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Czestochowa school eyed for apartments
 | | JUST A MATTER OF TIME?...Our Lady of Czestochowa School at Clinton Street and Meadowbrook Parkway (background) is being eyed by the Olmstead Center for possible conversion into an apartment complex. If approved, a project would also include the convent (foreground) being demolished for parking. (Times photo) |
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Our Lady of Czestochowa School, closed by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo in 2003, may find new life as an apartment building for the disabled.
The not-for-profit Olmstead Center, formerly known as the Blind Association of Western New York, hopes to rehabilitate the building into 24 units of low-income housing.
The $5 million project would be funded by federal, state and local government sources, making approval by the town board crucial to the plan.
Up to 95 percent of the project will be funded through federal low income housing tax credits and a lowincome loan from the New York State Housing Trust Fund.
Representatives from the center and Savarino Construction were at Tuesday's town board work session to recruit the town's support.
Cheektowaga's portion of assistance is expected to fall between $150,000 and $200,000.
Plans call for 20 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments. The former convent at the site would be demolished to provide parking.
Remaining space in the basement would be designated as community space to be used by the tenants and Our Lady of Czestochowa Church.
The diocese has already approved selling the buildings.
Sam Savarino, president and Chief Executive Officer of Savarino Construction, said that the project would benefit the neighborhood by preserving a building that would provide safe and affordable housing for persons with disabilities who wish to live independently.
Town officials appeared interested in the proposal.
Supervisor James J. Jankowiak noted that the town is attempting to preserve its housing stock, and wished that the building project could be located in a neighborhood where the town has focused its housing efforts.
"I can understand that," said Savarino. "But, if that school ends up sitting there, I don't know what ends up happening."
Savarino noted that if the church sells the building, it could place itself in better position to survive future church consolidations in the diocese.
Supervising Building and Plumbing Inspector Tom Adamczak said that the Clinton Street neighborhood is "very stable," but added, "this is probably one of the better uses for this building."
Public approval of the project is required. Savarino and Milissa Acquard, Chief Financial Officer for the Olmstead Center, hope that the public process could begin in July.
Olmstead must file an application with the state's Division of Housing and Community Renewal for tax credits and loan money in a competitive bidding process. The bid must be filed by February 2008.
"We'll receive more points for serving lower-income residents," Acquard said. "Support from the local governments will also boost our score."
If the town agrees to help with the project, the apartment building would be the sixth in 15 years for the Olmstead Center, and the second in Cheektowaga.
The center renovated the former convent of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, located on Alpine Place off Genesee Street, into a similar 24-unit complex. That building opened in 2006.
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