Master plan to be unveiled
Buffalo's first master plan in more than 25 years calls for investing $3.1 billion in public and private funds over the next decade to build new housing, spur economic development, modernize schools and enhance "quality of life" in neighborhoods.
Mayor Anthony M. Masiello is scheduled to release a draft of the city's long-awaited comprehensive plan today, a development road map that is called "Queen City in the 21st Century."
Its goal is to reverse the city's population decline by "fixing the basics," building 500 new residential units a year and rehabilitating another 500 units. About 1,000 decaying properties would be torn down each year, although the plan also puts an emphasis on preserving landmark structures.
New "key investment corridors" would be identified to spur development along the waterfront, in the downtown core, South Buffalo and the East Side. Planners have red-flagged these areas as having the land, transportation and other amenities to support continued development in manufacturing, trade and other sectors.
But plan architects admit that implementing what some are dubbing Buffalo's "turnaround blueprint" faces formidable challenges, including lining up public and private financing to the tune of $314 million a year.
About $35 million of that would represent new capital investment from the public sector. The plan also faces scrutiny from a state control board that will be appointed soon to oversee Buffalo's shaky finances.
And even the most upbeat urban planning experts are warning that no one should expect dramatic progress in the next two or three years.
"You're not going to turn this ocean liner around that fast," said Robert G. Shibley, who heads the University at Buffalo urban design department and has worked closely with city officials on downtown planning initiatives.
Masiello was scheduled to meet this morning with the Common Council to review the 115-page document, then release details at a noon news conference. Masiello stressed that the plan remains in the draft stage and will be discussed at four upcoming public hearings. The Council, Planning Board and state control board must all approve the plan before it takes effect. Masiello said he thinks the document will provide a framework for developing a four-year financial plan that must be submitted to the control board in September.
The city's last master plan was drafted in the late 1970s, but officials said the document was never implemented and basically "sat on a shelf." Masiello, who has been in office since 1994, thinks the absence of a coordinated development strategy that prioritizes projects and sets clear objectives has impeded growth.
"I'm the leader of the city, and the buck stops with me. We haven't had a plan for a while, and we haven't had one for a whole lot of reasons," Masiello said Wednesday.
The plan projects that without "aggressive" efforts, Buffalo's population could drop to 250,000 or even lower by the year 2025. According to the 2000 census, Buffalo had 292,648 residents, a 37 percent decline since 1970.
The goal of the new development road map is to halt the population drain by 2010, and rebuild the city's population to 300,000 by 2025.
Administration officials have been working on the model for about 18 months, though some components have been in the planning stage since the late 1990s. Throughout most of last year, about 200 citizens clustered in numerous neighborhood-based "planning communities" helped to shape the long-term blueprint.
Many components of the plan have been foreshadowed by Masiello administration officials for months. In his annual State of the City speech in January, the mayor said the plan will embrace two broad goals. The first involves what Masiello described as "fixing the basics" - improving roads, maintaining parks, and concentrating on improved delivery of essential services.
The other objective aims to build on the city's existing assets, including ongoing waterfront development efforts, a citywide school modernization program and neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Some of the initiatives, including the $950 million schools upgrade, have already been budgeted and are included in the plan's $3.1 billion 10-year budget estimate.
Federal block grant funding and other outside revenues that the city typically receives each year have also been included. But Chuck Thomas, the city's deputy director of planning, said the plan also relies on $35 million in new capital investment from government entities - or $350 million over 10 years.
"It's ambitious, no doubt," said Thomas. "It's a big number. But it's not an undoable number."
Timothy E. Wanamaker, who became Buffalo's new strategic planning chief Monday, said he believes the comprehensive plan will help retain residents and businesses. But the former Prince George's County, Md., economic development specialist underscored the importance of forging partnerships among the city, other government entities and private companies.
Wanamaker and other officials say the "payback" for public investments will come in the form of private-sector investments that will create jobs and wealth. The plan projects more than $60 million in private investment annually.
Wanamaker described the development blueprint as a "strong plan" that focuses on enhancing quality of life and delivering key services.
"We really need to try to understand what people want, whether they be residents or business people, then fill those needs," he said.
Thomas stressed that the 10-year target is not set in stone.
"If takes 10 years, that's great. If it takes longer than that - say 15 years - then we'll just have to push forward our trends further," he said.
Other components of the plan:
Identifying five strategic development clusters downtown that offer the best potential for job growth. They are: the Erie Canal Harbor/Waterfront District, Government Center/Business District, Theater District, Education/Public Safety Campus and Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
An effort to concentrate rebuilding initiatives around public schools in neighborhoods, then designating some schools as "multiuse centers" with extended hours and flexible facilities.
Restoring the city's radial street pattern, which was developed in the early 1800s by Joseph Ellicott.
Enhanced maintenance and improvements of the city's famed Olmsted parks system, including parkways that snake through many neighborhoods.
Finding new uses for vacant lots and other open spaces.
Creating new "gateways" to mark the entrances to the city and downtown, including high-traffic corridors such as the Kensington Expressway and the Elm-Oak Arterial.
Evaluating the city's inventory of more than 400 buildings, with the goal of disposing of structures that are not needed.
The Good Neighbors Planning Alliance, a community-based planning initiative that has been helping city officials identify priorities, will hold four hearings in July to solicit public input on the plan.
The first will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the North Buffalo Community Center, 203 Sanders Road. The other meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the following days:
July 8, Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Parkway.
July 9, Mount Mercy Academy, 88 Red Jacket Parkway.
July 16, Waterfront Elementary School, 95 Fourth St.
The Masiello administration hopes to have the comprehensive plan approved by all authorizing bodies by the end of the year.
e-mail: bmeyer@buffnews.com
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