NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — City residents in a Niagara Falls neighborhood say they have been forgotten and have not seen any significant economic progress in recent years. The Niagara Falls Housing Authority and city leaders are trying to change that.
“A number of those buildings were purchased by a single property owner and had been held by that property owner for quite some time. Without any real development plan,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino. “So there wasn’t any marketing, there wasn’t any effort to try and draw attention to the North end and as a consequence the buildings continued to deteriorate.”
Officials are launching a revitalization project for the north end of Niagara Falls. The goal of this initiative to breathe life back into the area and turn it into a spot people want to visit.
“It really sort of hearkens back still to several decades ago in terms of this layout and in terms of the way in which it’s presented, we’re hoping to be able to improve all of that, increase it’s appeal and then to draw those kinds of small business interests back into that area,” Restaino said.
The North End of the Falls includes areas of highland avenue and beech avenue and the Jordan Gardens Housing Project.
“Gives them an opportunity to take the North End and with the assistance of some state incentives and state funding, recreate the landscape in the North End,” Restaino said.
Officials say the North End area faces a lack of jobs, transportation, safety, and access to places like a grocery store.
“We’re hoping that this improvement, improves those neighborhoods,” Restaino said. “Brings those neighborhoods back into play in terms of reinvestment and now home ownership It’s the idea that by us investing in the way in which the business section looks the neighborhoods will improve as a consequence of the money that we’re investing there.”