The former Lackawanna Iron and Steel (later Bethlehem Steel) Office Building just over the city line is likely to be demolished. The City of Lackawanna is seeking Restore NY funding to tear down the three-story structure that has been vacant for over two decades. Mayor Norman Polanski, Jr. told WIVB that the privately-owned building is “beyond repair” and has become a “liability.” Some residents want to see it saved.
$150 million in Restore New York’s Communities Initiative grant funds are currently available. The program encourages economic development and neighborhood growth by providing municipalities with financial assistance for revitalization of commercial and residential areas. Demolition is eligible and Buffalo is also looking for program funding to assist with the removal of 650 abandoned properties.
Constructed in 1901, the Beaux Arts style building is located on Hamburg Turnpike (Route 5) at the northeast corner of the sprawling 1300-acre former steel plant complex.
The building, like the city it is located in, has clearly seen better days yet remains defiantly majestic. It has even been identified as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Though the smoke and fumes produced by steel plant furnaces cleared years ago, the highly visible property close to the waterfront has found no takers.
Get connected: Mayor Polanski, 716.827.6464