Update: Buffalo's East Side Building Fund Gets Another $10 Million for New Round

Update: New York State is adding another $10 million to Buffalo's East Side Building Fund, with a new application round expected to open in the coming months. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the additional funding on October 8 Office of the Governor. This post updates our earlier coverage of the first round, in which $10 million was awarded to 35 commercial and mixed-use projects: Gov. Hochul Awards $10M to 35 Buffalo Commercial and Mixed-Use Development Projects.

What Is New

Based on the two announcements, the new money brings the total directed to the fund to $20 million. It is a funding round, not a list of awards. No properties or projects have been named for the additional $10 million FingerLakes1.com. The state has not yet published grant amounts, matching requirements, application forms or an exact opening date for the round FingerLakes1.com.

The stated purpose is unchanged: to speed up private building renovations, stabilize historic buildings, support infill development and revitalize commercial corridors on the East Side Office of the Governor.

Who Is Eligible

• Projects must involve commercial or mixed-use properties, such as storefront buildings with ground-floor retail and residential units above Office of the Governor.
• Properties must be located on Buffalo's East Side Office of the Governor.
• Preference goes to projects in or next to priority business districts: Jefferson Avenue, Fillmore Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Genesee Street and Bailey Avenue Office of the Governor.

Background on the Fund

The East Side Building Fund is administered by Empire State Development with philanthropic partners and local community leaders. It was launched in May 2025 Office of the Governor. Since then, Empire State Development has processed 300 applications, advanced 50 finalists and awarded $10 million to 35 commercial and mixed-use projects Office of the Governor. Put another way, about one in nine applicants received an award in the first round, which says something about the depth of demand along these corridors.

The fund consolidated three earlier Empire State Development programs: the East Side Commercial Districts Program, the Commercial Building Stabilization Fund and the Community-Based Real Estate Development Training Program Fund. The state says those programs together supported more than 60 capital and predevelopment projects and trained local developers Office of the Governor.

The terms of the first round offer a reference point, though the state has not said whether they will carry over. When applications opened in May 2025, smaller projects such as roofing, structural stabilization and storefront improvements on existing buildings could receive grants covering up to 90% of total costs, while larger projects including major restorations, adaptive reuse and new construction could receive up to 50% WKBW.

Where Things Stand

The announcement was made with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, whom the governor credited for her partnership on East Side investment Office of the Governor. Local coverage noted that Peoples-Stokes is preparing to retire from the Assembly FingerLakes1.com. Empire State Development President and CEO Hope Knight said the round will provide capital and technical support for the corridors, and Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said the money will help restore storefronts and preserve historic buildings FingerLakes1.com. State Senator April N.M. Baskin and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz also voiced support Office of the Governor.

Implications for Owners, Developers, Contractors and Subs

• Property owners: owners of commercial and mixed-use buildings in or near the five named corridors should start assembling scope, cost estimates and ownership documentation now. With 300 applications in the first round, a well-documented project will stand out.
• Small and emerging developers: the fund grew out of programs that included developer training, and it is aimed at storefront-scale projects. Applicants who were finalists but not funded in the first round may have the most complete packages ready to resubmit.
• Contractors: the typical project is a small occupied or vacant masonry building needing envelope, structural and storefront work. That favors firms comfortable with historic fabric, unknown conditions and tight sites, and it creates a steady run of modest jobs instead of a few large ones.
• Subs and trades: roofing, masonry restoration, structural repair, storefront glazing and facade work were the core eligible scopes in the first round. Trades with capacity for small projects should watch for the awards that follow the application window.

What to Watch

• The opening date and published guidelines for the new round.
• Whether the 90% and 50% cost-share tiers from the first round are kept.
• Construction progress on the 35 projects already funded.
• How awards are distributed across the five priority corridors.

Bottom Line

Between the first round and this announcement, the state has now directed $20 million to the East Side Building Fund since May 2025. The first round showed far more demand than money. The second round gives owners and small developers along Jefferson, Fillmore, Michigan, Genesee and Bailey another chance at grant funding, and it should produce a second wave of small renovation and stabilization contracts once awards are made.

Image credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul. Image from the source article. Office of the Governor.

Sources

• Office of the Governor of New York, Governor Hochul Announces Additional $10 Million for East Side Building Fund in Buffalo: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-additional-10-million-east-side-building-fund-buffalo
• FingerLakes1.com, Buffalo East Side Building Fund gets another $10 million: https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/10/09/buffalo-east-side-building-fund-gets-another-10-million/
• WKBW, Governor Hochul announces $10 million investment for Buffalo's East Side: https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/governor-announces-10-million-investment-for-buffalos-east-side