By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – A ground-breaking ceremony was held Wednesday for the new North Jefferson Library on Buffalo's East Side. Dozens of people gathered in a muddy lot at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street to mark yet another milestone for a commercial strip that is coming back.
For years, a once-vibrant commercial district was allowed to languish. But today, momentum is building along Jefferson Avenue.
First, the old Apollo Theatre was renovated into a state-of-the-art telecommunications center. A new Tops Market recently opened. And just last week, plans were unveiled for a new business and retail incubator.
The new library will be ready by June 2005. Masten District Common Council Member Antoine Thompson says the 20,000 square foot building will have an African motif.
"People who are looking to do research on African-American issues, this will be their primary source of information," Thompson explained. "Whether it's history or family lineage, it will be right here in this library. It'll be really beautiful."
The library will be named after the late Frank Merriweather, founder and editor of the Criterion newspaper. Members of his family were on hand for yesterday's ground-breaking. Funding for the $4.2 million project is coming from the city of Buffalo and the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. While the project represents another example of the rebirth of Jefferson Avenue, State Senator Byron Brown says more needs to be done.
"The next step is some additional commercial business development," Brown said. "We need to put some money into the businesses that have been here and help them to revitalize their establishments."
Brown and others say ultimately they want Jefferson Avenue to be as vibrant as the commercials strips along Elmwood and Hertel Avenues.