MAYOR, BUFFALO ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE CORPORATION CERTIFY THREE DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES AS "SMART BUILDINGS"
DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO EMBRACE THE "BYTE BELT" ; MAIN PLACE TOWER, LIBERTY BUILDING AND MAIN COURT PLAZA ARE WIRED AND READY TO GO

Buffalo, NY-Mayor Anthony M. Masiello and the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation today officially certified three longstanding Downtown properties as "smart buildings." Main Place Tower and the Liberty Building-now considered as a focal point for the local telecommunications industry-and the Main Court Plaza-former home of Delaware North Company--were all deemed as possessing the necessary "smart" qualities. Since the inception of the Buffalo Byte Belt Technology Development Initiative, the Mayor's Eight Point Plan to foster growth in the information technology industry, BERC officials have worked with the IT and real estate communities to establish a fluid set of criteria to demarcate "smart buildings", which are increasingly needed in the emerging economy of the 21st Century. "Smart buildings" generally include connectivity and access to the internet. In February, Mayor Masiello certified the Advanced Training Center as a Buffalo Byte Belt "smart building."

"We are pleased to recognize the efforts of the Main Place Tower, the Liberty Building and the Main Court Plaza in creating an environment where technology can flourish," said Mayor Masiello. "These three properties have distinguished themselves as meeting the needs of our growing IT industry. I applaud the commitment of Pat Hotung of the Main Place Liberty Group and Kjeld Larson of Vandor in establishing buildings of the 21st Century. In the next few weeks, we will be certifying many more Downtown properties as we continue in our Byte Belt mission."

Main Place Tower and the Liberty Building are operated by the Main Place Liberty Group which has distinguished itself as a hub of telecommunications and information technology businesses. Prime Communications-soon to be relocating from Amherst to the Main Place Mall-provides both buildings' internet connectivity.

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The Main Court Plaza, former longtime home to Delaware North, is currently seeking tenants. Amenities offered include twenty-four hour a day card access, security and a federal express located in the building. Often these perks are highly attractive to the stressful, fast paced world of IT businesses. Bell Atlantic serves as the Main Court Plaza's ISP-Internet Service Provider.

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BERC officials have crafted the certification process in conjunction with private sector property owners, the City of Buffalo's Office of Telecommunications and IT leaders. Certified "smart buildings" may include a combination of the following standards: internet ready/easy access to bandwidth; connectivity to Downtown's fiber optic spine; access to alternate networks; ability for twenty-four hour access; expansion and build out ability; flexible and creative lease terms; potential conferencing amenities; community environment/recreational space and residential opportunities located nearby.

Several other properties have applied for certification. Within the next few weeks, Mayor Masiello will certify the following buildings: Ellicott Square Building, Statler Towers, Seneca Industrial Center, Tri-Main Center and 69 Delaware Avenue.

"We are pleased that the real estate community has embraced the tremendous market force potential of information technology," said BERC President Alan DeLisle. "We are capitalizing on an emerging sector which provides tremendous opportunities for Downtown Buffalo. We hope that this certification process will make it easier for IT companies to focus on their work at hand."

For more information on the "Downtown Smartens Up" process or the Buffalo Byte Belt Technology Development Initiative, call 842-6923 or e-mail tdiina@berc.org.