Matthew Brown's Church Plans $17M E-side Redevelopment

[kernwatch]

The timing of this announcement by former top-Masiello-aide (Rev) Matthew Brown is ironic. His Penticostal Temple Church of God in Christ at 618 Jefferson is in a deeply impoverished neighborhood.

The city is about to auction 4700 derelict & abandoned properties on Oct 20-22, many of them in this area. . . . . & the US is in the midst of a deep recession.

What is motivating all these far-away investors to bet on a deeply depressed neighborhood?

FROM Channel 2:

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story...61175&catid=37

Church Plans $17 Million Dollar Redevelopment on East Side
Posted By: kristin donnelly, last updated: 10/4/2008 7:45AM

An East Side Church is hoping to transform the old Buffalo Forge Plant into a $17 million dollar development. The plan is to add a community ampitheater, park, retail space and apartments.

"We need to make sure that as new homeowners are coming in, that we actually give them amenities of being in the neighborhood, the ability to walk to a place and grab a paper or cup of coffee to sit out in a pastural recreation place to see a community play," says Pastor Matthew Brown.

It could be a huge shot in the arm for a neighborhood starting to come back. Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ also just finished renovating it's own building and the city is just finishing new homes.

Kristin Donnelly asks, "Certainly you guys have a huge stake in this community... for developers who are going to be watching this can they make money?"

"For developers who are watching this, absolutely they can make money," Brown says, "We're not looking for a hand out, we're not looking for anyone to lose their shirt we're asking them to partner with us."

The first phase of the project includes a 1.7 million dollar renovation to the old Laux Sporting Goods store on Broadway. The building would be turned into offices and retail space with a place for community outreach. Matthew Brown says the money will come from donors and the private sector.

"I've been able to raise more money outside of Buffalo, New York than I have in my own town," Brown says, "It's coming from Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Los Angeles, California, but it has not come from Albany, New York or Downtown Buffalo."

To raise money for the development effort the church is also hosting a fundraiser, details are on it's website: http://www.pentecostaltemplechurch.com

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

The timing of this announcement by former top-Masiello-aide (Rev) Matthew Brown is ironic. His Penticostal Temple Church of God in Christ at 618 Jefferson is in a deeply impoverished neighborhood.

The city is about to auction 4700 derelict & abandoned properties on Oct 20-22, many of them in this area. . . . . & the US is in the midst of a deep recession.

What is motivating all these far-away investors to bet on a deeply depressed neighborhood?

FROM Channel 2:

Just how much is this going to cost the taxpayer? These types of Churches always find a way to milk the government for money.

[granpabob]

Just how much is this going to cost the taxpayer? These types of Churches always find a way to milk the government for money.

Kind of a blind slam at a church that is trying to help the neighborhood As far as I can see they are not asking for tax money ."These types of churches" often do good work without the government

[raoul duke]

What "types" of churches are you referring to, lefty? And how do you substantiate the accusation?

[raoul duke]

Kind of a blind slam at a church that is trying to help the neighborhood As far as I can see they are not asking for tax money ."These types of churches" often do good work without the government

No doubt. And I'm an athiest (why you don't see me in religious threads).

I'm also relatively familiar with an uber-super-hardcore-Baptist church in the southtowns that my best friend's brother belongs to. In my opinion, these people are somewhat nuts. They are the ones handing out tracts at Thursday at the Square that depict dinosaurs living alongside human beings (a demonstrably false assertion).

However, a decent amount of the people that worship at this Southtowns church come from the depths of the East Side™ and the church and all of it's members more than support the communities of it's worshipers. I'll completely avoid any kind of theological debate, but there are a lot of people from wacky churches (my opinion) devoted to the advocacy of the less-fortunate - a lesson extolled by Jesus of Nazareth. Regardless of what I think of their belief system, their goals are admirable, for the most part.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Kind of a blind slam at a church that is trying to help the neighborhood As far as I can see they are not asking for tax money ."These types of churches" often do good work without the government

I am all for churches doing good work without the government.

Here is an example.

