Looking back: Biggest moments in Byron Brown’s tenure as Buffalo mayor

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After almost two decades in office, Byron Brown will step down as mayor of the City of Buffalo to take the job as the next president and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting.

Brown was sworn in as the Queen City’s 62nd mayor on Jan. 1, 2006. Previously a New York State Senator, he succeeded Anthony Masiello after running on a platform of economic development.

And throughout his five terms in office, that’s been a big focus — with more than $8.4 billion in development activity.

Buffalo’s renaissance has been one of the major talking points of the Brown administration. Over the past 18 years, Brown worked with well-known developers like Douglas Jemal, the late Mark Croce, and Paul Ciminelli to build up Buffalo.

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The city’s skyline looks dramatically different than it did two decades ago, and with state and federal help, the waterfront has become a vibrant attraction.

Some of the mayor’s critics point to lack of development on the city’s East Side during his tenure. He points to the Northland Workforce Training Center in the Grider neighborhood.

Brown has been the longest-serving mayor the City of Buffalo has seen after he was re-elected to an unprecedented fifth term in 2021.

Despite losing the primary race to India Walton, Brown kicked off a successful write-in campaign with the slogan “Write Down Byron Brown.” This led him to victory, winning roughly 60 percent of the votes cast.

But this fifth term proved to be one of the most heartbreaking and challenging, as Brown had to lead the city through the racist mass shooting on May 14, 2022, at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue. That day, 10 people were killed because of the color of their skin.

Brown faced other challenges during his time leading the state’s second largest city.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to a halt. During that time, the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer, led to protests across the country, including Buffalo. Some nights turned violent, like when a man threw a burning laundry basket through a City Hall window.

Brown also dealt with controversial moments during his time as mayor.

In February 2007, his family’s SUV was reported stolen. The driver also hit parked cars in Brown’s neighborhood. More than a month after the incident, he stood before reporters to announce his then-16-year-old son, Byron Brown III, had confessed to taking the SUV without permission.

Then, in 2019, FBI agents conducted a court authorized search warrant inside City Hall, focusing on the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning. The raid lasted several hours, and officials left with carts of material, but the widely-publicized incident ultimately never resulted in any charges.

As the first Black mayor and longest-serving mayor in Buffalo’s history, Brown has been on record that he wants part of his legacy to be the city’s revitalization and progress. His biography on the city’s website ends on his desire to build the City of Buffalo back better and stronger than before.

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Marlee Tuskes is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

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