Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A number of locally elected leaders in Western New York are sounding the alarm over plans by the General Services Administration (GSA) to move the Buffalo Passport Agency out of Downtown Buffalo.
This move threatens ease of access for residents who rely on mass transit, and also hinders the ongoing recovery of downtown from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The request for proposals from the GSA removes large swaths of the City of Buffalo from the area of consideration, likely resulting in a move to suburban areas of Western New York that have less mass transit accessibility.
"Since its opening, the Buffalo Passport Agency has been a runaway success, helping thousands of Western New Yorkers access an expedited passport and saving them hundreds of miles of round-trip travel to access the next-nearest offices in Michigan, Vermont, or New York City," said Congressman Tim Kennedy (D, NY-26) during a Monday morning press conference outside the downtown office. "The Agency has helped to anchor an important corridor in Downtown Buffalo, providing access to the entire NFTA catchment area and providing stability in a volatile real estate market. The GSA must recognize the importance of a central location and revise this misguided plan."
In a letter to Acting GSA Administrator Stephen Ehikian, urging the GSA to reverse this proposal, it was noted that the Agency “is strategically situated within .25 miles or less of multiple public transportation options, including NFTA Metro routes 4, 6, 8, 14, 16, 19, 24, 42, 74, 76, and light rail.” This provides access from the entire NFTA network area.
With at least 20,000 fewer workers driving into Downtown Buffalo post-pandemic, Kennedy feels the last thing the federal government should be doing is further decreasing foot and vehicle traffic to the area.
"This corner is a historic corner, and Buffalo struggled for a generation of how to revitalize this corner. One of the anchor tenants who came in was the federal government with the passport office. It was great that we received the award from the federal government, and now we have people coming from all over the Northeast to get their passports renewed on an expedited basis. But when we look at the investments from the federal government, we want more than just getting the best 'building'. We want to make sure there's a ripple effect on those awards, and this location is perfect for that," said State Senator and Buffalo Mayoral candidate Sean Ryan. "It allows people to get here by public transportation, it's close to the Buffalo airport, to the train station. So I join Congressman Kennedy in asking the federal government to rescind the RFP that is anti-urban, and does not recognize the tremendous impact that this building has had on the City of Buffalo."
Since opening in 2010, the Buffalo Passport Agency has gained a reputation for its ability to process passports quickly, sometimes even within one business day for urgent cases. In 2017, the agency expanded its service windows from five to seven to further increase its processing capacity, which allowed it to handle up to 160 passports per-day.
The agency serves much of Upstate New York State and also attracts customers from other states, including Pennsylvania and Ohio, due to its efficiency.