The St. John Fruit Belt Community Development Corp
This is the development arm of the St. John Baptist church. The did a $6 development around their church. Which sound nice. But it was funded in $5M in tax credits from The Local Initiatives Support Corp and $1.6M in Fed money provided by Rep. Slaughter. They have a $56M plan for the area.



Basically what you have is churches who create a development arm of their church and then go looking for money to redevelop around their church. I would have no problem with their efforts if they were not for the most part:

Funded by tax dollars
Run by the church, who is run by people NOT in the development business.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Just what I thought people would say.

The elephant in the room and it is not white.

[therising]

These types of Churches always find a way to milk the government for money.

What "type of church" is this?

[OldTymeRevival]

What "type of church" is this?

C.O.G.I.C. (Church of God in Christ)

[kernwatch]

Any illusions that highly-political (Rev) Matthew Brown plans eastside redevelopment without massive subsidies are being put to rest.

It must be remembered that while Brown served as Masiello's "Communications Officer" (after Cutler), he also served as Masiello's appointee on the BMHA board. BMHA is the 'mother' of Bflo's massively subsidized poverty industry.

Inner-city churches have an inside track on getting 'faith-based' poverty industry funding. Both political parties in Bflo have long ignored issues of separation of chuch & state, as candidates are openly endorsed from pulpits. And that 'freedom' leverages government subsidies.

Also, Matthew Brown lives in the heavily-subsidized Main-LaSalle Development ($90K subsidy per house?), which was another highly controversial city development building costly housing in an area where nobody lived when Bflo was 2X larger.

Below is the latest from Bflo News . . .

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregio...ry/457675.html

Church’s real estate proposal would redevelop Broadway parcel
By Deidre Williams NEWS STAFF REPORTER , Updated: 10/08/08 6:39 AM

A local church has redevelopment plans for a 14-acre chunk of land along Broadway. Developers call the parcel — which runs along Broadway between Spring Street and Jefferson Avenue — a “strategic” piece of property on the city’s East Side with close proximity to downtown in an emerging neighborhood.

“With the completion of Sycamore Village with new market homes the city is doing, and with the townhouses on Jefferson from Clinton to George streets, we have this emerging community . . . You can’t put up a bunch of homes and have no amenities that fit the area,” said the Rev. Matthew Brown, pastor of Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ.

Temple Community Development Corp. — the real estate development arm of the church — is the city-designated developer on the project.

Planners envision a $17 million mixed-use urban village that includes a business park, some light industrial businesses, office space, and some recreational space for neighbors. Officials also are talking about an urgent-care facility and an apartment building to promote density.

“The big picture is we can have some apartments to build density, an economic development building, a retail center, and neighborhood amenities like a soup and sandwich place or a dry cleaning business,” Brown said. “We’re talking about the type of community where neighbors can buy a newspaper, get a cup of coffee and sit in a green community space. That way, people can enjoy their neighborhood.”

Brian Reilly, Buffalo’s commissioner of economic development, permits and inspections said city officials are “excited about the potential of the project.”

“The mayor has asked our staff to support it any way we can,” he said.

The 14-acre parcel is only part of the church’s redevelopment plans for the Broadway area. It already spent about $2 million over the last couple of years renovating the church and expanding programs, Brown said.

And the church’s immediate focus is a building it owns at 437 Broadway, the former warehouse site of Laux Sporting Goods. Church officials are planning a fundraiser to raise $1.7 million to renovate the building into retail, community service and office space.

In terms of the 14-acre property, the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency is putting together a contract to help the development company buy the property from the Howden Company, Brown said. The soil also still must be tested to make sure it’s suitable for the venture.

To fund the $17 million project — which does not include the cost of the land — officials will be looking for public and private financing. Brown said he has talked to private investors from Milwaukee and Nashville who have met with Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and the team. He was cautious about potential government funds.

“While we’re optimistic that in the future this can be a reality, we are connected to our practical realities of fiscal crises in Albany,” Matthew Brown said, referring to Gov. David A. Paterson’s recent proposal to cut spending in the state budget by $2 billion.

