Buffalo Urban League New Building Gets $5M State Grant for $25M Campus

The Buffalo Urban League new building moved a step closer on October 30, 2026, when Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $5 million state grant toward the organization's planned $25 million mixed-use headquarters at 1137 Jefferson Avenue on Buffalo's East Side (Office of the Governor; FingerLakes1.com).

Empire State Development (ESD) will administer the new grant. The campus would combine office space, workforce development services, housing counseling, arts and cultural programming and for-sale residential condominiums (Office of the Governor). The project remains in the planning stage, and the announcement did not include a construction schedule or a final condominium count (FingerLakes1.com).

What Happened

The state's $5 million joins several other commitments to the project. The funding stack described in the governor's release includes (Office of the Governor):

• A $6 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
• The new $5 million grant administered by Empire State Development.
• A separate $1 million state grant administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY).
• Additional support from Erie County, the City of Buffalo, and Fidelis and its parent company, Centene Corp., in amounts the release did not specify.

State Senator April Baskin said she allocated $1 million to the project while she chaired the Erie County Legislature (Office of the Governor; FingerLakes1.com). The release does not say whether that is the same money as the DASNY grant. Representative Tim Kennedy said he is working to secure federal funding, but no federal award has been announced (Office of the Governor).

Taken together, the amounts that are specified, $6 million from Scott, $5 million from ESD and $1 million through DASNY, total $12 million toward the $25 million cost, with the county, city and private contributions making up part of the remainder (Office of the Governor).

The Site and Design Team

The site sits on the Jefferson Avenue commercial corridor, one of the main business streets on Buffalo's East Side, a few blocks from the Tops supermarket that was the site of the May 14, 2022, shooting (Office of the Governor; FingerLakes1.com). Governor Hochul described the headquarters as a symbol of the community's resilience (Office of the Governor).

The Urban League selected Alligood Song Architecture to lead the design, working with Buffalo-based Carmina Wood (Office of the Governor). The governor's release links to proposed renderings, but it does not give a building size, height or number of stories. No general contractor has been named.

Where Things Stand

The Urban League is described as advancing plans, not starting construction (Office of the Governor). Urban League President and CEO Thomas Beauford Jr. said that bringing housing, services and cultural resources together on one campus would help connect residents with opportunity (FingerLakes1.com). ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight framed the grant as part of the state's long-term investment in East Side communities, and DASNY President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said the building would expand essential services (Office of the Governor).

The project adds to a series of state-backed investments along the East Side. WCG has covered the East Side Building Fund's latest $10 million round for commercial and mixed-use properties, as well as larger housing efforts such as the $126 million Towne Gardens rehabilitation.

Implications for Owners, Developers, Contractors and Subs

A $25 million building that combines offices, program space and for-sale condominiums brings more complexity than a single-use project of similar cost. Condominium units carry different finish expectations, separate systems metering and warranty considerations compared with nonprofit office and program space. Arts and cultural programming space often requires different acoustic and ceiling-height planning than standard offices.

The funding stack also matters for bidders. Projects that combine state grants, philanthropic gifts and local government money commonly carry reporting requirements tied to each source, and the ESD and DASNY grants both involve state agencies (Office of the Governor). Local contractors and subcontractors may find opportunities as the design advances, since state and local officials repeatedly framed the project around neighborhood economic activity (Office of the Governor).

What to Watch

• Release of a construction schedule and a final condominium count, neither of which has been announced (FingerLakes1.com).
• Whether federal funding is secured, as Representative Kennedy is seeking (Office of the Governor).
• Selection of a general contractor and the start of permitting once design is complete.

Bottom Line

The Buffalo Urban League new building now has at least $12 million in identified commitments toward a $25 million budget, with county, city and private support adding to that. Design is underway with Alligood Song Architecture and Carmina Wood, and the next milestones are a schedule and a builder.

Key Questions

Where will the Buffalo Urban League new building be located?

The Buffalo Urban League's planned headquarters will be at 1137 Jefferson Avenue on Buffalo's East Side, a few blocks from the site of the May 14, 2022, Tops supermarket shooting (Office of the Governor).

How much will the Buffalo Urban League headquarters cost?

The Buffalo Urban League headquarters is described as a $25 million mixed-use project (Office of the Governor).

Who is designing the Buffalo Urban League headquarters?

Alligood Song Architecture is leading the design of the Buffalo Urban League headquarters in partnership with Buffalo-based Carmina Wood (Office of the Governor).

When will construction start on the Buffalo Urban League headquarters?

A construction start date for the Buffalo Urban League headquarters has not been disclosed, and the project is still in the planning stage (FingerLakes1.com).

Related Coverage

• Update: Buffalo's East Side Building Fund Gets Another $10 Million for New Round
• East Buffalo's $126 Million Towne Gardens Rehabilitation Signals a Turning Point for the East Side
• Buffalo's Fruit Belt Is Getting a $134 Million Expansion, And It's Just Phase One of a $1 Billion Bet on the East Side

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

Sources

• Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, Governor Hochul Announces $5 Million to Support Development of New Buffalo Urban League Headquarters, https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-5-million-support-development-new-buffalo-urban-league-headquarters
• FingerLakes1.com, Buffalo Urban League campus gets $5 million state commitment, https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/10/31/buffalo-urban-league-campus-gets-5-million-state-commitment/