Niagara Falls residents are a little more than a year away from potential access to a new housing resource.
Community Services for Every1 has unveiled its plans for The Nest, an apartment building that is expected to offer affordable and market-price housing.
CEO Mindy Cervoni already is planning for a fall 2027 ribbon cutting. Of the apartments, 21 will be allotted for domestic violence survivors, eight for residents with mobility impairments, and four for residents with audio or visual impairments.
“We got into the domestic violence services because we found that there were so many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that were experiencing domestic violence," Cervoni said. "And there really is not a lot of permanent housing for survivors that exists in the community.”
State Assemblymember Angelo Morinello previously served 10 years as a domestic violence judge and says the housing project provides a critical resource for vulnerable residents. Supporting the project is a priority during his final term in office, and it’s important to get more people living downtown, he added.
“This is the start of critical mass for Niagara Falls. I'm also very proud of the demographics that will be in this particular building," Morinello said. "We are not going to stigmatize anyone, we are not going to put them on the outskirts, but we're going to incorporate all walks of life into our community.”
Once completed, The Nest will have just under 75 units for residents. There also will be a variety of on-site services, including workforce development and trauma recovery, Cervoni said.
One of the project’s most important parts, according to Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino, is the workforce development resources.
“Everything that we have been trying to accomplish over the course of the last few years has really been about job creation," he said. "To create job opportunities is to provide people with an opportunity to grow their own wealth, with an opportunity to become productive within their community.”
The project totals nearly $40 million. Options for housing include studio, one- and two-bedroom units. There also is 4,800 square feet of commercial space planned for the ground floor.
