Marine Drive tenants press campaign for private condominiums

[steven]

Transforming a public housing complex on the downtown waterfront into private condominiums would be a "win-win" scenario for everyone, according to some tenants of Marine Drive Apartments who stepped up lobbying efforts Wednesday.
Advocates insist the conversion would generate tax revenue for the city, help its cash-starved public housing agency and guarantee all existing residents that they could stay without incurring additional costs.

"We know this works for everyone," said attorney George Grasser, who is working with the Queens Landing Tenant Action Group.

More than 100 residents belong to the coalition, about a fifth of Marine Drive's population.

But a Masiello administration spokesman reiterated that the complex is not currently for sale and that talk of converting the 616 units into condos is premature.

Consultants presented a plan to the Common Council's Community Development Committee that features:

A mixed-use development that would include retail and possibly offices in underutilized space.

New facilities to accommodate community events and tenant activities.

A three- or four-level parking ramp that would be used by tenants but would also be marketed to Bass Pro Shops, which plans to open a superstore in the adjacent Memorial Auditorium. Revenue could be used to help assist lower-income residents to purchase their Marine Drive units.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...02/1046987.asp

[LaNdReW]

I say dump all public housing...wny does not need to be in the landlord business...

I also say, tax the living daylights to anyone who rents properties in wny unless they live there too.

[jbinbny]

We've been thru this subject many times in the recent past. Masiello and the city could have and should have sold this taxpayer financed patronage dinosaur to private developers more than two years ago.

It's just another example of the common sense paralysis that infests the elected officials in this area.

There is no excuse for this.................NONE WHATSOEVER!

[LaNdReW]

Originally posted by jbinbny
We've been thru this subject many times in the recent past. Masiello and the city could have and should have sold this taxpayer financed patronage dinosaur to private developers more than two years ago.

It's just another example of the common sense paralysis that infests the elected officials in this area.

There is no excuse for this.................NONE WHATSOEVER!

Did a search and read throught the threads...

Sorry for stirring it up again..

[jbinbny]

Don't apologize! We need to keep stirring this subject up until the complex is sold to private enterprise.

One thing I have learned in my many years in WNY is this! Politicans play a waiting game with the residents on issues that taxpayers are opposed to, like the Marine drive Apt's and the sales tax increase. They allow the furor to die down and they go ahead and do what they wanted to do in the first place.

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THESE POLITICANS IN THEIR TRACKS IS TO KEEP THE HEAT TURNED UP.