LISC NY Closes on $1M Loan for Glenview Heights Development

BUFFALO, NY –Local Initiatives Support Corporation NY closed on a $1 million predevelopment loan with Belmont Housing Resources for WNY to support Glenview Heights, a project slated to create more than 300 affordable homes and deliver a transformative new neighborhood in East Buffalo’s Grider community.

“The Glenview Heights project is a representation of the ways in which former public housing sites can be reimagined to create modern, affordable, and transformative homes that enhance residents’ livelihoods, address current housing shortages, and inspire reinvestment into our communities,” said Valerie White, Senior Executive Director of LISC NY. “LISC NY is proud to collaborate with Belmont Housing Resources for WNY to facilitate this loan and support this important development that will provide residents of East Buffalo with more stability and contribute to the overall growth of the local economy.”

Glenview Heights will be a multifamily affordable housing complex encompassing approximately 16 acres of vacant land, providing much needed housing for local families with adjusted annual incomes between 50 to 60% AMI. The location at 1827 Fillmore Avenue is currently owned by Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) and is the former site of the Kensington Heights public housing complex. The 1950s-era high rise towers were demolished, and the site was remediated to make it suitable for a new urban neighborhood.

Once finished, the $175 million project will provide a new traditional walkable street block pattern with a mix of four-story apartment buildings and townhouse-style homes with a mixture of one , two-, and three-bedroom layouts. The apartments will be designed to reflect the adjacent urban fabric in an effort to create a more uniform neighborhood feel.

In addition to housing, the development will also deliver 20,000 square feet of commercial space along Fillmore Avenue, recreational and outdoor areas, and workforce development opportunities to the community with close access to transportation and public schools.

The loan from LISC NY will fund soft costs critical to advancing Glenview Heights, including architectural and engineering designs, geotechnical, environmental, legal and administrative, a transportation study, and other due diligence items necessary to complete the project on time and develop the site to its fullest potential.