Niagara Falls Reporter
Home | Archive / Search
JUNE 30 - JULY 08, 2015

It's a Sweet World If You're In With the 'In' Crowd. In North Tonawanda at least.

By Sweeney Payne

JUNE 30, 2015

Colonel Payne School in 1957.

What luck!

Michael Carney, one of Niagara County powerhouse, Henry Wojtaszek’s allies is, coincidentally, the only one who “requested to fill the position” vacated by Henry Wojtaszek’s ally William Paton on the North Tonawanda Planning Board? 

At least that is what NT Common Council President Russ Rizzo said at a recent Council meeting.

But then again will someone please tell me how anyone but Carney was supposed to know there was a vacancy on the planning board for which they could apply anyway?

By the way, I referred to that person formerly known as Russ Rizzo.

Mea culpa.

He is not Russ Rizzo but is now using the more prestigious Phillip ‘Russ’ Rizzo again. 

Although it is perhaps inconsequential, Philip Russ is a little off on his dates, a minor point, a mere 44 years, when he stated to the Buffalo News that the Schenck Street lot which Michael Wachowicz wants to have rezoned, was “a parking lot from the bowling alley for a hundred years.” 

The bowling center operated there for approximately 56 years.

Rizzo added Wachowicz “bought the bowling alley (on Division Street) and put in a Dollar General, a print shop and a sign shop.” 

The bowling alley actually was on Schenck Street, not Division.  The Dollar General simply cannot be on Division because Twin City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway is in between it and Division Street.

But our Philip Russ, then just Russ, in 2014, must be excused since, when alderman-at-large, the late Robert J. Clark, suggested naming part of River Road in honor of Purple Heart recipients, had no idea of what part of the roadway a previous Council (on which he served) had been named in honor of Prisoners of War-Missing in Action servicemen and women.  

Wachowicz on the other hand, got the former Parkside Bowling Center building and the parking lot that had been the location of Pine Woods School from 1892 until it was torn down in 1983 for $185,000 in 2009.

Wachowicz said at the June 16 Council meeting that he’d like to clean up the Schenck Street property and develop it.  If he’s been the owner since 2009, why hasn’t he cleaned it up just a wee little bit because he owns it? 

What perks will he get if he gets the rezoning approved?

Wachowicz appears to live in East Amherst, owns and operates MIRIS at 393 River Road and uses that address for his MCW Construction.

He operates Michael’s Landing, a banquet facility, at 377 Sweeney Street at Payne Avenue on the banks of the canal.  Residents of the Sweeney and Payne neighborhood, who expressed their concerns about losing a portion of the parkland along the canal, were not taken seriously when he was given the go ahead to do that project, including a parking lot.

What taxpayer funded benefits did he get to make that project happen?

Now he wants to rezone the Schenk Street property from R-2 to R-C and construct, using his MCW Construction, an 11-unit “office park” (two stories).  He claims it would provide good offices for contractors.

Does that mean there will be contractors’ trucks and heavy equipment parking across from Pinewoods Park and increased truck traffic on a residential street with a playground in the park? 

Would he care, since he doesn’t live in NT?

He has owned the Colonel Payne School building on Wheatfield Street for 10 years and it is empty and deteriorating. 

Just a suggestion: Why can’t he renovate that building and make it his “office park” for contractors? 

And he has owned 34-38 Webster in some arrangement with LCDC for several years.

Sources tell us he is selling it to Greg Doel, who is believed to be a partner with former mayor Dave Burgio in 26 Webster LLC.  They will soon own all of the block of Webster Street between Tremont and Sweeney.

Burgio, with the 26 Webster LLC, owns the 62-64-66 Webster building for which he reaped taxpayer benefits.

It’s a great world, our North Tonawanda, if you’re in with the 'In' crowd.

 

 

 

 

Hornblower Operation a Pleasant Sight For One Veteran Newspaperman Here
Parking Plan Will Not be Approved Until After Election Council Majority Say; Meanwhile Dyster plans second RFP with more meters in city
'Just Walking in the Rain,' Choolokian Gets Signatures, Makes New Friends Everywhere
Librarian Petrazzoullo Joins Flight Away From Declining City, Region
Schoellkopf Health Center Residents Welcome New Accommodations
Catchpole Continuing Crusade Against Lewiston's Clay Trucks
Sheriff's Work Release Program Stands in Sharp Contrast to Flawed Welfare Work Program
Conrad Gives His Point of View
DEC Releases Final Northern Cricket Frog Recovery Plan to Restore Amphibian's Population
As Recycling Industry Crumbles Nationally Dyster's Plan Here Becomes More Bizarre
Take my City Hall Seriously Please
Feds Interviewing Witnesses In Lockport Asbestos Investigation
Preserve Our Parks Launches Campaign Opposing Zip Line
Canadian Zip Lines to Trash Niagara Gorge, State Parks taking notes
State Parks Fills Niagara Gorge With Junk... Or is it "Art"?
Hamister Has Building Permit, Still Seeking Financing
And the Grass Don't Pay No Mind... Tall grass in Jayne Park no 'high' for Island residents
What to Look for in the Hamister Hotel
Accardo Calls for Action on City's Abandoned Housing Problem
Use of Casino Revenue
Repercussions
Mercy Flight May Come to Niagara Air Reserve Station
It's a Sweet World If You're In With the 'In' Crowd. In North Tonawanda at least.: By Sweeney Payne
Lorigo, County Lawmakers Address Financial Crisis at ECC
Letters to the Editor
How Russia Got 1/5th of Your Uranium and the Clinton Foundation Received Mega Millions
City Hall Jokes
A Change of Pace - The Lifting of the Veil - A Misty Divulgence: By Uncle Guy A. Gator
Dyke--Ster, a Stunning Creation of the Master, Skrlinl

Contact Info

©2014 The Niagara Falls Reporter Inc.
POB 3083, Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14304
E-mail: info@niagarafallsreporter.com
Phone: (716) 284-5595

Publisher and Editor in Chief: Frank Parlato
Managing Editor: Dr. Chitra Selvaraj
Senior Editor: Tony Farina