NIAGARA FALLS: HOPE VI back on track

Local News

November 10, 2009

Construction of 39 buildings under way at high-profile site

<table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Mark Scheer</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:mark.scheer@niagara-gazette.com">mark.scheer@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table> The Niagara Gazette Tue Nov 10, 2009, 07:46 PM EST

A high-profile housing development that has endured its share of setbacks in recent months appears to be getting back on track.

Stephanie Cowart, executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, told members of her organization’s board of commissioners on Tuesday that construction has resumed at the HOPE VI housing development site in the city’s North End.

The $80-million project will replace World War II-era affordable housing units at Center Court with more than 280 new apartments, townhouses and single family homes. The project ran into delays earlier this year when the Niagara County Health Department temporarily halted construction amid concerns about incinerator ash found on the property. Project officials were later forced to demolish several homes that were constructed prior to the delay due to mold infestation.

On Tuesday, Cowart said those issues have been overcome and crews are continuing to install the necessary water and sewer infrastructure and a total of 39 buildings are currently under way at the site.

“It’s all in various stages of construction out there,” she said.

Cowart also announced the construction site recently received a visit from an aide to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York. She said Schumer, who has long advocated for the HOPE VI development project in the Falls, is tentatively scheduled to pay a personal visit to the site sometime before the end of the year.

“They remain very supportive and very impressed,” Cowart said.

In other matters, the board of commissioners:

• Received an overview of an audit of the authority’s finances that was performed by the authority’s accounting firm, Toski, Schaefer and Co. of Williamsville. David Gabel, an associate from the firm, indicated the authority’s financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2009, showed it to be in generally sound financial condition. According to the report, authority assets exceeded liabilities by $32.4 million, up from $26.9 million for the year ending March 31, 2008.

• Accepted a request for a medical leave of absence for Annie Fields-Chapman, general manager of the Doris Jones Family Resource Building on Ninth Street. Chapman requested the four-week leave to take care of an immediate relative who is ill. Chapman’s leave of absence will begin Nov. 16 and run through Dec. 11. She indicated to the board she will use remaining compensatory, personal, vacation and sick time during the leave period and said she will make herself available to the staff at the resource center if necessary during the time she is away.