Seneca Nation Wins Federal Grant For Community Center In Buffalo

More development is coming to a Buffalo neighborhood that hasn't seen a lot of investment lately, thanks to a federal grant that is being awarded to the Seneca Nation of Indians. The infusion of funding is going to see some new life being infused into a vacant property in Riverside that has been empty for a while.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that 38 different Native American tribal communities would share in close to $70 million in grants.

HUD's Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program, which is very similar to the CDBG programs that are routinely utilized in Western New York, is used to help support the development of housing and supportive systems for native families who live on or near Indian reservations. Annually the ICDBG program issues millions in federal dollars to communities for improvements.

This year, the Seneca Nation is among the groups receiving an award from ICDBG. According to Buffalo Business First, they intend to use the funds to revitalize a vacant church on Skillin Street in Riverside.

The soon-to-be-developed Buffalo Creek Community Center will use the nearly $1.6 million grant to help in the acquisition of the property and its conversion to a community center. With more than 700 Seneca households in the City of Buffalo, officials from the Seneca Nation believe that the new community center will serve as a critical support system for members of the Seneca Nation.

In addition to some administrative officers, the community center will offer various programs and services like meals for elders, college prep, job searing, cultural workshops, and both after-school and summer tutoring.

If all things go according to plan, the community center's administrative officers will be running in the fall, and the center itself will be online in the summer of 2025.

The Wonder Bread Factory Abandoned In Western New York

Facebook user Abandoned and Beyond Buffalo, NY, takes us inside this abandoned factory that has been in need of repair and preservation for years. There have been plans for renovation in the near future, but those are on hold.

The photos shared here are meant for entertainment and educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so, you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to investigate the inside of abandoned buildings without proper knowledge, experience, and legal authorization.

Gallery Credit: Ed Nice