BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The site of a vacant police precinct in Buffalo's Old First Ward will now become the city's brand-new animal shelter.
The parcel at 294 Louisiana Street was once used to train police canines. In a nod to its past, it will now house Buffalo's four-legged friends in its new lease of life as the city's animal shelter.
Though the final design process has yet to take place, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said the shelter will be a revamp of its existing structure, four times bigger than the current facility on Oak Street.
The shelter will have capacity to house around 100 dogs and between 90 and 130 cats, according to the mayor's office. The former shelter was designed to hold 66 dogs and 59 cats and is often over capacity, with a 2024 7 News I-Team investigation revealing the poor conditions at the facility.
WATCH: 'Borderline abandoned': Conditions, care of animals called to question at City of Buffalo animal shelter
The Louisiana Street site was selected with help from a committee of Buffalo Animal Shelter volunteers.
"Today marks a milestone decades in the making," said Kelly Gorman, who is on the committee. "Cats will be able to see daylight from their kennels and stretch their legs in community cat rooms. Dogs will have opportunity for exercise in multiple large play-yards."
The new facility will be a $30 million capital project, with the site chosen for its access to the nearby green space of Father Conway Park and transportation links.
But could there be trouble ahead in getting funding for this project? The mayor needs to request to borrow money to get the project going through the city's capital budget, and that's not exactly been a smooth ride over the past few years.
"Every project in the City of Buffalo has been delayed because of the borrowing fight with the comptroller," Ryan explained.
Borrowing signed off by the common council to fund projects such as road repaving and community center repairs has been on hold after the city comptroller, Barbara Miller-Williams, questioned the amount the city wanted to borrow. That fight is still tied up in the courts more than a year after it became public.
If the mayor's capital budget is approved by the council, the city plans to expedite construction to complete the project by the end of 2028.
The city secured $400,000 in grants to improve conditions at the Oak Street shelter while the new facility is underway.
WATCH: Buffalo secures $400K in grants to improve city animal shelter
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