The Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction is an ambitious 10-year reconstruction and renovation program. The project is designed to provide state-of- the-art learning environments, upgrade the public school infrastructure, and strengthen surrounding residential and commercial neighborhoods

Calixte, Louis

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12-8-2010 
Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction 
Louis Calixte 
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Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction 
Abstract 
The Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction is an ambitious 10-year reconstruction and renovation 
program. The project is designed to provide state-of- the-art learning environments, upgrade the public 
school infrastructure, and strengthen surrounding residential and commercial neighborhoods. 
Keywords 
Buffalo, Education, K-12 Education, Fact Sheet, PPG, PDF 
This article is available at DigitalCommons@ILR: https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/buffalocommons/185 
 
 
 
 
 
FACT SHEET                                                                    December 8, 2010 
 
Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction 
Louise Calixte 
University at Buffalo Law Student 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
1 
What is the Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction? 
The Buffalo Public Schools Reconstruction is an ambitious 10-year reconstruction and 
renovation program. The project is designed to provide state-of- the-art learning 
environments, upgrade the public school infrastructure, and strengthen surrounding 
residential and commercial neighborhoods.
i
 
 
How many schools form the Buffalo Public Schools district? 
 Buffalo has approximately 70 school buildingsii 
 
How many children does the Buffalo Public Schools serve? 
BPS educates approximately 37,000 children. This number has been decreasing due to 
depopulation as well as the rising number of charter schools in Buffalo.
iii
 
 
What explains the need to renovate the Buffalo Public Schools? 
BPS achievement has decreased due to decline in population and economic activity in 
Buffalo. An assessment of BPS found that: 
 Buildings had an average age of 70 years without renovations. 
 There was more focus on centralized control and compliance than on student 
performance and achievement. 
 The system is marked by lack of direction and focus. 
 The system is characterized by a lack of collaboration and communications. 
 The system operates with antiquated procedures, technologies, and systems. 
 The system is experiencing weakening community support.iv 
 
Who oversees the Project? 
Created by state statute, the Joint Schools Construction Board (JSCB) is overseeing the 
project. The mayor and the superintendent serve as co-chairs. The other members are 
compromised of representatives from the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Board of 
Education.
v
 
 
How much is money is being spent on this project? 
Nearly 1.1 billion dollars is being spent on this project.
vi
 
 
Where is the money coming from? 
93.7% of the money is being funded by the State of New York, with a small contribution 
from the BPS.
vii
  
                                               
1  
 3 
 
What company manages the project? 
LP Cimenelli Construction Companies was chosen as the program manager for the BPS 
reconstruction and renovation.
viii
 
 
 
 
How are the renovations being implemented? 
The construction and renovations are being implemented in three phases.  
 
Phase I: 
In late September of 2004, Phase I construction commenced, involving the following 
schools: 
PS #19  Native American Magnet School 
PS #31  Stanton Academy 
PS #38  Frank Sedita Community School 
PS #66  North Park Middle Academy 
PS #67  Discovery School 
PS #74  Hamlin Park Early Childhood Center & Academy 
PS #80  Highgate Heights Elementary School 
PS #302 Emerson Middle School and 
PS #307 
ix
 
Besides renovation in all the above schools, phase I includes a District-Wide 
Telecommunications Reconstruction Project. The goal is to provide telephone head-end 
equipment and telephones in the district. The new telephone system was installed in 88 
schools and other district school support buildings. The new system also includes 
classroom data cabling for the new computer network.
x
 
 
Phase II 
Phase II has been completed, including the reconstruction of 
13 schools, All High Stadium, and two district wide projects:
xi
 
 
PS #6 Buffalo Elementary School of Technology 
PS #33 Bilingual Center 
PS #37 Futures Academy 
PS #39 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Institute 
 4 
PS #69 Houghton 
PS #82 Early Childhood Center 
PS #90 Drew Science Early Childhood Center 
PS #91 Build Academy 
PS #94 West Hertel Academy 
PS #95 Waterfront Elementary 
PS #192 Buffalo Academy  for Visual and Performing Arts 
PS #200 Bennett High School 
PS #304 Hutchinson Central Technical High School 
 
The two district wide projects involve technology and energy performance. The District-
Wide Technology Project provides high speed video content to classrooms thorough a 
video distribution system. The District-Wide Energy Performance includes numerous 
energy conservation improvements across 34 schools in Buffalo. The Energy 
Performance project is the only aspect of Phase II which has not been completely and 
will continue into Phase III.
xii
 
 
Phase III 
Phase III is expected to be finished in the fall of 2009. It includes: 
 
PS #27 Hillery Park Elementary 
PS #32 Bennet Park Montessori 
PS #43 Lovejoy Discovery School (name is subject to change) 
PS #45 International School 
PS #76 Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy 
PS #195 City Honors School 
PS #205 Riverside Institute of Technology (name is subject to change) 
PS #206 South Park School 
PS #301 Bergert High School
xiii
 
 
Along with these reconstructions, there is a District-Wide Security project to install 
security cameras and card access systems in the schools. The Energy Performance project 
is still progressing in Phase III. 
 
