Executive Director of Southern Tier Environments for Living, Inc. (STEL) Thomas J. Whitney emceed the event in front of a future site with many area elected officials like State Sen. Cathy Young, State Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, City Mayor Willie Rosas and Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello addressing the audience.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Dunkirk Renovation and Ownership Program, developed by STEL, will make a difference in a vital area for the city. Main Street, or Route 60, has many homes that are labeled as blight, to say the least. These properties, however, are on arguably the city’s prominent land — a stone throw from Lake Erie.

“We’ve been working on this project for three years,” Whitney said. “So, it’s great to put shovels into the ground. We are renovating or demolishing and building … sites from Dougherty Street down to the lakefront. Our goal is to redevelop some of the worst areas of a major thoroughfare in the city into nice, new workforce housing.”

Whitney added that at the end of the first 15 years, the residents of the single-family homes will have an opportunity to purchase the houses.

Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello discussed at the podium the necessity of taking pride in the county as it is on the cusp of change. In the foreground is a concept design of a home.

“In this way, we hope to develop a sense of community in homeownership amongst the residents,” he added.

The hope from Whitney is that this spurs local growth and the ambition for area homeowners or landowners to upgrade the neighborhood as it is an asset to Dunkirk.

Sen. Young boasted about the improvements to the city. Dunkirk will have more than 100 people benefit from the program and the program’s effects will help the lake front.

“This is something that will definitely provide new opportunities to 115 people,” she said. “… We have so many exciting things that are happening. This is just another new day, another new beginning. … This is something we knew a neighborhood that needs help. It will revitalize a major part of Dunkirk. It will give a phenomenal impression as you drive in.”

Young, like Whitney, said the ownership facet of this program will be a gamechanger for those residents.

City Mayor Willie Rosas speaks at the podium on the 49-unit project that will revitalize 25 homes in the city. In the foreground are, from left, State Assemblyman Andy Goodell and Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello.

“When you own something, you take so much pride in it,” she said.

Mayor Rosas echoed Borrello’s statements during Wednesday’s State of the County address. He believed that the theme he emphasized on during his speech was an epitome of what the city of Dunkirk is doing with this program through the state’s help.

“One thing he said really hit home with me, which was that: We have to believe in ourselves, if you want others to believe in you,” Rosas said. “I want our city residents to take pride in being residents of the city of Dunkirk. This project is going to help that become a reality.”

As Borrello took the microphone on the sunny afternoon, his excitement elevated, and he stressed that the county and city are on the precipice of something great.

“We have so much great opportunity right now in Chautauqua County,” Borrello said. “… But when you come down that road and you see that big beautiful lake on one side, what you see around it isn’t so great. We are going to make moves now to change that. This is the beginning of that change.”

This is a concept design of a 1-, 3-, 3-, 1-bedroom house.

Also in attendance for the event was State Homes and Community Renewal Assistant Commissioner Leonard Skrill, State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance Executive Deputy Commissioner Barbara Guinn, State Office of Mental Health, Fiscal, Managed Care and Housing Services Coordinator Christopher Marcello and Congressman Tom Reed’s Office representative Alison Hunt.

The architect will be SWBR, Inc. and the general contractor will be Resetarits Construction. The project is expected to have a ribbon cutting in eight months.