PathStone Development said it has filed applications with the Niagara County and city planning boards requesting rezoning of the Bewley Building’s parking lot to help it move forward on the building’s conversion to housing.
In a detailed presentation at the Common Council’s work session on Wednesday, PathStone Development explained that in order to build a fire code-compliant stairwell without altering the building’s historic character, they would need to construct the stairwell on the wall facing their parking, which has light industrial zoning.
PathStone and its engineering and architecture contractors told the council about a number of major overhauls needed for the building to meet code requirements implemented since it was constructed in 1929.
“The work scope involves replacing every building system,” said Charlie Oster, vice president of real estate development for Edgemere Development.
“We ‘cameraed’ the sewer and what we discovered was pretty mind-blowing,” he said. “The sanitary sewer doesn’t go to Market Street. It goes downhill. We would need to replace it.”
Oster said since their presentation at the Palace Theatre last December, the developers have taken community concerns into account and have designated 10 of the 100 planned apartments as market-rate apartments open to any potential tenant. The developers also expanded their proposed retail spaces to span one end of the building to another.
After the council finished asking PathStone questions, Rowland O’Malley, 3rd Ward alderman and Common Council president, opened up a council discussion by offering his own input. O’Malley said for 100 more residents, “We’d collect the same amount of taxes and do the same services. We’ve got a community of a lot of people that’s invested in single-family homes.”
Speaking of the city’s other rental complexes, O’Malley said, “Something like this, 50 people move out. Now we’re going to pull people out of those apartments. What does it do to those people who invested in Lockport?”
O’Malley asked what happens to the landlords that tenants leave behind.
On March 20, the city’s housing authority waiting list was closed because it could not place the 900 people on its list in less than a year, according to Jeff Kline, executive director of the housing authority.
While PathStone said they would work with existing retail tenants to have them return to the Bewley Building post-renovation, O’Malley expressed concern for the businesses.
Kathryn Fogle, 4th Ward alderman, said, “Who is left there? They’ve already worked something out for the bookstore.”
Marcus Wyche, 5th Ward alderman, defended PathStone’s responses to some questions on Wednesday.
“They can’t get too far ahead of themselves,” Wyche said, commenting that PathStone said they don’t know if the city will support their plan. “We’re basically jumping the gun.”
O’Malley said, “That moratorium was put in place for a variety of good reasons. I’m not saying that’s (apartments) is not what we want. But don’t think that other developers won’t do the same thing,” mentioning the former Eastern Niagara Hospital building.
Wyche said, “Whether we do it here or in the other wards, it has the same effect.”
Jon Wiley said it all comes down to the zoning and the comprehensive plan. He asked council members to explain their rationale for having the Bewley Building zoned mixed-use. No one responded.
Kirchberger said, “If you bring in more people, you bring in more businesses and it generates more taxes. If you build in other parts of town, you’re pulling from there.”
Kirchberger said his restaurant customers often ask him where there are apartments to rent.
“On Zillow, there’s hardly any place to rent right now.”