Dozens of neighbors rallied in Elmwood Village Saturday opposing development projects they believe would "destroy" the character of the neighborhood.
"As an 8 year old, intuitively, I knew that this was a special place," said Jessie Fisher, an urban planner and lifelong resident of Elmwood Village. "This place empowered me as a child. I was able to walk places. I knew all of my neighbors."
New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan was on hand for the event. He and neighbors hope the city will reject the proposed apartment complex by Chason Affinity at the corner of Elmwood and Forest Avenues.
"Why would we ever say, 'you can get exceptions from the rules to build something that's good for you, but bad for the rest of the businesses on Elmwood Avenue'," Ryan said. He was referencing the city's green code restrictions that this project doesn't meet.
A City of Buffalo spokesperson says the city is enforcing the green code, but state law "allows developers to apply for variances when projects meet certain criteria".
