Cleanup and Redevelopment

South Buffalo Development LLC (SBD), working under the oversight of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is remediating and redeveloping the former Buffalo Color site in South Buffalo. SBD is an affiliate of Ontario Specialty Contracting, which has extensive experience with similar projects, particularly in the Buffalo area.

SBD, which purchased the property in 2009, has made significant progress since it commenced demolition and cleanup activities in June 2009. Approximately 50 percent of the buildings that are slated for demolition have been demolished. Clean soil is being placed on the site where the buildings once stood. Removal of any remaining chemicals and waste materials in the buildings was done under the jurisdiction of DEC. It is anticipated that demolition activities will be completed by the end of the year.

The project will:

• Clean up and redevelop a vacant industrial property
• Provide potential for new jobs and tax revenues
• Offer a catalyst for other redevelopment initiatives in the broader Elk Street Corridor and South Buffalo Brownfield Opportunity Area
• Allow for public access to significant riverfront green space.

SBD volunteers in the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program. The program provides incentives to clean up and redevelop Brownfields. Brownfields are former industrial properties that require environmental cleanup but are appropriate for redevelopment.

SBDs cleanup will be done under an agreement with Honeywell. Honeywell's Buffalo Research Laboratory has been located on Peabody Street for more than 50 years. Allied Chemical formerly owned the Buffalo Color site and sold it to Buffalo Color in 1977. Honeywell is Allied Chemical's successor. In 2005, under DEC oversight, Honeywell voluntarily removed more than 1.5 million pounds of chemicals abandoned by Buffalo Color, and in the early 1990s Allied completed the remediation of a 19-acre area known as the "Peninsula." SBD and Honeywell worked with DEC to finalize the cleanup plan for the remaining 55 acres.

This redevelopment is a powerful example of how former industrial sites can be returned to productive use with the cooperation of government, environmental agencies, local developers, the community and corporate partners.