Hochul dismisses North Aud block concerns

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN).....Gov. Kathy Hochul has dismissed concerns raised by Buffalo private sector leaders that center on development plans for a large scale North Aud block project.

At issue: The tenant make up of Pennrose's $200 million apartment-anchored project on the North Aud block - the last remaining undeveloped parcel within the Canalside footprint where the former Memorial Auditorium once stood.

The Pennrose project will feature 251 apartments and the developer said approximately 75% will be marketed to the "affordable" demographic category of tenants, with the remaining allocated for market rate apartmenwt dwellers.

Business leaders say Pennrose shifted the mix from the original plans that had a 30% affordable mix to 70% market rate.

The leaders wrote to Hochul asking her to have Pennrose adjust its development plans.

Hochul, in Buffalo Friday, said she is not going to follow through on that request.

The governor noted that "affordable" could mean freshly-graduated college students working their first job or municipal workers like teachers or firefighters.

"We need people of all levels," Hochul said of Canalside and downtown residents. "It can be a great blend."

It will also help fill a development mission by the state to bring a 24/7 live-work=play cluster to Canalside.

In recent years, Hochul has been pushing for more residential development including projects that cater to the affordable demographic but also those in the market rate range too.

Heritage Point, which is under construction and almost neighbors the North Aud block site, will be largely marketed to market rate tenants.

Market rate apartments are also in the Seneca One Tower,located just north of the North Aud block site.

And, Hochul said, other developers had the opportunity to respond to the RFP issued by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. - but did not respond.

"They could have put forth their own proposal," Hochul said.

Pennrose will start work on the North Aud block site this summer and the project is expected to take at least two years to complete.