Two City Eyesores on the Way Down By: Gib Snyder, City Editor, Observer Today

Bids are due by July 16 at 10 a.m. in the city clerk's office for demolition of 209 Lake Shore Drive E. and 142 Maple Ave. as part of city's partnership with the Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation.

City Housing, Building and Zoning Officer Al Zurawski was asked about the buildings and the process.

"The process is that these are unsafe buildings because of the structural deficiencies that are in them and so we're going to take them down as an asbestos-contained structure. The contractor will have to be licensed to do such," he replied, adding the Land Bank will take ownership shortly.

The Lake Shore Drive E. house was damaged by a fire on March 31 of this year, forcing residents to flee the building. The vacant Maple Avenue house was damaged in November 2011 when it was hit by vehicle going northbound on Maple Avenue (Route 60) that failed to negotiate the curve near the intersection of Maple Avenue and East Seventh Street.

Zurawski was asked why the Maple Avenue demolition has taken this long.

"It was the number of changes of owners. Some serious health issues with one owner," he replied. "It did transfer. That is probably the reason why, we had start the process every time a new owner takes ownership."

Zurawski said the neighbors of 209 Lake Shore Drive E. have been in contact with his office, but the neighbors of 142 Maple Ave. have not contacted the office recently, but they had at other times.

According to the advertisement for the bidding, each bid must be accompanied by proposal security in the form of a certified check or a bid bond in an amount equal to not less than 5 percent of the total base bid price in accordance with the provisions contained in the "Information for bidders" section of the specifications. Copies of the contract documents, including plans and specifications for the work, may be examined at Zurawski's office.

"This contract is subject to the higher of the New York Department of Labor and Federal Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Rate determinations. A copy of the prevailing wage rates are included in the contract documents. The city of Dunkirk reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to accept or reject any part of any bid, and to waive any irregularities in connection therewith," the bid stated.

The city has completed four building demolitions under the Land Bank program and Zurawski was asked if the list was finalized for the next round of Land Bank demolitions.

"Not yet," he replied. "We are continuing to develop the list, assess the structures, do items that have to be done in the process before we even go out to bid."

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