New twists in Termini saga

The Buffalo developer won past accolades for turning ratty downtown buildings into apartments and retail space.

But when a worker fell to his death last week at a Pearl Street site that Rocco R. Termini is renovating, the tragedy triggered breaking news almost daily.

Today, we've published a story indicating some police officers claim they saw several construction workers putting up a safety railing moments after Jonathan Fundalinski fell to his death.

Previously, a city inspector claimed First Deputy Mayor Steven M. Casey intervened on Termini's behalf, overruling the inspectors' push a month before the death to halt work on the Webb Building project.

On the same day Mayor Byron W. Brown denied that Casey stopped inspectors, the FBI launched a probe. And city officials disclosed Tuesday that federal investigators want to see records pertaining to all Termini projects since Brown became mayor in 2006.

Coincidentally, Termini was scheduled for sentencing in Buffalo Housing Court Tuesday after being found guilty last year in a case involving a property on Oak Street. The court said he failed to get an occupancy certificate before he let tenants move into the apartment complex.

The judge fined Termini and his company $3,000.

The controversy swirling around Termini and City Hall doesn't seem to be fading any time soon.

- Brian Meyer

   

Comments

[Justin]

What happened was a tragedy, no doubt, and I have the utmost sympathy for the family of the worker that was killed. However, let’s look at what is really going on here. How convenient that all this controversy is coming up now, and unfortunately, I think that the death of this young man is being used as political ammunition against Rocco, and that is disgusting.

I was a tenant at Rocco's IS Lofts, one of the first to move in actually. Rocco is an amazing property owner, and a visionary. He has done great things for this city, and the re-birth that everyone keeps talking about started in part because of Rocco's work. Typical of this city to try to stop progress. In addition, our "progressive" city has done nothing but try to put up roadblocks in front of Rocco's projects. Makes you wonder if any other politically connected developers in this city had anything to do with that...you know, developers who have gotten handouts from our great politicians for years, and who have trouble answering questions about their projects all the time... but no, that would never happen in this city would it.

Why not let the people like Rocco Termini continue to make progress, and maybe, just maybe this city will actually become something once again... or, on the other hand, we can just sit back, watch the politically motivated lynching of a great man and wonder why our city keeps dying slowly, while the same politicians, and their bed-buddy developers line their pockets.

[Sal]

Thanks to the News for creating this space for comments.
Justin - I'm not sure that the public is lynching Rocco Termini at all. If we are then we may be lynching the Mayor's office also. Read Jake Schneider's letter in Everybody's Column today. There are members of the public that will support Termini. If you're saying that there are politicians against Termini who are they and why are they motivated in this way?