Brownfield Coalition | Niagara County Brownfield Program

Niagara County Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant

Introduction

Niagara County has a long history shaped by its industrial past. While manufacturing once fueled economic growth, its departure left behind hundreds of vacant and abandoned properties, many of which are contaminated. Through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant, Niagara County is taking bold steps to turn these sites from liabilities into opportunities. This initiative focuses on four targeted areas across Niagara Falls, Lockport, and North Tonawanda.

The goal is clear: to transform blighted properties into safe, vibrant, and productive spaces for future generations.

Targeted Areas

The grant focuses on neighborhoods most impacted by disinvestment and blight:
• Highland (Niagara Falls): A mix of residential, industrial, and vacant land.
• Mid-Town (Niagara Falls): Dense neighborhoods with abandoned commercial and industrial sites.
• West End (Lockport): A mix of residential, commercial, and industrial properties in disrepair.
• Oliver Street Corridor (North Tonawanda): Once a thriving hub, now a two-mile stretch of underutilized properties.

Oliver Street, North Tonawanda

West End, City of Lockport

Goals and Objectives

The Brownfields Coalition seeks to:

Revitalize urban areas by addressing environmental contamination.
Assess catalytic properties through Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments.
Conduct reuse planning and visioning exercises to guide redevelopment.
Encourage community participation in shaping future land use.
Support the creation of housing, jobs, greenspaces, and vibrant neighborhoods.

Community Engagement

Community voices are central to the success of this effort. Niagara County and its coalition partners will host community meetings, walking tours, and design workshops to ensure that residents shape the future of their neighborhoods. Accessible project updates will be provided through newsletters, fact sheets, social media, and the County’s brownfields website.