BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — After years of blight in Buffalo’s First Ward neighborhood, the Commodore Perry Projects are finally being demolished.
“This is huge. This is an unambiguous success story so far and my fingers are crossed it will continue to be a success story,” declared Gillian Brown, executive director, Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. “This is an enormous success story.”
Demolition at the vacant Perry Projects finally started on Monday after years of boarded-up public housing in Buffalo's First Ward neighborhood.
“This is going to revitalize the community as you see those buildings completely boarded up for so long. To see this change happen, it’s going to be wonderful,” remarked Leah Halton-Pope, Majority leader & Ellicott District Common Council member, Buffalo Common Council
The $253 million first phase of this redevelopment project is being called a “significant milestone” for the neighborhood.
First round of demolition underway at the former Perry Projects in Buffalo making way for new housing. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/Z27gM1xNJh
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) April 15, 2024
“Thank God they're starting to build for the average family,” declared Marione Mann, First Ward resident.
The project came together using both public and private funding to create a new, modern public housing project.
“It’s a long time coming. We've waited — decades of planning has gone into figuring out ways to get these vacant, blighted buildings down,” noted Brown.
24 old complexes coming down to be replaced by 27 new ones. Demolition is expected to take about six months.
“Each building that has to be cleared, make sure that there's no people or animals in it on the day of the demolition, and then, as you can see over my shoulder. They tear the building down. They literally sort of chew them up, so each building is a process and it'll take several months to get done,” described Brown.
This is phase one of redevelopment, but some area residents are worried about how this demolition might affect the environment.
“There is asbestos. It's in the floor and it's in the walls because it was allowed when it was built,” questioned Mann. “Where's the dust and that gonna go?” “I'm on a very windy street. That's my concern.”
84-year-old Mann lived in the Perry Projects when she was only 9 and she has been in her home around the corner about 50 years.
I took her concern to the executive director of the BMHA.
“What I can offer is that we're gonna follow the law and the law provides that this has to be a safe demolition. We have environmental monitors on the site. they're here constantly. If there's any demolition, there's an environmental monitor here. We have a terrific bunch of contractors here and everybody takes this very seriously,” responded Brown. ‘My main message is thanks and be patient because you know we have started effective today it is on and we're not gonna stop until it's all built.”
But Mann is looking forward to the new development and reflected on her life in the First Ward.
"What are some of your best memories of living over there? I loved it. It was a great place to live,” replied Mann. “I just had a song ‘My Home Town’ — the song and Andy Griffith show.”
