Economic Development Strategy
Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission (MSAAHCC) Strategic Plan
Part of the East Side Avenues less than a mile from downtown Buffalo, New York, the Michigan Street Corridor is rooted in the historic preservation of cultural establishments and anchors that played, and continue to play, a pivotal role in the Black history of Buffalo and greater New York area. This underserved and disinvested corridor received capital support through the East Side Avenues Initiatives, the City of Buffalo, and Empire State Development to undertake a strategic planning process to guide future development and area investment.
Client
Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission
Service
Economic Development Strategy
Economic Development Implementation
Location
Buffalo, New York
JS&A served on the strategic planning team with Moody Nolan Architecture and Lord Cultural Resources to create a collective and cohesive vision for the community and physical corridor. The MSAAHC Strategic Plan articulates ambitious yet realistic development visions with an implementation guidebook to catalyze area leadership through a series of actionable economic development initiatives.
Project Scope
Economic Development Strategy
Site and Building Evaluation
Land Use Assessment
Recommended Development Partnership Strategy
Capital Improvement Allocation Strategy and Framework
Real Estate Plan
JS&A provided the Strategic Planning team with land use-specific market indicators for commercial, residential, hospitality, cultural, and public spaces to ensure development visions of the community reflect market opportunities, creating pathways for adjusting market conditions to encourage the types of development the community wants to see.
JS&A created an Economic Development Strategy as part of the Strategic Plan centered around bolstering the Commission as economic development leaders through a sustainable organizational structure, partnering with the development community and capitalizing on income-earning investment opportunities, and enhancing the cultural tourism for the area’s anchors and businesses.
JS&A curated a near-term and long-term Implementation Guide to provide leadership with goals, strategic actions, resources, partners, and recommended sequencing to ensure the plan becomes reality.
