Articles for Adam Smith-Perez

Oct 16

2025

The Central Terminal’s costly redevelopment plan

The nonprofit charged with redeveloping Buffalo’s landmark New York Central Terminal, situated in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, has proposed converting two buildings on the sprawling campus into apartments that could cost as much as $900,000 per unit to build. Critics tell Investigative Post the cost is astronomical and a poor use of taxpayer dollars. In June, the developer and nonprofit announced plans to spend $80 million to develop 90 to 110 affordable apartments, plus potential commercial space, in a former mail sorting and storage facility adjacent to the Central Terminal’s iconic tower and a city-owned structure that housed[...]

Posted 5 months ago

Sep 4

2025

Process for police shooting range misses the mark

Vacant community center sports mural of civil right champion John Lewis. City of Buffalo officials failed to follow state law in their rush to turn a former East Side community center into a shooting range and training facility for police. In July, the city failed to include a required environmental evaluation in a zoning change application for the proposed $5 million facility, in violation of state law. City officials twice marked the application complete when it wasn’t, then moved it through the planning board, a public hearing, and the Common Council anyway. The missing environmental assessment was only made public[...]

Posted 6 months ago

Jul 15

2025

Another Buffalo cop cited for misconduct

The state attorney general’s office has determined another Buffalo police officer abused his authority through his use of excessive force and other misdeeds. The AG’s office reviewed 14 complaints made against Officer Justin Ayala between October 2021 and August of last year. The findings were based on five incidents, including his punching of a man while held down by other officers, pepper-spraying a handcuffed suspect, and use of vile language on a teen-age girl and her mother. The office of Letitia James also took issue with the department’s investigations into Ayala’s conduct, arguing the department erred in exonerating him in[...]

Posted 8 months ago