Opportunity Zones
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ZONES MAYOR BYRON W. BROWN CITY OF BUFFALO CITY OF BUFFALO Office of Strategic Planning 65 Niagara Square Buffalo, NY 14202 Phone: (716) 851-5224 OPPORTUNITY ZONE DATA WHY BUFFALO? CITY OF BUFFALO ERIE COUNTY A NEW BUFFALO…ALL NEW OPPORTUNITIES AREA 52.5 mi² AREA 1,227 mi² POPULATION 258,592 POPULATION 925,528 Fueled by tens of billions in recent public and private investment, Buffalo, New York continues to develop into a MEDIAN AGE 32.9 MEDIAN AGE 40.3 vibrant, equitable and inclusive City of Opportunity, with historic charm, diverse neighborhoods, low unemployment, a magnificent waterfront and all sorts of urban allure, from its award-winning Olmsted Parks network, diverse MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME $34,814 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME $55,604 neighborhoods to cool hotels, with rooftop bars, trendy restaurants, and a growing craft beer industry. All of the MEDIAN HOME VALUE $92,700 POVERTY RATE 14.6% major metrics point to a flourishing economy with increased investment and job growth. Business startups and (OWNER-OCCUPIED) high growth young firms enjoy low taxes, an educated and talented workforce that includes a growing millennial POVERTY RATE 29.6% demographic favoring urban living. Opportunities abound in the New Buffalo. Built on a legacy of industry and commerce, Buffalo continues to maintain a strong economy and diverse workforce. Under the leadership of Mayor Byron W. Brown, Buffalo has experienced significant progress, including more than $7 billion in new economic development activity since 2006. His continued vision is of a thriving, healthy and innovative Buffalo – a city that embraces inclusiveness, equity and opportunity for all. His goal was and still is to make Buffalo a place “where no one is left out, and no one is left behind.” There are SEVENTEEN (17) Affectionately known as the City of Good Neighbors, small businesses, residents and visitors enjoy unique cultural Opportunity Zones within assets, world class educational institutions and parks, affordable housing and easy multi-modal travel and quick commutes. In the New Buffalo – these economic drivers and community and cultural assets have resulted in a the City of Buffalo number of highly effective and bold, new initiatives and collaborations that continue to re-invigorate our City. The City of Buffalo Equal Opportunity Zones offer an excellent opportunity for investors to further restore, enhance, The 17 Opportunity Zones have been and enliven this Great American City. Buffalo’s 17 Zones are urban, dense, diverse, colorful, and full of high-impact real estate projects and operating business deals. We hope you enjoy this sampling of current and potential Opportunity organized into 10 “Zone Clusters” based Zone projects in the City of Buffalo. Please also know there are many more coming, with even more to discover as we on their geography, economy, land use continue to build a Buffalo that’s inclusive, equitable and restored to its full greatness. and planning, common infrastructure and assets. ZONE DISTRICTS BUFFALO: Urban Core, Cultural, Northland-Hospital, East Main & Jefferson, OuterHarbor, Delaware, Broadway-Fillmore, Industrial Heritage, University Heights, and West Hertel. • 16 mi² (32% of City’s area) OPPORTUNITY ZONES EXPLAINED DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS RESOURCES RESOURCE AUTHORITY DESCRIPTION WHAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE? An Opportunity Zone is an economically-distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible TAX ABATEMENTS Erie County Industrial Development Agency Payment In-Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) Term-limited for preferential tax treatment. Localities qualify as Opportunity Zones if they have been nominated for that designation by the state (ECIDA), City of Buffalo reduction of property taxes on the added- and that nomination has been certified by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury via his delegation of authority to the Internal Revenue value of property improvements. Some tax Service. Opportunity Zones were added to the tax code by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. abatements available as-of-right. MORTGAGE RECORDING TAX ECIDA A one-time exemption of the NYS and local WHAT ARE THE INCENTIVES/ HOW DO OPPORTUNITY ZONES SPUR DEVELOPMENT? EXEMPTION mortgage recording fee ¾ of 1% of mortgage amt. Opportunity Zones are designed to spur economic development by providing tax benefits to investors. First, investors can defer NYS SALES TAX EXEMPTION ECIDA Sales tax abatement on construction materials, tax on any prior gains invested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) until the earlier of the date on which the investment in a QOF non-production equipment is sold or exchanged, or December 31, 2026. If the QOF investment is held for longer than 5 years, there is a 10% exclusion of the deferred gain. If held