Medina businessman gives $1 million for community center in Buffalo
This rendering shows a new community center for South Buffalo, a project aided with a $1 million donation from Roger Hungerford.
A Medina businessman has donated $1 million for a new community center in South Buffalo.
The gift from Roger Hungerford was announced last Thursday for the Seneca-Babcock Community Center.
Hungerford is CEO of Talis Equity Partners and Chairman of the Board of Talis Clinical. He owns the Olde Pickle Factory in Medina. His company also acquired the former Chase site in Albion.
He was the long-time owner of SIGMA International General Medical Apparatus, LLC, which was acquired by Baxter International in 2012.
Hungerford matched the $1 million donation from Dr. Daniel Alexander and his wife Gail towards building a new community center at the site of the former Buffalo Public School #26 at 82 Harrison St. in Buffalo.
In addition to the $1 million donations from Hungerford and the Alexanders, the project has received a $600,000 allocation from the City of Buffalo, and $250,000 from The John R. Oishei Foundation.
“We thank our many partners for their commitment to making Buffalo a better place to live for all,” the Seneca-Babcock Community Association posted on its Facebook page. “Mayor Byron W. Brown, Congressman Brian Higgins, Dr. Daniel Alexander, our foundations, private sector companies and now Roger Hungerford have made a major commitment to improving the lives of many in Buffalo.”
The new community center will be 26,000 square feet and is expected to cost $6.1 million. There will be a multipurpose athletic field, indoor gymnasium, outdoor basketball courts and new playground, as well as a proposed health clinic adjacent to the new community center, computer lab and kitchen.
