Members of an African-American media group say they're teaming with Carl Paladino's Ellicott Development to restore the former Sattler Broadway Theatre in Buffalo. WBFO'S Eileen Buckley says millions of dollars must be raised to begin the restoration.
The more than 100-year old theater at Broadway near Jefferson is pad locked. Inside the dilapidated building it's dank, smells of mold, there's a huge hole in the wall and much of the facility is crumbling. But for members of the Western New York Minority Media Professionalsthey see a future theater restored and ready for multi-media shows and its training for students, all to help revitalize a rundown East Side neighborhood.
"We're very grateful to Mr. Paladino," said Dwayne Kelly, with the Western New York Minority Media Professionals.
Kelly said Paladino stepped forward as they were soliciting help. "Carl stepped up and said I think I can help you make this work," said Kelly.
WBFO News asked Kelly if it felt difficult knowing that Paladino has been accused, in the past, by some as being racist.
"I've never found him to be racists," said Kelly. "Carl is very passionate and sometimes he doesn't use the most delicate terms in going about something, but certainly I would think if he was a racist and a bigot he wouldn't have given us the time of day."
But Paladino was a no-show at a news conference Thursday to announce the restoration. Paladino is expected to serve as project manager free of charge. The media group says it owns the building.
The organization has an ambitious time frame of completing restoration in 18-months, but needs to raise $5 to 7 million.
Michael Quinniey is with the media group.
"Most people ask, how are you going to raise the money. The first thing we had to learn was the process of historic restoration and preservation," said Quinniey. "You have to learn how to structure your group and how to get the word out to raise money."
Preservationists are also lending expertise to this project. Mike Puma is a historic preservation consultant and Chrissy Lincoln is with Preservation Buffalo Niagara.
"And this building was built in 1914, designed by Henry Span, but obviously the most beautiful aspect of this building -- is this amazing polychrome terra cotta facade," said Puma.
"And in case anyone has any doubts that this really that this can really revitalize a neighborhood, in Cleveland there a $7 million restoration of a theater there, that so far, since 2009 has brought in 80-new business and just last year alone, brought in over $4 million in local taxes," stated Lincoln.
It is the organizations hope that a new theater could redefine a section of Broadway filled with vacant lots and deteriorating storefronts. If the project becomes a reality, the minority media organization is promising to create 100-new jobs and plans to hire a number of local youth.