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Rally in support of community benefits agreement for Webster block development

by jmaloni
Wed, Aug 8th 2012 12:00 pm

Press release

Members of the Canal Side Community Alliance will hold a press conference in support of a community benefits agreement, transparency and accountability at the Webster block.

WHO:

  • Sarah Bishop, executive director, Buffalo First!
  • Megan Connelly, Partnership for the Public Good
  • Duane Diggs, VOICE Buffalo

  • Micaela Shapiro-Shellaby, Coalition for Economic Justice
  • Rita Yelda, Food & Water Watch

WHAT: Press conference


WHERE: Webster block, corner Washington and Perry streets, Buffalo

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 9, 10 a.m.

WHY: From the event organizers:

"The City of Buffalo Common Council unanimously passed a resolution in March 2010 stating that
it would not transfer prime waterfront land at Canal Side to the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation in the absence of a community benefits or like agreement, to ensure that the public received a good return on its investment. The Webster block was one of the parcels directly impacted by that resolution. Now that the city has decided to redevelop the Webster block itself, it is only fair and sensible that we hold the city to the same standard that we asked of the ECHDC.

"We want to ensure that the Webster block development, like all of the Canal Side development, adheres to certain basic high road development principles: local and minority hiring, quality job creation, opportunities for locally owned independent businesses, and green building.

Buffalo First! is a nonprofit whose mission is to foster a strong, self-determined local economy in Western New York through consumer education, advocacy and programs that further the impact of local and sustainable business in the region.

The mission of the Canal Side Community Alliance is to negotiate a community benefits agreement to be applied to the redevelopment of Buffalo's historic waterfront.

"A Community Benefits Agreement would ensure quality jobs, green design standards and operations, and high road economic development principles for the Canal Side development."

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