NEWS RELEASE

MAYOR MASIELLO JOINS CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EDUCATION FOUNDATION, M&T BANK AND McKINLEY VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HOME BUILDING PROJECT RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY: "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME"

BUFFALO (12/5/00) -- Mayor Anthony M. Masiello today participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new home recently constructed by carpentry and vocational students attending McKinley, Seneca and Emerson High Schools. The 1200 sq. ft. house was built on the McKinley High School campus and was moved to a formerly vacant site located at 660 Sycamore Street.

"We have chosen a most appropriate time of the year, the holiday season, to introduce this high school new construction project entitled 'There's No Place Like Home,'" stated Mayor Masiello. "I commend the Construction Industry Education Foundation, the Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York and the city's business community, most notably M&T Bank and several local foundations, who helped bring this project to fruition. But special recognition must go to the students from McKinley, Seneca and Emerson who have done something more significant than just building a house. They have helped provide a family with a home; they have contributed to the improvement of our city, to a family's future and to a neighborhood. These students deserve our gratitude."

The donation of the land site and a $25,000 purchase subsidy provided by the City of Buffalo helped to make the project available to an 80% median income individual(s). "This construction project shows our continuing effort to expand and deliver the Mayor's visions for homeownership in the City of Buffalo," explained Joe Ryan, Commissioner of the city's Office of Strategic Planning.

The project received grants from the John R. Oshei Foundation ($30,000), M & T Bank ($25,000), Baird Foundation ($15,000) and $30,000 through in-kind donations from the members of the Construction Industry Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York.

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