Canalside project to receive $300,000 National Grid Economic Development Grant

Construction began last year at site of former Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

National Grid has provided an economic development grant in the amount of $300,000 to fund the Heritage Point project in the City of Buffalo. The funding was provided through the company’s portfolio of economic development programs, which was designed to support a variety of initiatives that bolster the area economy. These initiatives include brownfield remediation, restoration of longtime vacant buildings, and facility upgrades, to name a few.

“Through our economic development programs, we can support a range of different projects that revitalize our communities,” National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa said. “The Heritage Point project represents a positive sign of the continuing growth that has become synonymous with the Canalside area of the city.”

Construction for the $30 million Heritage Point project, located on the South Aud Block at Canalside in Buffalo, began in 2021. When complete later this year, the project will include two six-story, mixed-use buildings, 64 apartments, 12,500-square-feet of ground-floor retail space and 9,500-square-feet of second-floor office space.

"Sinatra and Co. is excited to bring this premier live, work, play project to Canalside,” said Sinatra & Co. Real Estate founder and CEO Nick Sinatra. “With the growing momentum in this area, we predict this project will be a great complement to the growing private, public, tech synergy there.”

To support this project, located on the site of the former Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, National Grid provided a $300,000 economic development grant through its brownfield redevelopment program, which funds utility-related infrastructure improvements and other costs that are necessary to advance the redevelopment of a brownfield site or vacant building.

National Grid’s Economic Development Programs

National Grid’s economic development grant program aligns with the company’s “Project C” initiative. This community commitment was designed to be a collaborative effort with customers and those in the communities that the company serves to positively impact sustainability, neighborhood and community investment, and workforce development.

Since 2003, National Grid’s 18 economic development programs have provided more than $145 million in assistance, helping to create or retain more than 65,000 jobs and supporting almost $10.5 billion in private and public investment across upstate New York. More information about National Grid’s suite of programs is available at www.shovelready.com.

Additionally, National Grid provides economic development support during the pandemic through its manufacturing productivity program. The program fast-tracks economic development requests to assist businesses that transitioned their facilities to produce critical medical equipment and supplies needed to fight COVID-19. The company also has committed resources and funding to assist families and customers who were impacted by the pandemic.