The problem

• The historic Asbury Delaware Church, near downtown Buffalo, N.Y.’s theater district, was long-abandoned and crumbling when recording artist Ani DiFranco began looking for new office, performing and recording space for her Righteous Babe Records company. DiFranco wanted to keep her business in Buffalo and thought the church, with extensive renovation, would make an ideal space. The downtown area, meanwhile, cried out for the infusion of jobs, pedestrian traffic and artistic cache that Righteous Babe could offer. But how to make it happen?

The strategy

• LISC, which has been working with community groups in Buffalo for years, immediately saw the value of a new business that would preserve an historic building, create 30,000 square feet of commercial space, and at least 15 permanent, full-time jobs and 150 construction jobs. LISC’s New Markets Support Company provided $8.8 million in New Markets Tax Credit investment authority to support the $9.1 million project.

The result

• The transformation of the abandoned church into performance, recording and gallery space is expected to be completed by fall of 2005, signaling other potential developers that downtown Buffalo is a land of opportunity.