The following post appeared in the January Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce Newsletter:

Rebuilding Neighborhoods

Strong, vibrant neighborhoods translate to robust, profitable business districts.  However, older communities are sometimes challenged with homes that have become rundown or abandoned.  Through the Buffalo/Cheektowaga Revitalization task force we regularly work with residents as well as block club, town, city, state and county leaders to find solutions to difficult border issues including vacant housing. 

Recently the group saw success in addressing the housing issue when the Town secured a $648,000 in federal funds through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).   Congress established the NSP, administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to help communities address issues related to abandoned properties. 

With the help of this federal grant the Town will demolish four vacant homes and rehabilitate four additional homes.  Two of the four demolitions are already complete with the others awaiting state permits.  Work on the rehab projects is expected to begin early next year with completion due by next summer.  The town plans to expand the positive impact by reusing the proceeds from the sale of the refurbished homes for additional neighborhood rehab projects. 

Supervisor Mary Holtz and Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak deserve credit for their leadership on this task force and on this project in particular. Through collaboration bridging various levels of government and community groups, funding opportunities like this can lead to significant returns for local neighborhoods and businesses.

Building Economic Connections

Each year visitors crossing the Peace Bridge in their vehicles spend $133 million in Western New York.  As the home to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Walden Galleria, Cheektowaga is one of the primary beneficiaries of the close cross border relationship we share with Canada.  Canadians currently represent 38 percent of the airport’s customers and 25 percent of the Galleria’s shoppers.  While in town, our Canadian neighbors are also visiting our restaurants and staying at our hotels.

According to a recent report by the NYS Department of Transportation and Ontario Ministry of Transportation the demand is continuing to grow.  Since 2000, Southern Ontario shopping trips to Western New York have increase by 157% and now make up 22% of overall auto traffic from Canada. 

With a new Peace Bridge we would provide the over 8 million Southern Ontario customers eager to visit Cheektowaga businesses with a quicker and easier link to our community.   

In today’s world we need to take aggressive and proactive steps to create an environment where local business can thrive and grow.  Every day we working to build bridges to real and substantial progress and opportunity in Western New York.  Feel free to contact my office at 716-852-3501 if we can be of assistance.