Niagara County Legislator Chris Voccio today said the sale by the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corp. (NORLIC), of two properties in Niagara Falls is a blueprint for a path forward in revitalizing Niagara Falls neighborhoods. The properties – one on 18th Street and on 70th Street – had long been foreclosed on by the City of Niagara Falls and had been vacant for years. NORLIC, also referred to as the Land Bank, approved the sales last Friday to Blue Eagle Realty and their partner, Creation Properties.
“NORLIC has the ability and authority to meet with those who have an interest in any of these properties to review their plans and get commitments on timetables as so on,” said Voccio, a board member of NORLIC. “In that way, we can avoid those who want to speculate on property rather than make serious investments in our neighborhoods. This may be only two properties, but this is the blueprint for how you begin to revitalize neighborhoods plagued by the blight of abandoned properties.”
Matt Chavez, project manager for NORLIC, said that once NORLIC is takes control of a property, a thorough assessment is completed so there is a clear understanding of what needs to be done to make the property livable again.
“With these recent transactions, properties that were a drain on the resources of the city and a cause of blight will now become someone’s home, creating a net positive for the community and hopefully helping us build some momentum for future opportunities.”
The Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation (NORLIC) is a municipal partnership that works with communities to acquire vacant and abandoned properties. NORLIC’s efforts will return abandoned properties to productive use, creating a better community for future generations. Municipal partners include Niagara County, Orleans County, and the cities of Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda.
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