New York: Buffalo AIDS Services Agency to Move to New Facility

In a joint venture, Buffalo's AIDS Community Services (ACS) and Clover Management are developing Evergreen Center, a $10 million, five-story medical services and research center to be located at 23 High St. A derelict 10-story building near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is being torn down to make way for the 50,000-square-foot complex, which will allow the agency to continue providing HIV/AIDS prevention and care and conduct research as well.

ACS has formed a research partnership with the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and expects to develop additional relationships with the nearby medical center. "Ending the epidemic of AIDS has always been our goal," said Christopher Voltz, director of marketing and special projects for ACS. "Now we can actively participate in research which will advance the cause by leaps and bounds."

The nonprofit and Clover formed Evergreen Properties LLC to jointly construct and own Evergreen Center. ACS relies on funding from individuals, corporations, foundations and governmental sources. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency approved a $300,000 low-interest loan to defray demolition costs on the old building. Demolition began this month. Construction is scheduled to start early next year and be finished in 2007.

ACS now leases 23,000 square feet of space at 200 S. Elmwood Avenue. Evergreen will more than double space for the agency's staff and four related groups at the current site: Kaleida Health's Project Reach, Deaconess Family Planning Practice, Spectrum Human Services and the AIDS Alliance. The new location will also be closer to high-risk populations, including the Hispanic population to the west and African-Americans in eastern neighborhoods.

Founded in 1983 when the first HIV/AIDS cases were documented in western New York, ACS now has about 1,400 clients, offering a variety of medical, mental health, nutritional and housing services.

Back to other news for October 17, 2005