There were many gasps of relief and excitement when Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this month announced the $42 million dollar plan to remove the Robert Moses Parkway North. Included in the project is the reconstruction of the long neglected and underutilized Whirlpool Street which will be redesigned into a two-lane street to provide all north-south access to the section of the Niagara Gorge Corridor closest to the parkway. With such removal of the RMP and reconstruction of Whirlpool Street, the adjacent neighborhoods will now have access to the vast beauty offered by the Niagara Gorge waterfront.
Enter 631 Chilton Avenue and 326 Cedar Avenue; two stately City-Owned homes that the department of Community Development has put out to RFP (Request for Proposals).
631 Chilton Avenue is the oldest street in the City of Niagara Falls, and 326 Cedar Avenue is located within the Park Place Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. The properties are situated at the core of Niagara’s employment centers including Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and Seneca Niagara Casino and only a few miles from Niagara University and Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. In addition to the location, the properties are both eligible for the federal and New York State historic investment tax credit programs. As 631 Chilton Avenue was donated to the City of Niagara Falls by Wells Fargo Bank, there is an additional $40,000 matching renovation grant available for the property (funds were donated by Wells Fargo Bank as part of the sale transfer to the city).
The future of the area surrounding the Niagara Gorge is bright with the Robert Moses Parkway removal finally being completed. 631 Chilton Ave and 326 Cedar Ave appear to just be the beginning of a renewed interest in these up and coming neighborhoods. When asked about the properties, Seth Piccirillo, Director of Community Development said “The Park Place Historic District and Chilton Avenue are storied and special places in our community. Finally, they will have the restored waterfront and parkland access. How many other neighborhoods in the country, and the world, have gorge access in their back yards? Now is the perfect time for market rate investment within this neighborhood and Niagara Falls”.
Potential bidders have an opportunity to tour both properties. Proposals must be submitted on or before 12 Noon, May 13, 2016 by mail or hand delivered.
Any questions can be directed to Seth Piccirillo, Director of Niagara Falls Community Development at: seth.piccirillo@niagarafallsny.gov or (716) 696-0794. Please click the links below to download the RFPs.