BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz expressed frustration Tuesday with developer Nick Sinatra over the continued delays at Heritage Point, the $40 million mixed-use project that remains idle in the heart of Canalside.
"On behalf of the community, I'm gonna tell Nick, get the damn thing done," Poloncarz said. "It's time."
The project has faced challenges and delays since breaking ground in 2021. Construction was halted in March 2024 due to financing issues.
"It's a gray and rust stain on downtown Buffalo," Poloncarz said.
In May, Sinatra & Company said work would resume this summer. In September, they announced the site would become active "in the coming weeks." More than a month later, the construction site still appears empty.
"We can get things done, but this one's an example that people look at and say oh, that's just old Buffalo, nothing happens, nothing moves forward," Poloncarz said.
WATCH: 'Get the damn thing done': Erie County Executive demands action on development of Heritage Point
Mark Wendel, president of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, said his agency has been in daily contact with Sinatra & Company.
"We're all anxious to get this started," Wendel said. "We're hopeful that this project will start up before the end of October, and based on our communication with the team, it is scheduled to be completed in November of 2026."
When asked about his confidence level, Wendel said he was "as confident as I can be."
In a statement to 7 News, Matt Connors, Sinatra's vice president of development, said financial closing documents have been prepared.
Connors added that millions in materials have been purchased and are in storage, ready for deployment as the team continues on-site steel preparation.
"This is going on far too long, and it's time to literally have this project move forward or cut bait," Poloncarz said.
Poloncarz acknowledged that changing course with a different developer would add months if not years to the project. Stakeholders remain hopeful that this financing is the last step in getting Heritage Point moving forward again.
