New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced $12 million in state capital funding for the 5/14 Living Memorial and Healing Center, a commitment officials say will finally allow construction to move forward on the long-planned tribute to the 10 people killed in the 2022 mass shooting at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue.
The funding, announced Monday, is expected to help cover the project's $25 million total cost, according to wkbw.com, which reported the investment will now allow ground to be broken on the site. Heastie, who serves as New York State Assembly Speaker, said the announcement stands as a testament to those killed and will support victims' families while preserving the history of the neighborhood, according to Spectrum News.
The memorial is planned for Jefferson Avenue and Best Street in Buffalo, per Spectrum News. Buffalo Toronto Public Media reports that the permanent memorial will be built at that corner, while also noting that a 5/14 memorial museum is planned inside the Apollo Media Center on Jefferson Avenue — a distinction that underscores how the project spans more than a single structure, as described by Buffalo Toronto Public Media.
A Center Built Around Healing, Not Just Remembrance
The 5/14 Memorial Foundation has repeatedly stressed that the project is meant to function as more than a traditional monument. The center is designed to focus on healing and include rotating programming.
Chad Houston, executive director of the 5/14 Memorial Foundation, said having a place to tell the community's own history is paramount, according to Spectrum News.
Plans call for the center to offer educational programming, historical exhibits, creative expression, community engagement and wellness initiatives, according to Spectrum News. The outdoor memorial is set to include 10 arches representing the victims and a pillar for survivors, Buffalo Toronto Public Media reports, while the broader design incorporates 10 monumental pillars, each representing a life taken, according to the 5/14 Memorial Foundation.
Design Details and the Road to Construction
The design includes indoor and outdoor spaces for learning and reflection, along with a rooftop walkway, according to WIVB.
The foundation hopes to complete work and open the site in 2029.
The foundation has also pursued public fundraising to help close the gap between available funds and the project's total cost. It launched Project B.L.O.O.M., a public campaign for the center, WIVB reported, and has continued seeking community contributions alongside government funding commitments like the one announced this week.
Similar efforts have taken shape elsewhere following mass shootings. In Las Vegas, a memorial to victims of a 2017 mass shooting broke ground and is expected to be completed in time for a 10th remembrance ceremony on October 1, 2027, with plans to host healing activities for survivors, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Buffalo's foundation has not set a confirmed groundbreaking date, but the new state funding marks a significant step toward turning years of planning and community input into a physical space meant to honor the 10 Jefferson Avenue victims while serving the surrounding neighborhood for years to come.
