Higgins calls for $2 transfer of land

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A local lawmaker says Outer Harbor property owned by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority should be sold for $2. The Erie County Harbor Development Corporation and the City of Buffalo have both expressed interest in the property. 

Congressman Brian Higgins says the NFTA bought the land for $2 in 1957. Higgins says the money exchange between two government agencies takes away funding available for improvements along the waterfront.

“It is nonsensical for money to change hands between two government agencies if the ultimate goal of all parties involved is improving and developing Buffalo’s Outer Harbor,” said Higgins.  “The property is currently in a state of disrepair and in need of millions of dollars in investments.  If the transfer were to come at a cost, it is the public that truly pays the price in lost access, improvements and ultimately less economic activity for our region.”

NFTA Chairman Howard Zemsky released the following statement in response to Higgins request:

"The NFTA is committed to divesting itself from the waterfront property, so that we can focus on our core mission of public transportation. This morning the Congressmen referenced the NFTA acquisition cost of the approximately 400 acres that we intend to transfer. A fuller understanding of the NFTA costs would have to include approximately $2 million in acquisition cost, and an additional $3 million in NFTA investment over the past five years.

"Additionally, since acquiring the Boat Harbor property the NFTA has invested approximately $7 million in infrastructure and improvements. The NFTA has never insisted on recovering our full investment costs. We believe it is not productive to speculate or guess what the interested government entities are willing to offer in that they have yet to respond to our Request for Proposals. Earlier this year, the NFTA did receive two private offers ranging from $2-3.5 million for the small boat harbor alone. The NFTA decided not to pursue these offers in order to keep these lands in the public domain.

"The NFTA has established a process that we hope will results in an efficient transfer of this land to another government entity so that the public will benefit. We are committed to following that process to its conclusion. This requires full compliance with the law but also a consideration as to what is fair to the riding public we serve."