By Gina Castellani
NORTH TONAWANDA — North Tonawanda voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether the city can borrow up to $18 million to turn the Norman Keller Building at 500 Wheatfield St. into a consolidated community center, replacing a rented senior center and a rented youth center with one city-owned campus.
The proposition would authorize a capital bond paid for through a special property tax. At the full $18 million, the city estimates the levy at 84 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $84 a year on a home assessed at $100,000, according to the city Parks and Recreation Department’s project page. That estimate assumes a 30-year bond at 4.5 percent interest, with annual debt payments of about $1.1 million.
The city will hold an informational meeting on the project at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the conference room of the Keller Building.
What would be built
The plan, designed with the firm Architectural Resources, would renovate the existing Keller Building, which now houses the Niagara County DMV, recreation offices, the Lumber City Development Corp. and other tenants, and add a 3,000-square-foot multipurpose room with a kitchen, a 1,000-square-foot fitness area and a 7,700-square-foot gymnasium with an upper-level walking track. The renovation would include a new roof and HVAC system, accessibility upgrades and security features, along with parking and lighting improvements outside.
The city has set aside 1,500 square feet for the DMV should Niagara County choose to stay under an updated lease.
If voters approve, design would resume in November, bid documents would be ready in May 2027, construction would begin in September 2027 and the center would open in fall 2028, according to the city’s timeline, which it notes could slip depending on grant awards.
The case for consolidation
The senior center at 110 Goundry St. is rented from Carousel Park Apartments on a month-to-month basis. The city says the new owners have proposed a $50,000-a-year rent increase that could take effect as soon as 2027, and that under the lease terms the city would be responsible for replacing the aging roof and HVAC system. The youth center at 383 Vandervoort St. is rented from Lumber City Church.
The city projects $124,000 a year in facility and staffing savings and $80,000 in new revenue from consolidation.
“Our rents are doubling at various locations, we’re paying multiple utility bills. More staffing is needed with three different locations, and consolidation into one facility makes sense for our city,” Mayor Austin Tylec told WBEN. “So we thought that was a good idea to put the decision in the public’s hands.”
Parks and Recreation Director Alex Domaradzki, who proposed the idea, called it an investment in an interview with WKBW. “It doesn’t really make sense to invest in infrastructure that’s not ours,” he said.
Seniors who use the Goundry Street center told WKBW they worry about safety and building conditions. “Water anywhere, [coming off of the ceiling] and to the table and onto the floor is a danger,” said Linda Pike, 79.
Why the price may differ from the ballot
The city says the engineer’s current construction estimate is $15.5 million if the project were bid in 2027; the $18 million on the ballot is a ceiling that includes contingency for cost escalation, high bids and possible water main upgrades. The city says it would borrow only what it needs.
Mr. Tylec is counting on grants to bring the local share down. The city plans to apply again to the state’s NY BRICKS program, which offers up to $10 million with a 20 percent match after an unsuccessful first-round bid, and is eyeing a new round of Downtown Revitalization Initiative money. Mr. Tylec told WBEN the Common Council has also asked the Niagara County Legislature for $5 million.
“We do see a need here, we understand it’s a large number. But we are very hopeful that number is going to be well under $10 million,” he said.
The city’s own fine print cautions that most of those grants are reimbursable, so the city “must originally bond the entire amount of the project cost,” with reimbursements later applied to the debt.
An alderman’s case for phasing
Alderman Joe Lavey supports a new center but told WBEN he worries about the timing and the interest costs while the city waits for grant reimbursements, which he said can take two or three years.
“What most people don’t consider is we’re paying interest on all the millions-and-millions of dollars that we have bonded,” Mr. Lavey said. “It’s kind of hitting all at the same time,” he added, pointing to a reassessment and a possible tax increase residents are also facing.
He suggested renovating the Keller Building for seniors first and adding the youth center later. “Let’s fix the building that we have, let’s get our seniors in there, and then maybe explore the youth center at a later time,” Mr. Lavey said.
If the proposition fails, the city says it would still have to pay for roof and HVAC replacement at the Keller Building and at the senior center, or find another home for senior programs.
The Buffalo Chronicle has asked the Mayor’s Office for the city’s current grant applications and their expected award dates. This story will be updated with any response.
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