City officials break ground on $10.5M project to revamp Seneca Street

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — City leaders and local businesses Thursday broke ground on the new Streetscape Project that is aimed at transforming Seneca Street in South Buffalo.

The $10.5 million project is set to revitalize an area that was once one of the most thriving commercial corridors in the region. Over the course of the past few years, the area has started to make a comeback, with restaurants, bars, music venues and many other businesses opening up shop.

A press conference was held Thursday morning to break ground on the project and highlight the importance of investing in the area, which city leaders said will be safer, more welcoming and spur additional economic activity once the project is completed.

The area will see new curbs and sidewalks, repaved roads with new markings and signage, upgraded traffic signals and new benches and trash cans.

"Projects like this are proof of what happens when you have local government, state government, coming together with the community and making things happen," acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said. "I think when you have different partners working together, and they see what's going on, they see there's investment coming, others are willing to do the same."

Several local business owners and leaders were on hand for the ceremony, where they praised the city's decision to invest in the area, including Sarah Savattieri, the vice president of retail and regional sales for M&T Bank.

"This project represents more than infrastructure, it's about creating a safer, more walkable, and more vibrant Seneca Street for the families, small businesses and organizations that make South Buffalo so special," Savattieri said. "These state-funded improvements will help spark more private sector activity in this corridor."

For nearly 20 years, Pat Lally has owned and operated the Blackthorn Restaurant & Pub in South Buffalo. He's elated to see the start of the project, which he and others feel will be great for the area and its future.

"This improvement and the improvement that all my friends have made behind us, and M&T throughout the years, is going to help continue to bring Seneca Street more jobs, more restaurants, more entertainment, [a] safer neighborhood," Lally said. "It's just great quality of life changes for South Buffalo moving forward and we appreciate all the help."

Now that ground has been broken and the project is moving forward, construction is set to begin just east of Seneca Street at the city line and continue onto Indian Church Road into the colder months, weather permitting. Next spring, work will then ramp up towards Mineral Springs Road.

The project is expected to be completed at some point next year and is funded entirely through the state's Touring Route Program.