During a virtual State of the City address, Mayor Wilfred Rosas highlighted a number of opportunities — specifically from outside investment. In making the presentation, he thanked his department heads and city staff who have gotten the job done over the last 10 months during the global pandemic.

One of the bigger projects coming to the city is another cold-storage warehouse, which is expected to be larger than the Roberts Road facility.

“We are in a collaborative effort between the city of Dunkirk, Wells Incorporated, Chautauqua County (Industrial Development Agency) and New York state to bring further development with more jobs including another larger cold storage warehouse,” Rosas stated. “I’m being told that this new cold storage warehouse could be twice the size of the one we already have there. We are excited about this because this will include bringing in more jobs.”

Remtronics, which closed the Brigham Road site in the fall, is also looking to be repurposed this year.

The former Remtronics site in Dunkirk.

“We have reached out to the Chautauqua County IDA for assistance as new jobs are included in this project,” Rosas said. “I have been personally involved with the developer, we are still in the infant stages, but the developer is very eager to get rolling.”

Other projects being implemented in the city this year include the Wright Park phase 2 project, a $368,000 investment, that will include an inclusive playground, nature play areas, improved bike paths, sidewalks and paving and the Lake Shore Drive Complete Streets project, a $1.5 million infrastructure project, which will create a more pedestrian friendly, aesthetically pleasing corridor that will include traffic calming features, enhanced crosswalks, landscaping, paving and more. Construction on these projects is expected to begin in the spring.

Also addressed by the mayor were continued pier improvements, renovations to the old macaroni building at Washington Street and Lake Shore Drive as well as plans for The Chautauqua Center.

Rosas also spoke of the blighted homes in the city. “In 2021 removal of blighted housing continues as more demolitions are planned along with larger unsafe commercial buildings,” Rosas said. “Our inspection department is one of the departments that have increased their production and their activity.”

He said $29 million in building activity was reported in the city in 2020.

Wilfred Rosas OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward

Rosas also noted the Robin Street tunnel, a hot button topic for a number of citizens. “(It) has been identified as a safety concern so in 2021 the city has partnered with DFT communications to install high tech cameras which will help to ensure public safety,” Rosas said. “This has been an issue since I came into office, we’ve been trying to address it in many different ways, we have finally found a way that we believe will be beneficial as we move forward.”

Finally Rosas stated one of his biggest goals for 2021 is the implementation of shared services.

“I cannot emphasize enough, we at times duplicate services in our communities, we should be working better on shared services,” he said.