By ALLISSA KLINE
akline@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1612

A dramatic shift west of Grant Street may reshape the Buffalo State College campus if the institution determines it needs more space - and if it secures funding from the cash-strapped New York state government.

Buffalo State officials this week publicly outlined potential expansion plans that show an enhanced college presence in the aging Grant Street neighborhood that borders the west side of the campus. Recommendations include a new campus operations center on Dart Street, a four-level parking garage between Dart and Grant streets and, if needed, two more residential housing complexes along Grant Street. Supporters say development in the area would better integrate the campus into the nearby West Side neighborhood.

The ideas, which include several building renovations on the existing campus, are part of an updated facilities master plan led by the college's finance and management office and mandated by the State University Construction Fund. The two-phase plan lays out possible building renovations, construction projects and campus parking and landscape improvements, all of which would begin between 2013 and 2023.

Most of the development, however, hinges on whether the college is able to get state funding to finance the projects. College officials estimate the first phase of the plan, from 2013 to 2018, would cost $381 million. The second phase, from 2018 to 2023, could cost $277 million.

At least one Buffalo State College executive isn't worried about securing state funding for future projects.

"I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that we can attain a major chunk of what's going to be required," said Stanley Kardonsky, vice president of finance and management. "No one thinks the state of New York is going to remain in the doldrums for the next decade."

Buffalo State College is currently in the middle of a $350 million, campuswide improvement plan. Many of the projects, excluding the new 507-bed residence hall on Grant Street, are being financed through state bonding appropriations approved during the 2007-08 budget year. That means the money is already in place for pay for the projects.

That may not be the case when the state evaluates State University of New York capital improvement plans in 2012. An official at the State University Construction Fund, which overseas construction, acquisition and rehabilitation projects on SUNY campuses, hopes the state continues to support college capital projects. But he acknowledged that specific levels of support are unknown until state legislators put together the 2012-13 budget.

"The facilities master plan is about the future," said Philip Wood, general manager of the State University Construction Fund. "(Buffalo State College's) plan will be evaluated ... to generate a SUNY capital budget request and the state will react to that."

New Buffalo State College President Aaron Podolefsky was not available for comment.

Buffalo State is one of 32 SUNY campuses crafting updated facilities master plans. Submission of the plans to SUNY administrators will be staggered over the next few years. Buffalo State is due to send its final plan to SUNY on Oct. 21.

The proposed projects reflect the college's expected growth - both in student enrollment and academic programs - between 2013 and 2023. It also realigns space so that individual schools and departments are no longer spread across campus. One of the key elements is the creation of a second "front door" to campus from Grant Street in order to welcome the immediate community and provide more interaction between residents and students.

Longtime West Side resident and Buffalo State College sociology professor Gary Welborn, who also serves as vice president of the Grant-Ferry Association, hopes any changes undertaken by the college enhance the Grant Street commercial strip. He said any movement west could be positive for both the campus and the community as long as the changes are based on "deep conversation" between the two. There may be support for that type of development, but the future funding reality is cloudy, he added.

Buffalo State College alum Paul Hojnacki, part of the committee that created the updated master plan, said it would be unrealistic to ask the state today for millions of dollars for construction projects. But that may not be the case in a few years.

"State funding for any expansion going forward is going to be extremely challenging," said Hojnacki, president of Curtis Screw Co. LLC in Buffalo. "Right now, Albany is going to be as stingy as possible. But these things go in cycles. It will get better again."

The college doesn't plan to rely solely on state funding. Kardonsky said it will also seek private donations. He pointed out that private donations paid for one-third of the new $30 million Burchfield Penney Art Center on college grounds. Federal funding opportunities may also be considered, he said.

"Now that we have a plan, I think we're going to start looking very, very closely at each individual project and what funding models we can put together," he said. "I don't think it's unreasonable to set a goal of (raising) 15 percent to 20 percent of the total costs from monies raised elsewhere."

The college currently operates on 127 acres. It is negotiating with the City of Buffalo to purchase another 6.4 acres now housing the city's auto impound. The purchase price is being discussed, but Kardonsky said the college has $4 million in state appropriations to buy property.