Depew library sold

[gorja]

NorthPoint Free Will Baptist Church soon will have a new and
permanent home on Columbia Avenue.
The church bought the Town of Lancaster’s former emergency management building, which also has served as the Depew Library. The $355,000 transaction was finalized last week.
The town has been relocating its emergency management operations to its Pavement Road complex, where police and court operations formerly were housed.
For the church, which has only been in the community for three years, the new location on Columbia is significant. “We now own the building and it’ll be our permanent home,” said Rev. Brian Williams.
The church has been leasing space at 11 W. Main St., which is owned by the Community Development Corp. It will remain there through the end of this year.
The church plans to move to the Columbia Avenue site by Jan. 1, after completing renovations to add classrooms, build a stage area and other interior work, Williams said.
Town Supervisor Dino J. Fudoli, who initially opposed selling the building to a church because that would keep it off the tax rolls, said recently that he changed his mind. “The offer was very substantial, so we thought it was in the best interest of the town to sell it, and forego the taxes,” Fudoli said.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-regi...aster-20141026

[4248]

I don't believe being on or off the tax rolls should have stopped this sale.

This structure has been costing local tax payers from the day it was built - as a Library or the Disaster Patronage Head Quarters - hundreds of thousand of tax dollars were spent/wasted.

I for one applaud Supervisor Fudoli for moving forward on this sale.

For far too long the Dem Controlling Members block any true movement. They have always been protective of vote getting patronage positions.

Its time to focus on reducing tax spending.

Thank You Sir !

[Lee Chowaniec]

It was time to get rid of another white elephant that over the years cost Lancaster taxpayers dearly in improvements and maintenance.

Supervisor Fudoli would have preferred to sell it to a business that would have brought tax revenue to the Village of Depew. Once has to wonder how much effort or cooperation came from the Village in making that happen.

The town and the village screwed this sale up several years and Fudoli did well in getting $355,000 for the sale.

The OEM department will fit in very well in the old police/courts building on Pavement Road.

The dog pound is another bad investment property for the town and it is encouraging to see the supervisor selling off this property as well. Hopefully a business does purchase the land and it goes back on the tax roll.

[AlphaMAle]

In my humble opinion, I would have liked to have seen a tax paying entity in that building. However, being realistic about the issue, how many businesses would want to locate so far of the beaten path. The building is in need of some extensive work, unless the EMO put in the work. The YMCA had looked at the same facility years ago but YMCA "Politics" stopped the acquisition in its tracks as well as the previous administration.

I know Brian and feel his church will be an welcome addition to the neighborhood. This will give the church room to grow. Brian is a very hard working individual and deserves a break.

[4248]