35 Commercial and Mixed-Use Projects Awarded Funding for Renovations and Infill Development
Buffalo Rising – December 17, 2025
By Queens Eye
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced stabilization funding in the amount of $10 million, to be dedicated to 35 commercial and mixed-use projects on the city’s East Side. The funding, sourced from the East Side Building Fund is being directed to private building renovations and infill development to strengthen commercial corridors. The East Side Building Fund is an ongoing collaboration among Empire State Development (ESD), philanthropic organizations and the community. The funding is earmarked for: projects that include:
Improving building storefronts and other upgrades
Stabilizing at-risk buildings
Real estate training and financial assistance for the next generation of emerging developers throughout 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.
Barrett & Benitez Development Founder and Co-Owner Brandi Barrett said, “The commitment Governor Hochul has to the East Side of Buffalo continues to be reflected in moments like this! Her commitment to reinvest has ignited true change where transformational projects like Loads of Love can be a true reality. We are grateful to Empire State Development and their local team for not only understanding the need for essential services like a laundromat, but understanding our story, resonating with the barriers, and being problem-solvers and support along the way. Thank you, Governor Hochul, ESD, and the entire City of Buffalo!”
The East Side Building Fund offers assistance along two tracks based upon the size of a project:
Small Projects – intended for projects involving more conventional renovations to existing buildings, will provide grants covering up to 90 percent of total project costs for items like roofing, structural stabilization, and storefront/facade and signage improvements. The maximum grant amount is $400,000 and will be administered through ESD’s community partner, Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc., which will directly pay construction contractors to minimize grantees’ out-of-pocket expenses.
Anchor Projects – intended for much larger projects, will provide grants that will reimburse up to 50 percent of a grantee’s total project costs, up to a maximum of $2 million for projects involving major restorations, adaptive reuse, new construction and associated site improvements.
It is interesting to note that 11 of the fund participants are graduates of the Community Based Real Estate Development Training Program, which helps to ensure that the funding will be stretched to its furthest limits.
To be eligible, the projects had to:
Involve a commercial or mixed-use property (such as a storefront building with ground-level commercial space and residential space on upper floors)
Be located on Buffalo’s East Side, preferably in, or adjacent to a priority business district (Jefferson Avenue, Fillmore Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Genesee Street and Bailey Avenue, among others).
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The East Side Building Fund awards represent more than just a capital investment — they are a milestone in Buffalo’s shared future. By partnering directly with these dedicated property owners, we are ensuring this funding sparks renewed economic vitality across the East Side’s commercial corridors.”
“As 2025 comes to a close, it is welcome news to learn of the $10 million award from the East Side Building Fund,” said State Senator April N.M. Baskin. “Governor Hochul and her team continue to demonstrate that Buffalo’s east side is deserving of significant funding to support economic development through infrastructure projects, housing availability, commercial space, energy efficiency, and facade improvements. Thanks to this collaborative effort with Empire State Development, philanthropic organizations, and community leaders, the start of the new year looks promising for our neighbors who remain committed to revitalizing these commercial corridors.”
State Senator Sean Ryan stated, “This announcement reflects the kind of neighborhood‑driven investment the East Side needs. Investing in commercial corridors and supporting local property owners helps create jobs, expand services, and build community wealth in places that have too often been overlooked. Thank you to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for prioritizing these strategic investments that will empower residents, support small businesses, and fuel economic growth in Buffalo.”
“This is what commitment to reinvestment looks like,” noted Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes. “Empire State Development and the East Side Building Fund are helping to build communities back up by helping property owners invest in their properties. Improving East Side businesses and other properties helps to improve the entire City of Buffalo.”
City of Buffalo Acting Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “This $10 million investment is a powerful vote of confidence in Buffalo’s East Side and the small business owners and developers who are driving its revitalization. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to our city and to creating real, lasting economic opportunity in our neighborhoods. This additional investment from Governor Hochul builds upon my administration’s ongoing support for small businesses and our major infrastructure and East Side streetscape investments along Jefferson Avenue and Bailey Avenue — ensuring that reinvestment is paired with public improvements that strengthen our commercial corridors and help the East Side continue to grow as a vibrant place to live, work, and do business.”