McGuire Development Co. is asking the Erie County Industrial Development Agency for more than $1.35 million in tax breaks to support construction of a $33.1 million commissary kitchen for Buffalo Public Schools, where chefs can prepare breakfast and lunch for students.
Without the tax breaks, the project would be “financially complicated” for the school district, according to the developer.
The district unveiled plans last month for a food-preparation facility across the street from its current cramped location at 1055 E. Delavan Ave., which district officials described as inefficient and, at times, dangerous.
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Among the safety concerns, they cited delivery trucks disrupting traffic flow on East Delavan and posing a risk to pedestrians.
They talked of a desire to cook meals from scratch, rather than using pre-prepared or processed foods because of the limited production and storage space in the 40,000-square-foot location that the district has outgrown.
So McGuire, working with Kideney Architects, plans to develop a 66,686-square-foot, one-story building at 1016-1044 East Delavan, where staff would “cook on-site, using locally grown products, creating fresh and high-quality meal options for students,” according to McGuire’s application to the ECIDA.
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