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The buildings to the right in this photo will receive verticle additions and become home to student housing.
Councilmember Jim Perry was excused from last night’s Niagara Falls City Council meeting so nothing got done.
A pair of change orders failed when they couldn’t make it to the floor because council member David Zajac moved and none of the other 3 members in attendance, Council Chair Brian Archie and members Bridgette Myles and Vincent Cauley offered a second.
Archie is apparently good at math. This is only speculation, but had he offered a second, if the motions ran like many offered in recent months, Cauley would motion to postpone. Myles would second.
Cauley would preach about requiring accountability and transparency and talk about not having enough information. Then he would say he is in favor of fixing potholes, mowing lawns and that he supports police but he has to vote no.
Myles would, in her own way, say “yeah, what he said.” Then the postponement would fail 2-3 and the motion would pass, 3-2.
The first motion that did not make the floor Wednesday was the additional expenditure to Trautman Associates to expand an engineering contract by $537,251.
In January, 2024, the contract was awarded in the amount of $804,000. Three subsequent change orders increased the cost to $2,038,643. The proposal would bring the cost to $2,575.894, or about 320% more than initially quoted.
The proposed new change order is comprised of:
- $288,425 for engineering on Royal Avenue reconstruction (to be funded with State Taxpayer Dollars through CHIPS)
- $174,566 for construction inspection services for Duck Island Shoreline restoration
- $74,260 for extension of existing contract administration service for the Duck Island Gazebo and the new parks department building.
Items 2 and 3 would be funded by federal taxpayer dollars allocated to the city through the American Rescue Plan.
Also not making the floor for a vote was a zero dollar change order to Laubacker Enterprises for work on paving projects relating to stormwater catch basins, sewer laterals and cast iron frames and water boxes.
One sign of progress from the council was the delay of implementation of the zoning law intended to outlaw student housing in DeVeaux. It passed 3-1 with Cauley against. Implementation of the ordinance was proposed to be extended by one-year.
Instead, the council extended it for reconsideration once substantial construction is evident on proposed new Main Street housing for Niagara University students.
Even with a press conference today to announce the new developers, the new apartments are more than a year from completion.
On a sidenote, an NU representative was present to speak to the council about student housing. She confirmed the University is in support of the new plan.
Before addressing the council, the same administrator confirmed the 822 Cleveland Project finally has funding in place and should begin construction in the spring.
