OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford A car drives on a portion of Deer Street next to Dunkirk’s Save-a-Lot Plaza that the city intends to close. The city wants to close the street to assist a housing project that will tear down the two vacant stores in the background.

The Dunkirk Common Council passed a law to close a small portion of Deer Street next to the Save-a-Lot Plaza.

The move is intended to create parking for a Regan Development apartment project slated for the west side of the plaza.

Plaza owner Tom Hagner spoke in favor of the street closure at a public hearing before the council voted. He was the only person to speak.

“I understand this is going to help in the parking situation?” inquired Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak.

“The parking and the plowing,” Hagner responded. “Right now, there’s two curbs that sort of divides the parking. We have parking rights on what I call the old Family Dollar space where Regan’s going to build the apartment project. We need adequate parking for their tenants and our shopping tenants.”

“I’ve seen the site plans…it looks like it’s going to be an improvement as far as the aesthetics (of the area),” stated Councilman Frank Torain.

“The old Family Dollar’s fallen into disrepair in the parking lot. It’s moon craters. Those will get fixed,” Hagner said.

Luczkowiak later asked city Planning and Development Director Vince DeJoy about “the next steps before the developers can finally move forward on the apartment development.” The project was originally supposed to break ground in 2025 but has gotten delayed by various strips of red tape. For example, a proposal to close the Deer Street section was made last year, but it failed to happen.

DeJoy said, “After passing the local law, there likely would be a need for one more public hearing from the mayor once it’s presented to her, within 30 days. From there, we submit the local law to the (New York) Secretary of State. Once we have done that, we can convey the property (containing the street) in a negotiated sale to this development, that will be basically paying fair market value as determined by our assessor.”

DeJoy called the planned apartments “a fantastic project that will hopefully begin sometime this spring with demolition of the existing endcap on the plaza.” That endcap is the location of the aforementioned “old Family Dollar.”

“Once that begins, some site work will begin — they will be rerouting some sewer and sanitary lines through some county infrastructure grants,” DeJoy continued. “And then proceeding with the project to be built, which on that site will have approximately 35 one- and two-bedroom apartments and a daycare center.” He pointed out the development will also have apartments at a site on Washington Avenue.

“I just want to let the public know that this is a private development,” DeJoy emphasized. “It’s not a public housing project, it’s affordable housing. It’s for working class people. Ten percent is reserved for veterans in this area.”

Tax credits, part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding, and a county infrastructure grant will help fund the project, he added.

“This is a $40 million development that is going to help bring more vibrancy and more customers” to nearby businesses, DeJoy said.

Councilman Mike Civiletto later commented, “Hopefully that spurs some improvements along Main Street, which has now really become our business district. … I’m hoping to see a lot of development and some beautification around that area. I think it’s been ignored for a long time.”