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Area leaders dedicate Buffalo's Federal Courthouse

U.S. Courthouse, downtown Buffalo
WBFO News photo
U.S. Courthouse, downtown Buffalo

Buffalo's $137 million U.S. District Courthouse on Niagara Square was formally dedicated today. The 10-story, 261,00 square-foot building opened last November after years of delay.

Many federal judges were in attendance, as were upwards of 250 invited guests, including Senator Charles Schumer, Representatives Kathy Hochul and Brian Higgins, Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard. 

Among the speakers was Judge Richard Arcara who, along with Chief U.S. District Judge William Skretny, was a driving force to see the project through from beginning to end.

"It took a tremendous amount of work, effort, and commitment over 15 years to put all these pieces together," said Arcara.

Arcara noted that had this been a private sector project, it probably would have been completed much sooner. But, he said, because it involved the expenditure of public funds, strict safeguards had to be followed.

"What is so very important about this courthouse is that it belongs to no one in particular. Yes, it is our courthouse, but it is also your courthouse. It is truly everyone's courthouse," Skretny said.

There are bills in both houses of Congress to have the Courthouse named after Robert Jackson.  The Jamestown native was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Chief U.S. prosecutor at the Nazi war crimes
trial in Nuremberg.

Rep. Higgins says the naming bill will soon go the floor for a full House vote. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate.

 

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