Return on Renovation: Chautauqua County Land Bank Continuing Battle Against Blighted Neighborhoods By: Dennis Phillips

From the Jamestown Post Journal

Through the Chautauqua County Land Bank's negotiated sales program, the once run-down house located at 1309 Newland Ave., Jamestown, has been renovated. The land bank program aids local investors in purchasing a dilapidated house to refurbish back into a quality owner-occupied home.

Michael Digirolamo, JMD Remodeling, was the contractor for the renovation project. He said it took six months to refurbish the house. The house has a new kitchen, bathroom, porch, fireplace, refinished hardwood floors, exterior paint, aluminum trimming, plumbing, gas lines and several other improved features.

''From top to bottom, from attic to basement, I remodeled, refurbished it, and it's all under code,'' he said.

Digirolamo said this is the fourth house he has renovated, with it being the first one while working with the land bank. He submitted a purchasing proposal for the property to the land bank in January, which was approved in April. By May 1, Digirolamo was starting renovations.

''It is a pretty efficient program,'' Digirolamo said. 

Mark Geise, land bank executive director, said through the program, the house was sold at 60 percent of its assessed value so the purchaser can use the money saved on buying the property to put toward renovation costs. Geise said the land bank purchased the house through the county's
foreclosure auction. Jim Caflisch, Chautauqua County Real Property Tax Office director, said it's a relief for county officials when the land bank purchases a property because they know, in the end, the house will be renovated into a home that will go back onto the tax rolls.

''This is one of our wins,'' Geise said.

Gina Paradis, Chautauqua County Land Bank administrative director, said this is the second blighted property in Jamestown to be re-established through the land bank program this year. The first property, located at 1115 Prendergast Ave., was sold to the Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation, also known as CHRIC, to be renovated. After renovations, the house was sold to an owner-occupied family. Paradis said the land bank is hoping to close on the sale of four more decaying houses in Jamestown to be renovated in the first half of the year. She said houses in Dunkirk and Fredonia have also undergone similar renovations and sold to owner-occupied residents. The house at 1309 Newland Ave. is available for purchase, with Susan A. Swanson, Key Real Estate salesperson, handling the sale. She can be reached by calling 338-2277. Digirolamo said the asking price for the house is $68,500, which has three bedrooms and one and half bathrooms.

''We're hoping to get a nice family in here soon,'' Paradis said.

Vince DeJoy, city development director, said the renovated house is no longer the only eyesore on the block. He said now the property is one of the better looking homes in the community.

''Now it is in line with the rest of the neighborhood,'' he said.

Peter Lombardi, land bank board chairman, said the refurbishing of the house dovetails with the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation's healthier neighborhoods program. Lombardi, who also is the JRC's deputy director, said the renovated property will probably lead other homeowners in the
community to reinvest in their own homes, maybe as part of the Renaissance Block Challenge. Lombardi said the rehabilitated property is a good example of mixing modern technology new household appliances with old-fashioned architecture like the wooden window trimming and hardwood floors.

''This is a very good sign that this can happen in Jamestown,'' Lombardi said.

For more information on the house, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVBr9Vnkywk.