Lockport NY

While Ulrich was toying with NCCC we were told there were three other interests just waiting for the opportunity to get one of the buildings. After a lot of down time I heard that something could be happening soon. Now the Buffalo News reported that Lockport Cave Tours appears to be continuing to persue the east most buildings:

The city’s development agency is bargaining with Lockport Cave owner Thomas Callahan, who is interested in acquiring a vacant building at the east end of Canal Street...

Someone please open a Niagara Wine Trail store before NCCC beats us to it at the old Rainbow Mall. Lockport still continues to miss the opportunity to make itself known as the starting point of the trail. The state highway Wine Trail sign at the Niagara Falls Blvd exit in Amherst shows how irrelevant we have allowed ourselves to remain in regards to the overall wine trail.

The Buffalo News reported that interior prep work for the demolition of the mall has begun while Smart Growth still tosses out verbal lawsuit teases.

"Interior work has begun to prepare for the demolition of the Lockport Mall to make way for a Walmart supercenter, Town Supervisor Marc R. Smith said Thursday.

General Growth Properties, which sold the site to Walmart for $3.95 million, hired a contractor to do the work. Smith said removal of light fixtures and ceiling tiles containing asbestos started about two weeks ago and is expected to last two months.

After that, it will take about 10 days to tear down the mall..."

Below is an example of a Walmart (or any big box for that matter) with other store fronts integrated into the structure. It may seem forward thinking but look at places like the Palace Theater, or Shea's Theater in Buffalo and you can see it is just a thought come full circle. Instead of painted racing stripes on the cinder block or fake facades, why not some real stores/activity? Newer Walmarts are filled with salons/restaurants/banks etc in the front already. Just put in some front doors instead of blank walls......

The LUSJ reported today that the family of United States Army Spc. Albert R. Jex is petitioning to have the Stevens St Bridge named in his honor.

United States Army Spc. Albert R. Jex’s family is pushing for the Town and City of Lockport to name a bridge and Veteran Affairs Clinic after Lockport’s only fallen soldier from the war in Iraq.

But Lockport City Mayor Mike Tucker said he is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to making a decision.

“I’ve taken this proposal into consideration, but when you get an idea like this, how do you properly honor everyone? Albert is not the only Lockportian who gave his life in the line of duty. We have limited streets and bridges, and hundreds who gave their life” in wars over time, Tucker said. “Every soldier’s death is important, so who’s more significant than the other?”

He approached members of the Common Council with the request Wednesday night, saying a decision to rename public property ultimately rests with them.

Aldermen echoed his sentiments about the propriety — and the risks — of the city giving more “honor” to one fallen native over the rest...

I understand the family's desire but I kind of agree with the quote above. We already have Veteran's Memorial Park on East Ave across from the hospital. I'd love to see some campaigns to see that all of those Lockportians who have fallen for our country are highlighted near the monument. Make the park "the place" to cement their legacy and give locals a single place to understand the sacrifices given by the residents before them.

And a big thank you to all the volunteers who spend their time there in the spring and summer to rebeautify it year after year.

01/24/10 - Chapter 3 and 4 added. Please excuse the delay.
A couple years back I was able to get a hard copy of the last comprehensive plan completed for the City of Lockport. It dates back from 1998. Mayor Tucker only had a hard copy available and was kind enough to lend it to me. I had to scan it page by page so please forgive the crooked pages. I'll paste it section by section every Friday over the next few weeks. There has been talk over the last year of updating the City Charter and then The Comprehensive Plan so no better time than now to review where we were 10 years ago and: where we envisioned ourselves going.

-Did we do the things necessary to get there?
-Did they even make sence or have better visions been found?
-Did we lose out by not enacting it into some form of law or updating zoning codes to match?

eLockport appears to be continually adding information or I just do not recall everything I've seen there. Today I noticed some assessment information.

Information includes:
Explanation of the NYS Real Property Tax System
Common "Myths"
Fair Assessments

There is also a property search with tax maps, comparables etc.

Read up before the reassessment notices come in April.

The Buffalo News and LUSJ reported on the Mayor's suggestion to remove the position of streets chief from the city employment roles while adding a new position of director of economic development and planning.

Highways and Parks Superintendent Michael E. Hoffman was dismissed by Mayor Michael W. Tucker late Thursday in what the mayor said was a cost-cutting move. “It’s part of the downsizing. We’re trying to do more with less,” Tucker said Friday.

He gave Hoffman’s duties to city Engineering Director Norman D. Allen, effective immediately.
Tucker said, “I told Mike this wasn’t a performance-based decision. We eliminated his job. He had no place to go.”

Hoffman, who would have marked five years on the job next month, remains on the payroll until Wednesday, when the Common Council is to vote on cutting his job out of the budget. He was to have earned $66,180 this year...

and from LUSJ:

...Pasceri said she has reservations about piecemeal removal and addition of job titles and salary lines in the budget. It’s understood Tucker’s reorganization plan anticipates two new mega administrative titles, director of public works and director of economic development and planning, but neither of those is in the budget at this point...

The council will vote on it this Wednesday. At least one council member appears against the move. I also received an e-mail about an on-line petition. I'm have no strong feelings on the reorganization itself but I hope the position of director of economic development and planning is filled with someone who has some new progressive ideas and is given the tools and leeway to implement them.

Some comments have already been posted over here.

UPDATE 1/19/11:
LUSJ talked with Hoffman and others.

Some interesting points:

Hoffman got his layoff notice about one month shy of the 5-year employment anniversary that would have made him eligible for lifetime city-paid health insurance.

Another reason pensions are out of control in the public sector? (note commentor below says this is false)

“Mike did not plow streets or cut grass, the men under his supervision did — and they still will,” Tucker said. “All weekend, I heard, “the streets are great, the trees are great, everything’s great. Well, that doesn’t matter. The title was gone regardless who had it,” Tucker said.

The change in supervision can be positive or negative depending on the supervisor and those below him. My curiousity though is the "trees are great". I've seen more than a handful come down for one dead branch. when the truncks are cut they are solid and healthy as can be.  This is a big deal when we are replacing "0" per year.

Buffalo News reported on the pending vote tonight.

UPDATE 01/20/11:
Buffalo News and LUSJ reported on the council meeting last night.

The Buffalo News reported that a proposed Tim Horton's at Robinson and Beattie attracted some town boards members to question how friendly it is to pedestrians:

The town is likely to get another Tim Hortons, but the location might produce more pedestrian danger along an already tricky road, a Planning Board member said last week.

The board received an application for a new location of the coffee-and-doughnut chain on a two-acre vacant lot on Robinson Road just west of Beattie Avenue.

That’s near where two pedestrians were struck by a car and seriously injured Aug. 17, and a legally blind woman was killed by a snowplow Feb. 1 as she crossed the road. In the wake of those accidents, questions have been raised about the adequacy of the street lighting on the road, which is part of Route 93. The town and the state Department of Transportation have each pointed the finger at the other.

The road has several apartment houses and entrances to two large mobile home parks, but there are no sidewalks. However, the shoulders are seven to 10 feet, which is wider than normal, Councilman Mark C. Crocker pointed out after the August accident...

If the town is so concerned for pedestrians how about working with the state to get some sidewalks around there? It is in general a lower income area and people should have the opportunity to safely use their own two legs for transportation. Extra wide shoulders around 55 mph traffic only goes so far. Seeing that the area is planned so vehicle-centric, why even bring up the question for a single parcel?


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