The Black Rock Riverside Alliance (BRRA) has found a new home at 52 Amherst Street. Thanks to an anonymous gift – a historic building valued at $352,000, along with grants from North District Councilmember Joseph Golombek and The Baird Foundation, the acquisition of the fabulous historic building was made possible.
The BRRA – a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the underserved communities of Northwest Buffalo – will utilize the 4,600 square foot building as the site for its flagship project: the Black Rock Harbor Center.
“The Black Rock Harbor Center is the engine of the BRRA’s shared services model,” observed Deneb Pirrone, President of the BRRAlliance. “The Center allows us to generate rental income, to co-locate with likeminded strategic partners, and to incubate other nonprofits and community organizations based in our neighborhoods. Our objective is to leverage this model to create a gravity well to pull more resources into Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel.”
Despite all of the exciting recent developments in Northwest Buffalo, especially along Niagara Street, the area has long been underserved. According to the BRRA, the 14207 zip code is one of the poorest in the region with 37.8% of residents living below the poverty line, more than twice the poverty rate of the Buffalo Metro Area. The BRRA’s mission is to boost this hardworking, diverse community via a multitude of programs ranging from Buffalo Main Street Initiative Grant management to building and maintaining community green spaces.
“We are forever grateful for the generosity of Councilmember Golombek, The Baird Foundation, and our anonymous donor,” shared Anne McCooey, Executive Director of the BRRAlliance. “It is easy for people in this community to feel left behind. We are hopeful that the financial commitment of our benefactors reassures our neighbors that the Black Rock Riverside Alliance’s efforts to revitalize Northwest Buffalo through economic, social, and environmental development is just getting started.”
Ultimately, the 52 Amherst Street building will be a valuable community meeting space. The building will also house like-minded organizations, such as the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust, Believe in Black Rock block club, and the Black Rock Business Association. There are also plans to offer the Center as an incubator for nonprofit startups and small business enterprises.
This is all great news for Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel. Not only is this building, loaded with opportunities, it’s also a big boost for the BRRA – an organization that has already made a significant impact on its host neighborhood/s. Having such a wonderful home for the Black Rock Harbor Center should be considered the icing on the cake.
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