East Side Building Fund Small Projects Application

The East Side Building Fund is a $10 million joint, consolidated fund that aims to assist in the community-driven revitalization of mixed-use neighborhood commercial districts on Buffalo’s East Side by providing Empire State Development (ESD) capital grant funds for targeted building and associated site improvements such as stabilization measures, façade renovations and interior building upgrades to commercial and mixed-use buildings.

The following application is for Small Projects. Through Small Projects, building owners are eligible to receive grants from a Local Program Administrator of a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $400,000 to cover the costs of renovations per building.

Applications must be submitted by June 27, 2025 at 4:00PM. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Applications in progress can saved and reopened later. At the end of each section of the form there is a button to save your work and return later. When you use that option, an email with a web link will be generated and sent to your email address. Please allow several minutes for the email to arrive and be sure to check your spam folder.

Questions about Small Projects should be submitted in writing via email to info@EastSideBuildingFund.org with the subject line: East Side Building Fund.

For more information about the East Side Building Fund visit esd.ny.gov/east-side-building-fund

Individuals, companies, or LLCs interested in applying should complete the application below.

Step 1 of 3

33%

Are you applying as an individual or as a company or LLC?(Required)

Individual

Company or LLC

Name(Required)

First Last

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Individual Building Owner

Applicant's Home Address(Required)

This is the property owner's address and not the address of the property for which you applying for funding.

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Company/LLC Owner

Business Name(Required)

Applicant's Business Address(Required)

This is the property owner's address and not the address of the property for which you applying for funding.

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Phone(Required)

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Section Break

How does your name appear on the deed?(Required)

Is the applicant the owner of the building for which you seek funding from the East Side Building Fund?(Required)

The applicant must be the building owner. The deed with the building owner’s name must be included with the application.

Yes

List all of the property owners and assign a percentage of ownership for each(Required)

Please put each owner's name on a separate line. If there is more than one owner, hit the "+" sign at the end of the line to add another owner. Do this as often as required to list all property owners.

Name

Percentage of Ownership

Are you a graduate of the Community Based Real Estate Training Program (CBREDT) in 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023?(Required)

Yes

Have you engaged with the Technical Assistance from the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning (SAP) and Center for Regional Strategies (CRS)?(Required)

Yes

Have you completed the online CBREDT 101 program.(Required)

Visit the site at CBREDT.org

Yes

Describe your experience with building renovations or real estate development?(Required)

None

Limited Experience

Moderate Experience

High Level of Experience

Please elaborate on your experience(Required)

Do you have a recent or pending felony or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation) conviction?(Required)

Yes

Please provide details(Required)

Are you aware of any or threatened litigation that would have a material effect on your financial condition and your ability to participate in the Program if selected?(Required)

Yes

Please provide details(Required)

Small Projects

Property Street Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

What year was the building originally built?(Required)

The building is ....(Required)

Commercial only

Mixed-Use (Commercial Space & Residential Space)

Provide a brief description of the building, including size, number of units and its current use.(Required)

Is there currently one or more businesses operating in the building?(Required)

Yes

List business name(s) currently operating in the building(Required)

Following renovations, do you have prospective tenant(s) for the commercial space(s)?(Required)

Yes

List tenant name(s) ...(Required)

What is the development status of the property?(Required)

No action

Planning/Design

Permitting/Approval

Construction

Anticipated Total Project Cost(Required)

Grant Amount Requested(Required)

What is the maximum amount you are able to commit for your owner’s contribution?(Required)

Note: if awarded you are required to contribute at least 10% of the total project cost. You must include proof of property owner’s estimated contribution (bank statement, line of credit, other grant source).

Explain the projected or actual sources for your 10% owner’s contribution and how you will finance any remaining balance.(Required)

Has the property you are applying for previously received funding through the East Side Commercials Districts Program, Commercial Building Stabilization Fund and/or Community-Based Real Estate Development Training Program Fund?(Required)

Yes

Indicate all of the EXTERIOR improvements you wish to make on your building:(Required)

Select all that apply.

Signage

Windows/Doors

Masonry

Siding

Correction of Building Code Violations

Painting

Awnings

Façade Repairs

Lighting

Roofing

Site Improvements

Other

If "Other," please elaborate.(Required)

Indicate all of the INTERIOR improvements you wish to make on your building:(Required)

Select all that apply.

Electric

HVAC/Energy Upgrades

Foundation Repair

Plumbing

Fire Alarms/Sprinklers

Code Violation Corrections

Energy Conservation

Water Conservation

Painting

Flooring

Ceiling

Other

If "Other," please elaborate.(Required)

Provide a brief description of the repairs, renovations and improvements for which you seek assistance from the East Side Building Fund? Prioritize the improvements from most important to least important. Include a description of any major structural issues.(Required)

Describe the vision for your building once repairs, renovations and improvements are complete. Indicate uses, prospective business types, commercial unit counts, and residential unit counts.(Required)

Do you have a development team?(Required)

Yes

List the team members, their roles and how long they have been on the team(Required)

Do you plan to sell the building in the next six years?(Required)

Important: Grant funds will be subject to pro rata recapture if property is sold within five years of disbursement of funds

Yes

If funded, do you need an interpreter or any other accommodations to complete your renovation project?(Required)

Yes

Briefly explain your needs(Required)

I affirm that to the best of my knowledge, the following is true and understand that responses will be confirmed during application review:

Is there a mortgage on this property?(Required)

Yes

Are payments current?(Required)

Yes

List the mortgage holder's name and address(Required)

Do you have property insurance?(Required)

Yes

Explain why not ...(Required)

Are all property, water and sewer taxes paid to date on subject property?(Required)

Yes

Which taxes are not current?(Required)

Do you have a payment plan in place?(Required)

Yes

Are you currently in housing court(Required)

Yes

Explain the situation and timeline ...(Required)

Are you aware of any liens on your property?(Required)

Yes

Explain the plan to remove the lien(s) ...(Required)

If selected for a technical review, will you allow the technical assistance team to access your property?(Required)

Important: If you answer no, your application will NOT move forward.

Yes