Governor Kathy Hochul announced construction has begun on the first phase of a multi‑phase redevelopment of Marine Drive Apartments, a 70‑year‑old public housing complex on Buffalo’s waterfront.
Phase I: $250 million and 254 new apartments
The administration says the $250 million first phase will deliver 254 new apartments across four new buildings. State officials describe the overall Marine Drive redevelopment as a roughly $600 million project that will replace the original 616 units with about 730 new apartments when all phases are complete.
Affordability and resident protections
Officials emphasized that current residents will remain in their homes until their new apartments are ready, and will be able to move directly from old units into new units before older buildings are demolished. The announcement framed the work as part of an effort to provide modern, energy‑efficient housing and neighborhood amenities for working families and long‑time residents.
Context and related projects
The Marine Drive work is presented as part of Governor Hochul’s five‑year, $25 billion Housing Plan, which the state says is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has reported creating or preserving more than 11,600 affordable homes in Erie County, including more than 8,300 in Buffalo.
The governor also highlighted nearby waterfront and neighborhood investments and cited a separate North Aud Block redevelopment that the release says will create 250 homes with $155 million in state investment.
Event and participants
The announcement was marked by a beam‑signing event attended by Governor Hochul and local officials, including Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan and other city and state legislators. A resident of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, named in the transcript, addressed the crowd.
Media assets and transcript
The governor’s office distributed B‑roll, video, audio, photos and a rush transcript of remarks with the release. (The distributed materials referenced streaming and photo hosts but no direct links were provided in the email copy.)
Reporting here is based on the governor’s office announcement and the provided rush transcript.
