35 Commercial and Mixed-Use Projects Awarded Funding for Renovations and Infill Development
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a significant investment in Buffalo’s East Side, awarding $10 million from the new East Side Building Fund to 35 commercial and mixed-use projects. This pivotal funding is dedicated to accelerating private building renovations and infill development, directly supporting the revitalization of commercial corridors across the East Side. The $10 million fund, first announced by the Governor in May 2025, marks another step in the state’s ongoing commitment to create thriving economic hubs on the East Side.
“The East Side Building Fund awards represent the strategic deployment of resources our administration committed to better serve the needs of the community,” Governor Hochul said. “By easing the financial burden on property owners, we are directly investing in our commercial corridors, ensuring they are revitalized and better equipped to anchor and support East Side neighborhoods for years to come.”
Among the awardees are:
- Loads of Love – Brandi Barrett, 61 Laurel Street, Buffalo, NY 14209: Brandi Barrett is a graduate of the Community Based Real Estate Development Training Program. Loads of Love will be a new construction, two-story mixed-use building with a community laundromat and café, along with affordable housing units.
- Legacy Developers – Ellen Shareef, 273 Hickory Street, Buffalo, NY 14204: Ellen Shareef is a graduate of the Community Based Real Estate Development Training Program. 273 Hickory is a mixed-use, adaptive reuse project that will create 29 affordable apartments and over 6,000 square feet of commercial space in the Willert Park neighborhood.
- Styles of Man – Hakeem Hicks, 1348 East Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215: Hakeem Hicks is a graduate of the Community Based Real Estate Development Training Program. Small project funds will be used for facade improvements such as windows, doors and awnings, along with HVAC and energy efficiency upgrades to the commercial space.
- Ladies of Charity of Buffalo – Kathleen Roseti, 1122 Broadway, Buffalo, NY 14212: Small project funds will be used to make exterior renovations such as new signage, windows, a new roof, masonry repairs and improved lighting at the volunteer-led thrift shop for families with new babies and the associated social services provided.
- Phat Catz Restaurant & Bar – Kim Collins-Jones, 965 Kensington Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215: Small project funds will be used for exterior improvements such as new signage, painting, lighting and windows and interior upgrades to improve the restaurant’s operations.
- Doris Records – Derrick Luchey, 284 E Ferry Street, Buffalo, NY 14208: Small project funds will be used for exterior improvements such as windows and doors, masonry and roofing along with HVAC, electric and other energy efficient improvements to Doris Records, a Jefferson corridor staple that has been in operation since 1962.
- Imperial Food Market – Sameer Salem, 3039-3045 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215: Small project funds will be used for exterior facade enhancements, roof repairs, and updated energy efficient electrical improvements to the Kensington Bailey’s Imperial Foods community market.