Developers seeking to save Empire Zones

[Enough]

Developers seeking to save Empire Zones
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/572266.html

The thing I don't understand is this.......

If Empire Zones are so important and designed to spur development in "blighted" areas how come government doesn't take advantage of them?

Why does the government build on prime real estate like that new ugly county building downtown and the new Federal Courthouse? If "they" were so concerned they would put those buildings up in the "blighted areas" they are trying to resurrect!

I think Empire Zones lost all credibility when the Town of Tonawanda "sold" theirs to Amherst for Geico. I don't think they were intended to be "sold", but could be convinced otherwise if there's something I'm no thinking of...

[nickelcityhomes]

Empire zones were not designed to increase jobs or economic well being. They are simply another government welfare program to redirect money into the hands of the politically connected.

Why does the government build on prime real estate like that new ugly county building downtown and the new Federal Courthouse? If "they" were so concerned they would put those buildings up in the "blighted areas" they are trying to resurrect!

This strikes close to my heart. One of the best restaurants in downtown Buffalo, Pho 99, lost their building via eminent domain to clear a space for the new fed courthouse. A bowl of pho that dwarfs the competition in Toronto used to be available downtown. Now you have to drive to Bailey & Rounds for the same bowl. At the same time this was happening there were stable Vietnamese communities reinventing the Niagara corridor from Albany St to Porter Ave. Removing Pho 99 from the landscape struck a nail into their private unsubsidized redevelopment efforts. The Vietnamese community's efforts to reach critical mass were significantly curtailed by the feds land taking. But this should not come as any surprise. Vietnamese restaurants do not hire union workers, nor do they regularly contribute money to political campaigns. They were the path of least resistance and got bulldozed by bureaucracy.

[therising]

Empire zones were not designed to increase jobs or economic well being. They are simply another government welfare program to redirect money into the hands of the politically connected.
.

Anyone who locates in an Empire Zone can apply for the benefits. Virtually everyone is accepted.

So, on what basis, did you come up with the above statement?

[WNYresident]

Anyone who locates in an Empire Zone can apply for the benefits. Virtually everyone is accepted.

So, on what basis, did you come up with the above statement?

It's stupid.

Be relocating you are just making another space empty in Erie County. What's the point.. There is no point.

NOW it would help if we could get a company from OUTSIDE of Erie County to move to Erie County. Well as long as they don't take dollars away from other local business already established in erie county. That would be stupid too. But wait We elected a lot of stupid in albany so we should expect nothing less

You know who benefits the most? People selling the building or building the building to the people relocating. That's about it.

[nickelcityhomes]

Anyone who locates in an Empire Zone can apply for the benefits. Virtually everyone is accepted.

So, on what basis, did you come up with the above statement?

Res said it in few words ...

You know who benefits the most? People selling the building or building the building to the people relocating. That's about it.

[WNYresident]

Res said it in few words ...

They won't admit but they will support it. It's not illegal so it's ok if it can cause more harm to the community than it helps.

[therising]

I see that you both have much more experience that I ever will, so I will defer to your judgment.

[WNYresident]

I see that you both have much more experience that I ever will, so I will defer to your judgment.

Seriously,

What is the point of moving a company from buffalo to lancaster etc and offer incentives to do so? Some areas they move people to are not "economically" challenged. It's empty cheap green space.

[Save Us]

Seriously,

What is the point of moving a company from buffalo to lancaster etc and offer incentives to do so? Some areas they move people to are not "economically" challenged. It's empty cheap green space.

How can you ever win when you compete against yourself?

[WNYresident]

How can you ever win when you compete against yourself?

Good point. Its like when developers get any incentives at all to build a strip mall. They put a "gateway" computer store into that little strip mall that gets a "incentive" but any local little guy like me loses sales. Yet my landlord pays full property taxes... Now that section of building where gateway was is now empty.

Go down union road around walden toward the mall. Look at the vacant buildings. Quite a few.