City of Buffalo continues to move forward due to a strong development cycle in 2008

The city of Buffalo continued its strong development cycle in 2008 as ground was broken on several new projects, including the new, modern, glass façade Federal Courthouse in downtown Buffalo. Also, several new loft projects were completed, including the Warehouse Lofts and the state-of-the-art renovations at the Market Arcade Apartments, work also progressed on Waterfront Place, which consists of luxury townhouses and condominiums. But it wasn't just lofts and townhouses, Sycamore Village, the city's newest residential neighborhood, was formally dedicated in November. My administration continues to work hard to make Buffalo a great place to live, work and recreate, and 2008 provided further evidence that the city of Buffalo is moving forward. The city of Buffalo was recognized in several national publications in 2008 as having one of the best cost of living standards in the country, one of the quickest commutes in the country, being among the top ten cities in the U.S. to ride out the recession, and the best arts destination for mid-sized cities in the United States. The most significant changes this year came to Buffalo's waterfront. This summer, the new look Inner Harbor was officially opened with the symbolic "Wedding of the Waters," which replicated the same ceremony that took place in 1825 when the Erie Canal was officially opened. The response to the revitalized Inner Harbor has been tremendous; it has proved to be a great attraction at any time of the year. The city has also seen significant progress on the "Canal Side" project. Pre-demolition work is complete at Memorial Auditorium and the former Donovan State office building, which will make way for Bass Pro and other new tenants. Soon, the wrecking crews will be on site and new construction will begin this spring. Construction started in 2008 to return two-way traffic to Buffalo's Main St., as the reconfiguration of the 700 block of Main St. started this summer. Many business owners are pleased at the changes coming to this block and look forward to the return of cars to Buffalo's Main St. in the coming years. Also, new retailers are bringing life to downtown, as many new restaurants and specialty shops have opened in the city that workers are frequenting in large numbers, with other new retailers planned for the near future. Brownfield remediation and green technologies came to the forefront in 2008. The city of Buffalo launched the new "Buffalo Green Belt" initiative, focusing on the adaptive reuse of former industrial land in south Buffalo and attracting new companies that are now operating there, such as RiverWright, Nanodynamics and Honeywell, to name a few. Growth continues in Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park, and the city has also added close to 200 new shovel ready acres with the acquisition of the former "Steelfields" site, now known as Riverbend Commerce Park. This area, bordered by the Steelwinds Wind Turbines, is poised for growth. Our Department of Economic Development and Office of Strategic Planning are actively seeking new companies to call the Buffalo Green Belt home. As 2009 starts, the city of Buffalo has made great progress in stabilizing the city's fiscal condition, having created the largest financial surplus in the city's history, which includes a $40 million "rainy day" fund to help the city withstand the impact of the nation's and state's financial crisis. This careful and conservative financial planning will protect Buffalo from any potential cuts in state and federal aid and the city will be able to continue to pursue our agenda of attracting investment, facilitating development, making the city safer and improving the quality of life for Buffalo's residents. Byron Brown is the mayor of Buffalo, N.Y.