Paterson also warned legislative leaders last week the state faces the same kinds of service cuts witnessed in California if action isn’t taken now.

“The fiscal crisis may have an adverse effect in aid to municipalities,” said Brown, who is not related to the mayor.

dswilliams@buffnews.com

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

I just love how when it is about the Catholic Church...everyone comes out to play. However, when it is for a church run by and mainly supported by a black congregation...nobody wants to touch the topic.

This is a huge scam and nobody want to talk about it because they are afraid the PC card is going to get thrown out on them.

[OldTymeRevival]

I just love how when it is about the Catholic Church...everyone comes out to play. However, when it is for a church run by and mainly supported by a black congregation...nobody wants to touch the topic.

This is a huge scam and nobody want to talk about it because they are afraid the PC card is going to get thrown out on them.

+++++++++++

But it seems to me we read so much more into it when it involves a "church of color." Whether it's St John's developing something, or Bishop Sanders, or Matt Brown, then we take notice. But when it's Delta Development- the Catholic Diocese's development arm we hardly see them on our radar screen.

For the past 8 years of the Bush Administration there's been a direct faith-based funding initiative out of Washington that many of the inner city churches have taken advantage of- most being Black churches in poor and changing neighborhoods.

Seems like win-win to me.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

+++++++++++

But it seems to me we read so much more into it when it involves a "church of color." Whether it's St John's developing something, or Bishop Sanders, or Matt Brown, then we take notice. But when it's Delta Development- the Catholic Diocese's development arm we hardly see them on our radar screen.

For the past 8 years of the Bush Administration there's been a direct faith-based funding initiative out of Washington that many of the inner city churches have taken advantage of- most being Black churches in poor and changing neighborhoods.

Seems like win-win to me.

Why don't you bring delta to the radar screen. Show me the funding for these project or at least cite some examples. Show me where Delta Development has developed a project were there was wasted money or cash simply given from the government. Would love to see it.

It has nothing to do with churches doing development. THAT idea is good.

What I am talking about are churches taking tax dollars and doing development that does not show an ROI. It is one thing to help provide housing. It is another think to spend 200k in tax dollars to build something with a market rate of $100k in a bad part of town.

As for your comments....This has been going on much longer than 8 years and the funding does not come from 1600 Penn Av. That is just ignorance. The funding comes from locally elected politicians serving in Buffalo, Albany and D.C.

[OldTymeRevival]

Why don't you bring delta to the radar screen. Show me the funding for these project or at least cite some examples. Show me where Delta Development has developed a project were there was wasted money or cash simply given from the government. Would love to see it.

It has nothing to do with churches doing development. THAT idea is good.

What I am talking about are churches taking tax dollars and doing development that does not show an ROI. It is one thing to help provide housing. It is another think to spend 200k in tax dollars to build something with a market rate of $100k in a bad part of town.

As for your comments....This has been going on much longer than 8 years and the funding does not come from 1600 Penn Av. That is just ignorance. The funding comes from locally elected politicians serving in Buffalo, Albany and D.C.

++++

Backed and/or funded by Federal programs. Don't you want your locally elected 'POLITICIANS" (AS IF THAT'S ALWAYS A NEGATIVE) to bring programs and dollars back to Buffalo and onto the streets and into the neighborhoods?

And don't call people ignorant if they happen to disagree with you or have misspoken on on a topic. This forum is for discussion and debate, not a vehicle for you to beat up on people.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

++++

Backed and/or funded by Federal programs. Don't you want your locally elected 'POLITICIANS" (AS IF THAT'S ALWAYS A NEGATIVE) to bring programs and dollars back to Buffalo and onto the streets and into the neighborhoods?

And don't call people ignorant if they happen to disagree with you or have misspoken on on a topic. This forum is for discussion and debate, not a vehicle for you to beat up on people.

First off, I have no problem with funds coming back to the community. It is HOW they are spent and WHO spends them is where I have the problem.

Once again, show me the funding for projects...that means numbers...for Delta.