Investing in Buffalo's Future
By Mark Hamister
Downtown Buffalo is undergoing a renaissance as a result of all the current development activity and plans for the future and I'm thrilled that Hamister Group, LLC is a small part of the re-birth of Downtown Buffalo. I truly believe the each of us have a responsibility to reinvest in our Community. It is because of the resurgence of downtown Buffalo and the potential we saw with the Tishman Building that we are committed to this project and moving our corporate headquarters to Buffalo.
We purchased the Tishman Building in Lafayette Square in December 2012 and construction is currently underway. When this project is complete in October 2014, it will be a 124 room Hilton Garden Inn, 18 market rate apartments and 18,000 square feet of Class A office space which will be the new home of our Company's Corporate Office. This building, which has sat largely vacant for several years, is, along with many other buildings in downtown Buffalo, finally seeing new life.
We must respect the past that has created the momentum we finally have today, but we can't miss the opportunities for change that will create even further momentum for our city and community. We need to continue to strive for collaboration in everything we do. The Buffalo Building Reuse Project is the right vehicle that can make all of this work, but it won't be easy. It is important for the right stakeholders to support the Buffalo Building Reuse Project and leverage the advocacy tools that are in place to fully implement it.
The ongoing construction, the hotel and restaurants will create new jobs downtown presenting a high-quality space in a great location for people to live, work, dine. Seeing is believing. I run a company based in Amherst that is moving downtown because we believe in the future of the City of Buffalo. I know how frustrated many folks have been for decades and we are finally doing things the right way. We can't let up, we need to keep at it, and we can't take anything for granted. The progress of the last 10-15 years is finally evident and it is a direct result of our business leaders coming together with elected officials collaborating on a common cause, and making sure there is private sector input to Buffalo Niagara's economic growth.
Public officials and the private sector working together --- it's a winning combination!
The message is loud and clear; Buffalo has a bright future and is open for business!
