33° and Cloudy
(Editor’s note: Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino issues almost-weekly edicts from his mountaintop at City Hall, publishing them on Youtube so his minions know what to think. He gets about 150 views a week. The Express has taken to watching and summarizing because we get about 3,000 views a day across all platforms. The Express spreads his message here to help Democracy bear fruit.)
Drive carefully
Drive carefully. Salt delivery is in question because supplies are low and snow has been consistent. Crews are working hard the constant cycle of freeze/thaw/more snow/freeze again uses more salt than a single storm followed by no snow for a week.
Lighting project progresses
Lighting project continues to move forward. It is close to ⅓ done. Anticipated spring completion.
This weeks shots
Once again, the Milstein family is in the Mayor’s crosshairs after more than 25 years of doing nothing with more than 140 acres of prime Niagara Falls real estate.
“A question: If you have an item in your hand you write with and you write with that item and ink comes out. You write with it. We know what they are” Restaino said.
“It appears that the Milstein group thinks differently. We have a parcel of land that was used as a playground where Little League baseball was played which was maintained and open to the public maintained by the city government . . . and now if you take all those ingredients together, places where children play and families were and Little League Baseball maintained by the local government and open to the public what do you call that? I know what I call it, ‘a park’.”
. . . “But the Milstein group seems to think that we have to announce it is a park. It has to be announced. I don’t have to announce this is a pen.”
Background: The Milstein group is the owner of Niagara Falls Redevelopment which possesses the deed to the parcel at Falls and 10th Street build upon which the mayor wishes to build Centennial Park, a multi-use arena that could be host to an amateur hockey team. NFR contends the portion of the parcel that was a park was inded something else so it did not have to seek a home rule message from the State Legislature after taking possession. Continuing:
“This group not only doesn’t want to build anything they just want to prevent things, to get in the way,” Restaino said of Milstein NFR before lapsing into a vague accusation that appears to imply council member Donta Myles may be on the NFR payroll. If a reader has a different interpretation of the next paragraph, please tell.
“It is sad to watch public officials buy into that from the Milstein group. There has got to be something in it from then otherwise why would they do it? There’s got to be something in it for them.”
In 2003 the Convention Center closed and was gifted to the Seneca Nation for its casino. The Convention Center hosted sports, entertainment, and “excitement all around.” Today we have nothing.
From there, more of the same lament.
“Rather than assist the city, the Milstein group wants to get in the way . . . they just want to do what they can do to continue to torture this community.”
He cited 3 examples:
- The never-built proposed site of a hotel and spa at the Turtle.
- The $110 million development on the current parcel.
- The also proposed data center on the same parcel.
He closed with words about the Super Bowl, congratulations to Josh Allen and reminding people to be careful driving don’t drink and drive.
