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Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. and City of Buffalo submit joint proposal for NFTA outer harbor land

by jmaloni

Press release

Tue, Dec 18th 2012 09:20 am

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. and the City of Buffalo have submitted a joint proposal in response to the request for proposals issued by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority for its 384 acres of waterfront land holdings on Buffalo's outer harbor. The joint proposal was filed by the 4 p.m. Dec. 17 deadline.

Together, the two entities propose that ECHDC acquire title to the property offered in the RFP and that the city and ECHDC will enter into a memorandum of agreement regarding specific responsibilities for the operation, maintenance and future development of the property.

"The city and ECHDC share an interest in revitalizing the City of Buffalo waterfront," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and ECHDC Chairman Robert Gioia in a joint statement. "We believe that an appropriate mix of land uses throughout the property will ensure public access while providing business growth opportunity that create jobs and a return on investment - both financially and quality of life - to the taxpayers of the city and state of New York. We look forward to discussing this joint proposal with the NFTA and working toward the transfer of the property to ECHDC."

"With this agreement, we can continue to build upon what the public really wants at the water's edge: an opening of the door for substantial capital investment at the outer harbor toward the goal of greater public access to our region's most substantial natural resource," said Congressman Brian Higgins.

The NFTA earlier this year decided to sell the outer harbor property, as it continues to focus on its primary mission of running the region's bus system, Metro Rail line, and operations at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Niagara Falls International Airport. In August, the NFTA sent out bid packages to the City of Buffalo, Erie County, ECHDC and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Erie County and the state parks agency both declined to bid.

The selection of the successful purchaser will be made by the NFTA's board of commissioners. The NFTA's goal is to select the successful purchaser by February 2013, followed by execution of any necessary agreements to facilitate transfer of title. Given this timeframe and the NFTA's goal to maximize public access and ensure minimal disruption to the users of waterfront facilities, the NFTA will operate the small boat harbor for the 2013 boating season.

The details of the joint proposal will not be made public until the NFTA has reviewed the proposal.

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