Casino, Bass Pro, waterfront. In the shadow of those structures, mid-size, residential development will continue. An infectious development craze, large and small, will proliferate the area in ways not seen since the early 20th century. I am convinved of this.

These tax abatements make so much sense because without the develop,ment that they attract you would not have been collecting the taxes anyway. So why not forgo the tax you will not collect anyway and attract in the people that can make the whole city more valuable.

tax breaks will never happen...these politicians are too greedy and cant see past the abatements...they feel theyll be missing money...so so sad. Cheers from Las Vegas...

Stupid & greedy!

Such a losing combination! When will these dinosaurs move to Florida & get out of the way?