Mayor Byron W. Brown today filed his 2018 Proposed Capital Budget Plan which includes $22.8 million for new and ongoing projects to improve or replace City-owned buildings, with the goal of more efficient delivery of services, while also funding projects citywide to continue improving the quality of life for all residents.
“A number of facilities critical to the delivery of citizen services are becoming obsolete or require substantial upgrades. Therefore, my Administration has taken a long-term view of strategic capital improvements that will enhance delivery of services, improve working conditions for our employees, while allowing the City to reimagine some of our sites for higher and better uses,” Mayor Brown said.
Key among the capital projects for which the Mayor Brown wants to complete planning in 2018, are: a new $5 million fire station; $4 million for relocation and construction of a new Buffalo Animal Shelter; and a $2 million upgrade of the East Side Transfer Station, the site where all City garbage is handled.
“The goal is to start planning for these major capital projects in 2018, so we have ample time for the design, siting, and funding stages. These are projects which require detailed planning to ensure they meet the needs of the City, and our residents, for decades to come,” Mayor Brown said.
Mayor Brown noted that the decisions about the new locations for the Buffalo Animal Shelter and the new fire station will be made during the planning process.
Mandated by the City Charter to be submitted by the Mayor on or before November 1st, the Common Council has until December 15th to adopt the recommended capital budget.
The recommended capital budget filed with the Common Council today is a fine-tuned version of the proposal crafted by the Citizens Planning Council (CPC), which reviewed more than $50 million in requests for capital spending.
The budget, which is up $2.8 million from 2017, includes $17.1 million in new projects, and $4.5 million for ongoing projects.
“I’m confident, if the common Council accepts this package of recommendations, these capital investment will enhance and strengthen our city neighborhoods and improve delivery of city services for many years to come,” Mayor Brown said.
Among the new projects, $8.7 million will be spent on streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and streetscape; $1.6 on City park building improvements, and $3.8 million on City buildings.
Funding is proposed for the following new projects in 2018:
• $6.8 million - citywide street and sidewalk improvements;
• $1.5 million - property demolition
• $1.3 million - Sanitation and Parks equipment
• $920,000 - next phase of Niagara Street redevelopment (Porter to Ontario Street)
• $850,000 - new Buffalo Police Department garage roof
• $755,029 - citywide park improvements
• $684,000 - citywide tree removal and planting
• $580,500 - new commercial kitchen at MLK Park Casino;
• $500,000 - Broadway Market Exterior refurbishment
• $500,000 - Dart Street Auto Impound Building demolition
• $450,000 - New Mechanical Service Butler Building at 1120 Seneca Street
• $380,000 – Additional Bike Lanes
• $347,750 - Crane Library ADA Elevator
• $346,000 - Marcy Casino
• $321,000 - repairs for Buffalo Fire Department Engines 22, 28 and 35
• $310,000 - Allendale Theater doors, windows, masonry and security
• $175,000 - new roof for Buffalo Zoo main building
Capital budget projects approved in 2017, but will be funded through 2018 bond sales include:
• $950,000 - new Buffalo Fire Department apparatus
• $888,361 - Citywide Fire Department Building reconstruction
• $614,944 - Phase III of Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus/Allen Street entrance
• $500,000 - demolition of the old Bailey Bridges
• $500,000 - Coca-Cola Field seating improvements
• $370,000 - Shoshone Park Pool reconstruction
• $357,534 - Broadway Market floor and interior rehabilitation
• $161,700 - LaSalle Park seawall
• $156,782 - Common Council Chambers accessibility upgrades