Mayville is in the process of buying this vacant land where the former Mayville Diner was located. Officials want to see the land sold to a developer. P-J photo by Gregory Bacon

A former bank and the cleaned up property of an arson restaurant fire are among the properties Chautauqua County is looking to sell to local municipalities.

During the Administrative Services and Audit and Control Committee meetings, members heard about three proposals to transfer tax foreclosed property to Dunkirk, Mayville and Ripley.

DUNKIRK

Committee members backed a resolution to transfer a former bank to the Dunkirk Local Development Corporation.

The property in question is at 401 Central Ave. and was previously First Niagara Bank. It closed in 2016 after KeyBank purchased First Niagara. Because there was already a KeyBank in Dunkirk, the Central Avenue location was shut down. Before being First Nigara, the bank was known as HSBC and before that was called Marine Midland.

One legislator said at the Administrative Services Committee meeting that it was a different building, but County Executive PJ Wendel confirmed that it was the former bank.

According to Todd Thomas with the county law department, the building has flooding damage.

Thomas said the DLDC is looking to pay $2,000 for the property now and would pay the rest of the back taxes once the property is sold.

MAYVILLE

Committee members backed a resolution transfer the property where the former Mayville Diner that was destroyed in a fire to the village.

Committee members agreed to transfer 3 parcels located at 7 W. Chautauqua St. to the village for $3,648. The village would also be responsible for school taxes for the 2022-2023 school year.

The village is looking to sell the property to a developer and recoup what it spent to clean up the property.

The diner was destroyed in a fire in an arson fire Dec. 9, 2019. About a year later, the Mayville Village Board declared the property to be a danger to the community and authorized spending $11,500 to clean it up. The debris was completely removed and the property is currently vacant.

Village officials said they wanted the property so they could sell it to cover what they spent on clean up.

Thomas said there were other offers for the property that were higher, but the village wanted to include what it has already spent on it.

Because of this, the resolution was modified to state that in the event the village should resell the property, it would need to split the proceeds with the county, after the village is reimbursed for the demolition and purchase costs.

RIPLEY

In Ripley, the town board is requesting the legislature transfer two parcels to the town for $11,956.

According to Thomas, the amount is based on what is owed in back taxes.

Thomas said the town wanted the properties so they could be redeveloped.

Ripley Town Supervisor Doug Bowen said the property is 137 W. Main St. and is an abandoned residence. The town would likely demolish the building, but they can’t make that determination until after they own it and get inside to inspect it.

The resolutions now go to the full legislature for final approval.