The Niagara Falls police station and courthouse building was deemed beyond repair a few years back when state officials wanted the city to build a new one.
It appears what wasn't good enough for police, lawyers and criminal defendants might suit senior citizens just fine — after renovations, of course.
Two Buffalo development firms hope to turn the city's police and courts building on Hyde Park Boulevard and a former school on 39th Street into homes for seniors.
Ontario Specialty Contracting Inc. and McGuire Development Co. have submitted a joint proposal to the city to renovate the buildings and operate them as an assisted living facility and market-rate patio apartments called Sherwood East and West.
The $10 million plan was the only submission in response to a request for proposals issued by the city earlier this month for the two buildings, according to a story in today's Buffalo News Niagara & Region section.
The proposal envisions the long-vacant 39th Street School as 35 market-rate patio apartments targeted to "empty nesters or seniors." The public safety building on Hyde Park Boulevard would be turned into an assisted living facility with 30 suites.
The Hyde Park Boulevard public safety building will be replaced next month by a new, $47 million police headquarters and courthouse on north Main Street.
The old building was deemed by city officials in late 2004 and early 2005 as too small and in too poor condition to renovate for the city's police and courts. Asbestos, a leaking roof and a poor heating, ventilation and air conditioning system were among the problems cited.
The state's Office of Court Administration was threatening at the time to withhold state aid if the city did not address the problems.
"The specifications for a public court system are a lot different than any other private development that might happen," said former Mayor Vince V. Anello, who was in office when the decision was made to construct a new building.
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