Plans for a police training center and gun range in the Broadway-Fillmore District could be in jeopardy, as a group of activists is suing the City of Buffalo to halt progress at the location.
The group Liberation for One, Liberation for All is suing in hopes the space will instead be restored to its use as a community center. The location at 379 Paderewski Drive was built in 1948 as an American Legion Post and most recently served as a community center.
Many area residents have highlighted the importance of the building’s prior utilization, LOLA member Fatima Nor said.
“They still have it in their recent memory of this being a community center, like they would send their kids there, they would go there themselves for services or for resources, just to gather as a community," she said. "It really speaks to a lack of creativity on City Hall’s part as far as, you know, not seeing that’s what the community needs.”
But Common Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski, who represents Broadway-Fillmore, contends that resident input was accounted for when the council voted in September.
“I stand by the fact that meaningful community outreach was undertaken with neighbors directly impacted by the reuse of this vacant structure,” he said in a written statement.
At least some residents said back in August that they were caught unaware by the city's plan at the time, and responded by gathering signatures to prevent work.
Nowakowski added that the new lawsuit places additional strain on the city’s already limited resources.
Buffalo Police Department also does not have its own training center, instead spending close to $200,000 a year to rent facilities in nearby communities.
But moving forward with the plans would actually cost more money in the end, Nor said.
"It would probably be more expensive to have the facility, rather than training at the Cheektowaga facility," she said. "I think the use is is written in the resolution for about 25 years, but with the maintenance costs and staffing, on top of the cost of the construction of the building, it'll likely come out to more than ... if they were to do the rental payments every year."
