The University Community Initiative (UCI) was born out of the quest to transform the University at Buffalo into an engine to drive the redevelopment of the University Heights community and surrounding neighborhoods. This was the first UB Center project to translate our theory of neighborhood development into a down on the ground initiative. The UB South Campus is situated on the edge of the city, where Buffalo meets the Town of Amherst. The goal of the University Community was to recreate University Heights as a regional neighborhood, which blends together Buffalo and Amherst. The initiative focused on integrating the South Campus into the larger University Heights community, redevelopment the University Plaza, and turning the High Street commercial corridor into a vibrant neighborhood center. The UCI was highly successful and led to the transformation of the High Street corridor and the revitalization of the University Plaza.