One can see it driving along the Scajaquada Expressway: what's now a lot filled with cars could become part of neighboring Buffalo State's college campus.

Mayor Byron Brown announced the deal during the State of the City address Friday. The city's auto impound lot on Dart Street is where illegally-parked vehicles are towed and stolen cars are kept until they're claimed by owners. Common Council approved Buff State as a designated developer for the property Tuesday — that means the school has 18 months to come up with a plan and will pay the city $1,000 a month during that time before a final sale is completed.

"We want those institutions of education to be able stay in the City of Buffalo. And of course if they're going to stay they have to be competitive and have certain things, for whether that's for the sports departments, for their dorms, I have no idea at this point what that will look like," said Common Council President Darius Pridgen.

Exactly what will the site will become once Buff State takes over is still to be determined. In a statement, the school's president Katherine Conway-Turner said: "As a land-locked institution, this a rare opportunity to extend the campus footprint, while also contributing to the exciting revitalization of Buffalo’s West Side."

Common Council made an amendment requiring community input the project before plans are finalized.

"That's going to impact the West Side of Buffalo, that's going to impact Black Rock neighborhood and North Buffalo," said North District Councilmember Joseph Golombek. "I don't want Buffalo State College or any developer to come in there to and develop something without the involvement or input of the community."

The former Buffalo Police headquarters on Franklin Street in the city's downtown will also have new life. Developer Douglas Jemal has agreed to buy the property for $3.05 million. Jemal is also redeveloping One Seneca Tower. Before approving the sale, Common Council members want more talks about the deal, requiring at least 10 percent of the building be used for affordable apartments.

"Whenever you're talking about government land, government subsidies, that developer should be open to having that discussion and finding a way to make that work," Pridgen said.

The old police headquarters went up for sale after the department moved into the renovated Dillon Courthouse building last year.