BUFFALO, N.Y. – On Northland Avenue, a once-booming industrial complex sits empty.
Two years ago, Mayor Byron Brown, along with Governor Andrew Cuomo, announced that the dilapidated buildings would be redeveloped into a $44 million workforce training center.
From the outside though, it looks like the project hasn’t started.
"The majority of this facility will start construction early in 2017,” said David Stebbins, executive Vice President of the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation.
Stebbins said the past year and change has been mainly paperwork, such as officially purchasing the property and conducting a structural integrity analysis.
Stebbins said there have also been community meetings to keep the neighbors involved.
Mayor Brown said the facility should be completed by the end of 2017.
"Although it may look like hell right now, it's really structurally sound and can more than accommodate new uses here as well,” said Stebbins.
Stebbins says there is a game plan for interior remediation and the architect has been hired.
"We hired Watts Engineering, which is a Buffalo based company, a minority owned company as well,” said Stebbins.
Mayor Brown said this complex will train 300 people a year, including high school students, aiming to go straight into the workforce, and unemployed adults or those not earning enough income.
"The unique thing about this center is it's located on the East Side of Buffalo, and people will be able to walk here for training."
That’s especially important in an area where not everyone can afford transportation.
"We want to make sure that the full diversity of our community is benefiting from the rising prosperity that we're seeing in Buffalo,” said Brown.
The vision is to have training for jobs in manufacturing or the energy industry.
Northland would also have classrooms and a daycare. Small businesses could lease additional space.
"It's been vacant for 20 years, it's part of the legacy of the city of Buffalo,” said Stebbins.
Stebbins, who admits his career is winding down, hopes the redevelopment of the Northland complex will be a legacy project of his.
Until then, Mayor Brown is looking ahead with optimism.
“I hope to see a gleaming new building that's bustling with activity…people from this neighborhood coming here to get training, then going from training to gaining employment…businesses investing here,” he said.
And just maybe, turning these 38 acres into something with a purpose could help turn around the surrounding neighborhood, too.
Stebbins said the building redevelopment is also part of a bigger-picture neighborhood rehabilitation plan.