Lundy’s Lane plan lays out vision for future growth
Grants can be used to improve facades, landscaping
A Lundy’s Lane Community Improvement Plan will help the burgeoning west end of the city continue to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, says an official with the area’s business improvement association.
“Lundy’s Lane is no longer just a thoroughfare to get through Niagara Falls. It is now home to tens of thousands of residents, a major place of employment, commerce, dining and entertainment. This is becoming Niagara’s neighbourhood,” said David Jovanovic, project administrator for the Lundy’s Lane BIA.
During a statutory public meeting Tuesday evening, Niagara Falls city council received comments about the proposed CIP, which is the culmination of a two-year study.
The CIP will provide a stimulus for development in the area through incentive programs and direction for development through urban-design guidelines.
Relevant bylaws are scheduled to be brought before council for adoption at the March 27 meeting.
CIPs exist in other districts in the city, including downtown and Main and Ferry.
Council approved a motion that funding to support the Lundy’s Lane CIP come out of the city’s casino-hosting reserve fund. The amount of funding will be at council’s discretion.
Council also approved requesting Niagara Region approve funding to support the CIP.
Alex Herlovitch, the city’s director of planning, building and development, said Niagara Region’s current position is to not approve money for new CIPs as of this year
The Lundy’s Lane CIP area extends west from Drummond Road to the urban boundary between Garner and Beechwood roads, and will apply only to lands that have frontage onto Lundy’s Lane.
The overall vision for the CIP is to create a mixed-use corridor that capitalizes on the area’s tourism tradition.
The CIP will provide for three incentive programs — a facade, landscaping and property improvement grant, an adaptive reuse/motel revitalization grant, and a tax increment financing grant.
According to a city report, the aim of the programs is to target the elements of the CIP area seen as weaknesses and in need of upgrade.
The facade/landscaping and adaptive reuse/motel revitalization grants all aim to provide incentives for existing properties, whereas the tax increment financing grant is aimed at larger scale property redevelopment.
In the spring of 2016, the city, in partnership with Niagara Region and the Lundy’s Lane BIA, initiated the CIP study, commissioning the WSP Group to do the work.
The Region was also a financial partner in the study, contributing 50 per cent to the cost.
Jovanovic said the “unprecedented” growth in the Lundy’s Lane area required the BIA and its government partners to “comprehensively revisit the functionality and vision” of the area.
“The Lundy’s Lane CIP … addresses these issues and lays out a template and vision of how the future hub of Niagara Falls will look and evolve.”
He said the CIP also supports a streetscape master plan for the area that begins this spring.
That plan includes street-tree planting; lighting upgrades; additional banners; way-finding signage; a public park; and interpretative heritage elements.