BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — The Buffalo Public School District is one step closer to creating a healthier and tastier mealtime experience for students.

A status update for Buffalo Public Schools new district commissioner building was shared at a meeting where renderings of the new building were released Thursday evening.

The building will be constructed across from the current commissary building located on East Delavan Avenue.

“There’s the process of bringing the food in, preparing the food like you would in your kitchen with farm fresh ingredients, a lot of it locally,” said BPS Chief Operating Officer David Hills. “Then they freeze to send to the schools. On site we have 88 places. They will be heated, plated and distributed.”

Hills said he has been negotiating with McGuire Development to build a commissary for the past two years.

Once negotiations are over, they will begin building and leasing the facility, which will be approximately 60,000 square feet.

“I noticed that everyone is working hard. I know they are doing their best to improve the school food system. Even though it’s my last year in high school, I’m a little sad that I won’t be able to see everyone’s hard work,” said the 12th grade student Daliah Alsayadi. “The halal food that they will have, I think it’s very important to have. I’m Muslim so I didn’t get to see a lot of halal food in cafes,” Alsayadi said. “I know there are people who eat kosher and some Christians who don’t eat pork.”

The new program will include scratch cooking, fresh and locally grown ingredients and increased diversity in meal options.

BPS School Board Member Terrence Heard: “A lot of kids come to school to eat. We’re looking at these different variations in food and religion and food choices to make sure we can address all nationalities and religions in the city of Buffalo.”

“I have a high schooler, kindergartner, and a first grader. We look at the menu and sometimes they pack their bento box. Sometimes we get school lunches. We love veggie nuggets. It’s a favorite. We usually get it.” Buffalo Public Schools board member-elect Adrianna Zullich said. “I’m excited to see things like kale and when we partner with farms and local produce.”

“Right now we’re very limited in what we can do. What we’re going to be able to do is a vision that I think people don’t even realize. You know when you have a plan and sometimes, when it’s built, go ‘We can do this and we can do this’ and there will be so many options that it will be available to our students, our community, our staff,” said Ruth Conner, director of BPS Food Service.

A groundbreaking is expected next spring.

Hills says he expects the new commissioner to be ready by the fall or winter of 2026.