for more than 7 years, the 10% becomes 15%. Second, if the investor holds the investment in the Opportunity FOREIGN TRADE ZONE ECIDA Application assistance and zone Fund for at least ten years, the investor is eligible for an increase in basis of the QOF investment equal to its fair market value on the administration programs that can save thousands in duty fees date that the QOF investment is sold or exchanged. FINANCING Regional Development Corporation (RDC) Business Loans WHAT IS A QUALIFIED OPPORTUNITY FUND? [an ECIDA subsidiary] -Small ($10k - $50k) -Large ($50k - $2M) A Qualified Opportunity Fund is an investment vehicle that is set up either as a partnership or corporation for investing in eligible Innovation Loan Fund property that is located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone. -Final Stage Financing Industrial Land Development Corporation (ILDC) DOES AN INVESTOR NEED TO LIVE IN AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TAX BENEFITS? [an ECIDA subsidiary] Tax-Exempt Bond Financing An investor can get the tax benefits, even if he/ she does not live, work, or have a business in an Opportunity Zone. All an investor SPECIAL FINANCING (VALUE ECIDA, City of Buffalo Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and PILOT needs is to appropriately invest a recognized gain in a Qualified Opportunity Fund and elect to defer the tax on that gain. (IRS.GOV) CAPTURE FINANCING) Increment Financing (PIF) BUSINESS / ENTREPRENURIAL 43 North, New York State, StartUp NY, ECIDA, Business plan development, financial OPPORTUNITY ZONE PARTNERS ASSISTANCE City of Buffalo, Beverly Gray Business Exchange assistance, and training. Visit: https://www. Center, Small Business Development Center ecidany.com/entrepreneurs-resource-list ERIE COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY INVEST BUFFALO NIAGARA COUNTY OF ERIE BUFFALO LISC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Buffalo Employment and Training Center, Business plan development, financial EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT NIAGARA FRONTIER TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Northland Workforce Training Center (NWTC), assistance, and training University at Buffalo’s Educational Opportunity BUFFALO NIAGARA PARTNERSHIP Center (EOC) BROWNFIELD CLEANUP PROGRAM New York State Dept. of Environmental The goal of the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) Conservation (DEC) (BCP) is to encourage private-sector cleanups of brownfields and to promote their redevelopment as a means to revitalize economically blighted communities. The BCP is an alternative to greenfield development and is intended to remove some of the barriers to, and provide tax incentives for, the redevelopment of urban brownfields. EAST SIDE CORRIDOR Empire State Development (ESD) https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/Buffalo- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND East-Side-Corridor-Fund.pdf MORE INFORMATION? VISIT: US DEPT. OF TREASTUERY OPPORTUNITY ZONE https://info.buffaloniagara.org/ SEARCH MAP: LOCAL ZOING MAPS: incentivesguide https://www.cims.cdfifund.gov/ BUFFALO - https://bit.ly/2ZY2CCa preparation/?config=config_nmtc.xml OPPORTUNITY ZONE URBAN CORE WHY URBAN CORE? • City’s major employment Center TRACTS 165, 164 • Entertainment Center SIZE 1.79 SQ. MI. • Increasing resident population POPULATION 4,554 (2017), 4,326 (2013) [+5%] • Transit Hub – MetroRail, Bus Terminal, MEDIAN AGE 36 (2017) Amtrak, Interstates 190 and 90 • Buffalo Building Reuse Project – concerted KEY BANK CENTER MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD $47,500 INCOME public-private effort to restore Downtown as a 24/7 live-work-play community JOBS 39,940 (2015), 38,567 (2011) [+4%] through loan fund TOP INDUSTRIES Public Administration (23%); Professional, WEST GOODELL Scientific, and Technical Services (16%); 10TH 33 RAMP BFNC DAVIS TUPPER MORTIMER CAMP TRACY HICKORY KANE PARKING LOT 33 Finance and Insurance (12%) CAROLINA RAMP WHITNEY EUREKA CHERRY BECKWITH CURTAIN UP HERMAN FOX JOHNSON GUILFORD PROSPECT GREY ONE SENECA TOWER JOHNSON SYDNI INFRASTRUCTURE Lake Erie; Interstates 90 and 190; Local and GENESEE WALNUT SPRUCE ELMWOOD SAINT MICHAELS MATTHEWS ± PEARL RAMP Regional Bus Terminal; Amtrak; MetroRail; NYS MAIN SYCAMORE ASH RABIN ASBURY GEORGE OAK GEORGIA CARY CHIPPEWA Route 5; Buffalo River; Main, Ohio, Michigan, DELAWARE REY ELLICOTT WALNUT NIAGARA HURON and Seneca Street Corridors SPRUCE PADEREWSKI ASH HARBOR CENTERBROADWAY CASTOR FOUNTAIN CYPRESS HOLLISTER ASSETS Canalside; KeyBank Center and HarborCenter; FLINT BEAN MOHAWK MOHAWK PECKHAM GENESEE SPRING JERGE MOHAWK COIT Erie Community College; Sahlen Field (Ballpark); MICHIGAN WALNUT ARCHIE PRATT STAATS CEDAR STANTON SHUMWAY SMITH 7TH BENNETT IROQUOIS BLOSSOM MILNOR KRETTNER SHERMAN Buffalo Niagara Convention Center; Civic Node; FRANKLIN WILLERT PARK PERKINS COURT 165 NASH ARSENAL Larkinville; Cobblestone District; Theatre District ELM URBAN CORE CLUSTER GENESEE UPPER