Senior housing proposals with local hiring plan will be favored
The Niagara Falls Community Development Department is seeking purchase/renovation proposals for 520 Hyde Park Blvd., due Sept. 1. The 78,000-square-foot building, on a three-acre site between Ferry and Walnut avenues, is the former home of the Niagara Falls Police Department and City Court (vacant since 2008).
"The neighborhood surrounding 520 Hyde Park Blvd., deserves a renovation plan that brings new life to this vacant structure, preventing a costly demolition and putting the building back on the tax rolls," said Seth Piccirillo, director of community development.
NFCD will favor renovation/ownership plans that include an offering of senior housing apartments, as identified as a need in the city's five-year strategic community development plan. In addition, proposals that include a commitment to Mayor Paul Dyster's executive pronouncement on new community benefit agreement policy, and a project labor agreement with local organized labor will be prioritized.
"The RFP for 520 Hyde Park Blvd., creates an opportunity to ensure that local citizens and local labor forces take part in the transformation of this well-known property," Niagara Falls City Councilwoman Kristen Grandinetti said. "Combining the renovation of vacant buildings with job opportunities for Niagara Falls residents is a win-win."
Piccirillo said the site's campus-like size and close proximity to Gill Creek Park, Hyde Park, the John Duke Center, the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and both the Niagara Street and Pine Avenue business districts make it an ideal candidate for senior citizen housing.
Proposals are due back to the City of Niagara Falls on Sept. 1, with a decision expected on or around Oct. 6. The full RFP is available at
www.nf-cd.org/properties. Contact Piccirillo at
[email protected], or 716-286-8800 for more information.
