[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16295]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING ERIE CANAL HARBOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS 2013 BUSINESS 
                              OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 28, 2013

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Erie Canal 
Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) on its many accomplishments 
including being recognized by the Amherst Chamber of Commerce at its 
2013 Business of the Year Awards Ceremony. The Erie Canal Harbor 
Development Corporation is being honored with the Stewardship Award at 
the Chamber's event on October 28, 2013.
  In 2005, as part of the NYPA settlement agreement, we called for a 
dedicated revenue stream to fund waterfront development in the city of 
Buffalo. But perhaps more importantly, we called for a locally 
controlled, waterfront development corporation, whose express purpose 
was to enhance public access to Buffalo's Inner and Outer Harbor 
waterfront areas. The Corporation's primary objective would be the 
design and construction management of physical improvements to the 
Buffalo waterfront areas to create private and public sector 
recreational and commercial development along the Lake Erie shoreline.
  Fortunately, we won that settlement and in 2007 the Erie Canal Harbor 
Development Corporation was created. Since that time, ECHDC has taken 
an aggressive approach to waterfront development and is credited with 
remarkable projects along Buffalo's Inner and Outer Harbors that are 
reinvigorating our city and residents and visitors alike.
  ECHDC is responsible for the work on the Erie Canal Redevelopment 
Project, which revitalized 12.5 acres of idle waterfront space into a 
highly trafficked downtown destination now known as Canalside. This 
site incorporates historic elements of the original Erie Canal and 
celebrates Buffalo's role as the western end of the canal.
  The Corporation has successfully managed development of 23 acres at 
the Inner Harbor for public, commercial and mixed uses. ECHDC oversaw 
demolition of the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, ongoing construction of 
historically aligned canals to be used as unique water features and 
public ice staking destinations, and improvements to the public 
landscape including a vibrant central wharf at Canalside that 
accommodates large concerts, public markets, and hundreds of other 
popular events throughout the year.
  As a result of the groundwork laid by ECHDC, work is now underway on 
HARBORcenter, an over $170 million private sector investment on the 
Webster block that builds off of the success of Canalside.
  Thanks to the hard work of the ECHDC, we now have increased business 
and recreational activity on the Inner and Outer Harbors including 
1,000 feet of boat dock installments at Canalside, two new restaurants, 
the development of Wilkeson Pointe, a 20 acre parcel of parkland on the 
Outer Harbor among many other public access improvements and amenities. 
Given ECHDC's record of accomplishment in the waterfront development 
business, the Corporation was recently entrusted with devising a plan 
for the future use of approximately 130 acres of Outer Harbor lands.
  Mr. Speaker, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation has worked 
tirelessly in their mission to revitalize the City of Buffalo's Inner 
and Outer Harbor areas and restore economic growth to Western New York. 
The region has benefited from the leadership and innovative vision of 
the Corporation, its staff and Board of Directors. I ask that my 
colleagues join me in recognizing the Erie Canal Harbor Development 
Corporation for their dedication to Western New York and congratulate 
them in receiving the Stewardship Award from the Amherst Chamber of 
Commerce.

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