Media Advisory: UB to Mark Construction of New Educational Opportunity Center in Downtown Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), the University at Buffalo's foremost facility for training urban community members for jobs and preparing them for higher education, will break ground for its new $46 million home in downtown Buffalo at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14.

The new facility will be an important piece in UB's development of a Downtown Campus.

Almost 200 people are expected to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking located adjacent to UB's Downtown Gateway (the former M. Wile building), at 77 Goodell St.

Speakers will include UB President John B. Simpson, Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and William Chalmers, SUNY assistant provost and director of the University Center for Academic and Workforce Development.

The EOC, with the Downtown Gateway building, will form UB's Downtown Gateway Complex, a cornerstone of UB's downtown campus and a resource that will expand university access for people in the community, regardless of income and education.

The new EOC building will replace its current location at 465 Washington St. and allow the EOC to significantly expand its services, which include programming in remedial and academic preparation, as well as specific job training programs in allied health, life sciences, information technology and environmental industries. Currently more than 2,000 people take part in UB's EOC services annually.

The 30-minute ceremony -- to be held rain or shine -- will include short remarks by city, state and university officials, as well as groundbreaking ceremonies with the commemorative shovels.

Media arrangements: Charles Anzalone or John DellaContrada onsite, 716-361-3006.