BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Common Councilman Rasheed N.C. Wyatt said he will return $1,070 to developer Darryl Carr, after two separate donations in 2023.
Carr is the owner of 110-118 South Park Avenue, which caught on fire earlier this summer and sustained more than $1 million in damages. The Buffalo Fire Department deemed the fire "suspicious" and called in the ATF to assist in the investigation, which is ongoing.
The property has been at the center of a legal battle for years.
The developer wants the building knocked down, but lawmakers want to save the historic building in Buffalo's Cobblestone District using eminent domain.
Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo said the fire began on the first floor. You can watch our report from the day after the fire took place below.
In July, a judge ruled in favor of the city in an eminent domain fight.
In August, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Carr, asking the court to force the City of Buffalo to knock the buildings down. Carr can still appeal the decision.
Earlier this week, the common council voted 8-1 to provide nearly $400,000 to stabilize the building. Wyatt was the sole "no" vote.
Wyatt insisted his vote was based strictly on the City of Buffalo's finances. With a $40 million budget gap, Wyatt said he didn't feel it was in taxpayers' best interest.
"...my issue was only with the amount of money that we're going to spend on something that it seems as though, at this point in time, there's not been a final determination by the court," Wyatt said. "So for us to spend almost $500,000 on this when we don't know how we're going to get our money back and the cash-strapped situation the city is in, it just doesn't seem like a smart move to me."
DRANTCH: Have you had any conversations with Daryl Carr in the past or about what he wants to do with this building?
WYATT: Yeah, he's met with all of us and talked to us about it.
But the 7 News I-Team has discovered, Carr contributed a total of $1,070 to the Friends of Rasheed Wyatt fund. According to New York State campaign contribution data:
- On May 11, 2023: Carr contributed $70 to the Friends of Rasheed Wyatt
- On November 1, 2023: Carr contributed $1,000 to the Friends of Rasheed Wyatt
WYATT: We had no conversations prior to whatever [about this funding]. So this was no support of Darryl Carr and going to get to council member at all.
DRANTCH: Is there some ethical challenge here to [getting this donation], you accepting it and now voting no against stabilizing the building?
WYATT: This happened over a year ago. I didn't support the eminent domain because it just for me, taking someone's property was just not something that I agree with, and Council President Pridgen also supported that. So it has nothing to do with that.
In pressing Wyatt further, he explained to the 7 News I-Team, "I will send that money back, because I don't want any suspicion to be coming to me regarding something that you know, really has nothing to do with me, other than I'm concerned about the finances of the city."
DRANTCH: When do you think you'll send that money back?
WYATT: ASAP.
While Wyatt argued the emergency stabilization effort is not in taxpayers' best interest, a Common Council spokesperson told the 7 News I-Team, that $400,000 bill would actually be sent to Carr. The council notes, however, that even though Carr has been taken to Housing Court, Carr has "failed to maintain the properties, leading to their steady decline."