How is the community and economy of Buffalo benefiting from this 
Project? 
Cimenelli states that it has implemented a unique policy involving an established 
mandatory number of minority (MBE) and women (WBE) owned businesses and a 
diversity workforce inclusion agreement. Cimenelli has large and small contract plans 
that target and create opportunities for small businesses, minority owned, and women 
owned firms. The goal of Ciminelli is to increase opportunities for participation, increase 
competition, and decreases costs for these businesses.
xiv
 
 
The goal for MBE participation is 25%.  The goal for WBE is 7%. 
 
 5 
In phase II, the MWBE goals were exceeded. The audited MBE participation was 
26.79%.  The audited WBE participation was 7.33%. The minority workforce 
participation was  
22.19% and the women workforce participation was 7.25%.
xv
  
 
In phase III, MWBE participation numbers fluctuate monthly and conclusive numbers 
will not be known until the project is complete.
xvi
 
 
Construction Business Training Program 
In July of 2006, JSCB and LP Cimenelli launched a construction business program to 
train start-up and small businesses. Thirty existing business owners and individuals 
attended a 5 month bi-weekly program led by a construction industry veteran and other 
business professionals.
xvii
 The trainings are focused on: 
 
 Construction contracts and basic construction law 
 Establishing a new construction business 
 Developing a business plan 
 Business ethics 
 Insurance and bonding 
 Understanding project labor agreements  
 Blueprint for financial record keeping in a construction business 
 Financial planning and financial statements 
 Safety and risk management 
 Being and employer in the construction industry 
 Marketing and business development 
 Top ten reasons why contractors fail 
 
What are some problems associated with this project? 
This project currently costs $1.1 billion and the number is rising. In the nation’s current 
economic crisis, the flow of funds may be limited. In August of 2008, the New York 
State fiscal crisis almost stopped Phase III of the reconstruction when the state’s Division 
 6 
of Budget urged Governor David Patterson to veto a bill authorizing the work.
xviii
 With 
lobbying efforts from Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and Mayor Byron Brown, the bill was 
passed and funding for the project continued.  Besides complications with the budget and 
funding, there is an even bigger problem that will have significant impact on the Buffalo 
community.  Urban planner and JCSB member Joy McDuffie states that the original 
intention behind this project was that there would be neighborhood development around 
the schools, but that this has not occurred. Eleven of the schools that will be renovated 
are in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. It makes little difference if children are 
going to nice schools when the buildings exist around bad communities. The neglect of 
community development will diminish the full impact that the project could have had for 
the economic growth of Buffalo.  
 
Where can more information be found? 
Buffalo Public Schools Project Site at http://www.lpciminelli.com/site/bps/ 
 
 
 
 
 
                                               
i Source: City of Buffalo website- 
http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Leadership/Mayor/MayorsWelcomeMessage 
ii American Foundation, 7 
iii American Foundation, 7 
iv Reforming Buffalo Public Schools: http://www.cgcs.org/pdfs/BuffaloPublicSchool.pdf 
v American Foundation, 6 
vi Interview with urban planner and JCSB member, Joy McDuffie 
vii
 Source: http://www.lpciminelli.com/site/bps/ 
viii
 http://www.lpciminelli.com/site/bps/ 
ix
  http://www.lpciminelli.com/site/bps/-  2004 annual progress reports 
x 2004 annual progress reports- BPS site home 
xi 2006 annual progress reports 
xii 2006 annual progress report 
xiii Tyra, associate at Cimenelli LP- Company no longer submits 
annual progress reports on the website. 
xiv 2005 annual progress report 
xv
 2005 annual progress report 
xvi Cimenelli LP associate 
xvii 2005 annual progress reports 
xviii
 Simon, Peter. Buffalo school reconstruction project faces possible Paterson veto: State fiscal crisis may 
doom plans to refurbish 11 buildings. The Buffalo News. October 29, 2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Partnership for the Public Good    
 237 Main St., Suite 1200, Buffalo NY 14203  
www.ppgbuffalo.org 
 
 


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