BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Northland Avenue Corridor on Buffalo’s East Side is a big part of Gov. Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion, a major redevelopment project set to turn former industrial buildings into a workforce training center and urban business park.

“It's been a long time coming for the East Side, and this is the start of it—that Northland Corridor. And for Gigi's to be a part of it, we're proud, very proud,” said Darryl Harvin, owner of Gigi’s.

Harvin's mother Blondine opened Gigi's restaurant in 1960. It was famous for its southern-style cooking before a fire forced it to close three years ago.

“You can't explain the ups and downs of it when it's been someone's legacy and it’s been a family business for so many years,” said Harvin.

But Gigi's will have new life as city and state try to bring a turnaround to the East Side. 

The Buffalo Urban Development Corporation has selected Gigi's to provide food services for the Workforce Training Center, set to open later this year. It will also reopen to the public, serving up soul food on the East Side like it did for decades before.

“This might not be a huge economic boost as much as it is for the spirit of that community and to show the efforts of this board is going outside of the box in order to include people that stayed inside of the community,” said Darius Pridgen, (D) Buffalo Common Council president.

Empire State Development also announced a new grant of $4 million for the Northland site. Part of it will be used to restore a building that will house Project Rainfall, an effort to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to the neighborhood.

“That's a portion of the money that's needed. That gets the core and shell renovated. Then Project Rainfall will also be raising funds to actually put their operation in there,” said Peter Cammarata, Buffalo Urban Development Corporation president.

More than $100 million from various sources has now poured into the corridor, along with the potential for new opportunities.

“[It’s] very, very cool, because now the East Side has a stake in this renaissance in Buffalo,” said Harvin.

Gigi's hopes to start cooking in August.