Categories for Co-produced with WGRZ

Nov 4

2013

Major developers vying for Buffalo project

Published by

A half-dozen firms, including some of the region’s most prominent developers, have entered the competition to build economic development hubs the Cuomo administration has proposed for Buffalo, Investigative Post has learned. Firms responding to a request for proposals include LP Ciminelli Inc., Uniland Development and Acquest Development. Others submitting proposals include McGuire Development, TM Montante Development and Mark Balling on behalf of Lend Lease, an international contracting and finance firm. The developers, in their submissions, identify elements of the team they would assemble to first design, finance and construct the hubs and then recruit companies function as anchor tenants. At least[...]

Posted 10 years ago

Oct 24

2013

State to test for contamination at Gallagher Beach

Published by

The Cuomo administration has relented and agreed to test Gallagher Beach in South Buffalo for possible contamination before deciding whether to open it for swimming. In fact, crews began work this week to collect water, soil and sediment samples. An employee on the job for Ecology and Environment Inc., the contractor hired to collect and analyze samples, said the testing is the most comprehensive the firm has conducted for a beach. The decision to conduct comprehensive tests follows two Investigative Post stories earlier this month (found here and here) that reported the beach rests in a harbor basin contaminated with[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Oct 24

2013

State pursuing major jobs initiative for Buffalo

Published by

The state has quietly launched a major initiative to develop a series of economic development hubs in Buffalo aimed at attracting medical, energy and technology companies that would generate thousands of good-paying jobs. The state recently issued a request for proposals seeking developers to construct two or three facilities in the city and partner with a handful of anchor tenants who would employ an estimated 1,500 to 2,000. Much like a shopping mall, these large tenants would attract small and mid-sized firms that would add to that employment base and build a critical mass in fields regarded as regional strengths. The[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Oct 22

2013

State’s sewage right to know act is failing

Published by

New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan (D) is urging the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to enforce the sewage right to know act. Ryan made the announcement on Friday in Buffalo. The law went into effect and calls for the public to know how much sewage is being discharged into local waterways. Despite that, Investigative Post in June found many of the reports are incomplete. “No one swims in their toilet,” said Assemblymember Ryan. “We don’t want to swim in waterways that are contaminated.” Since the law went into effect in May, there have been 252 sewer discharges[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Oct 3

2013

Troubled waters at Gallagher Beach?

Published by

Opening Gallagher Beach for swimming is “probably impractical from a public health standpoint” because of stormwater pollution, sediment contamination and neighboring toxic sites, a consultant for the Erie County Health Department has concluded. The consultant’s analysis, obtained under the Freedom of Information Law, and subsequent reporting by Investigative Post raises serious concerns about a plan being pushed by U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Byron Brown. They want to open the beach for public swimming as part of a larger plan to develop the Outer Harbor into a state park. Higgins, a champion of opening the city’s[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Sep 29

2013

Buffalo’s disappearing Democrats

Published by

Four years ago, Mickey Kearns lost the Democratic primary for mayor in a landslide. He garnered 14,866 votes. Earlier this month, Byron Brown won the Democratic primary for mayor in a landslide. He received 14,433 votes. In other words, more people voted for Kearns four years ago than for Brown this year. That’s what happens when four out of five voters stay at home on primary day. This year’s turnout was a paltry 20 percent, well below any other mayoral primary in recent history, where up to 60 percent of registered Democrats cast ballots. Much has been made of the[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Sep 26

2013

City of Apathetic Voters

Published by

Voter turnout has dropped by two-thirds over the past nine Democratic primaries for Buffalo mayor. Turnout is also lower for Common Council and School Board races. Jim Heaney reports on how and why city voters have stopped showing up at the polls. An expanded version will be published in The Buffalo News on Sunday.

Posted 11 years ago

Sep 18

2013

Recycling progress at City Hall

Published by

Two small steps to bolster Buffalo’s lackluster recycling efforts: Recycling totes have been placed throughout City Hall, and UB law students are poised to draft legislation that would bring city’s recycling mandates into compliance with state law. A report by Investigative Post’s Dan Telvock.

Posted 11 years ago
Investigative Post

Get our newsletters delivered to your inbox * indicates required

Newsletters *