Culinary Institute Memorandum of Understanding Approved by BOT
12/16/09
The Niagara County Community College Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the College, the City of Niagara Falls, USA Niagara Development Corporation and the Cordish Company regarding the proposed Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. The Board voted to allow President James P. Klyczek to sign the agreement after making three amendments to the original document. The vote was unanimous with two abstentions by Board members Malcolm Needler and Arthur Pappas.
“I am extremely pleased at the progress we have made in coming to this agreement with all the related parties” said NCCC President James Klyczek. “This has been a very long journey but the project has certainly grown in many positive ways for our students with the participation of the Niagara Falls mayor and city council, USA Niagara and of course Dennis Mullen, Chair of the Empire State Development Corporation. I think this is just one more example of NCCC serving as the ‘Community’s College’.”
“The Culinary Institute is an important part of the College’s Master Plan and as such by signing the MOU it takes us one step closer in determining the viability of the project in the Rainbow Center Mall,” said Board of Trustee Chairperson Bonnie Gifford. “Speaking as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, this MOU allows us to research the merits of the project with all interested parties.”
The amendments made to the original MOU are related to the expectation that the purchase option would be in place after 120 days, that the Culinary Institute temporary home of the Niagara Falls Conference Center be extended until the completion of the Rainbow Centre site construction and also a clarification on the agreement between the City and USA Niagara over ownership.
Once all parties involved agree to the MOU, NCCC will complete the process of preparing architectural and engineering drawings necessary for the construction of the Hospitality and Tourism Center and its Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. The completed schematic drawings will then be submitted to USA Niagara and the City of Niagara Falls to ensure they comply with state building codes and City design standards.
The MOU will also trigger the City and or USA Niagara to have a project engineer prepare architectural drawings and cost estimates for necessary repairs to the City owned parking ramp and Rainbow Centre Skylight.
As part of the agreement Cordish will also negotiate to release a third of the Rainbow Centre building to the City of Niagara Falls which in turn would directly lease to NCCC or through some other arrangement to be determined by USA Niagara.
In addition to the assessments and design work that are to take place during the course of the MOU, the MOU will now stipulate that USA Niagara will negotiate a lease with NCCC for the use of 8,000 square feet for a student and faculty operated restaurant and retail space in the Niagara Falls Conference Center. As now amended, that lease will allow NCCC to occupy the Conference Center space until the Rainbow Centre project is completed.
“The memorandum of understanding pledges the cooperation of USA Niagara, City of Niagara Falls, Cordish Co. and NCCC in development, construction and renovation of the former Rainbow Mall to house the Culinary Institute,” stated NCCC Board member Marvin Maziarz. “The memorandum also protects the college should any of the parties not be able to perform any of their responsibilities. This was very important to the Board of Trustees for the protection of the college as well as Niagara County.”
“This MOU overcomes another hurdle for the Culinary Institute, “said Board member Bob Sdao. “This is a positive move in the right direction not only for NCCC but for all of Niagara County. I am also happy to see that the MOU provides an opportunity for the College to open a temporary facility in the Conference Center.”
“I am pleased to see that this MOU is going forward, “said Board Trustee Gina Virtuoso. “This new culinary institute will give our NCCC students the additional learning and training they need when dealing with the general public and the twelve million tourists who annually visit Niagara Falls. The state of the art facility will also give them an opportunity to compete with some of the finest culinary institutes in the country.”
“This is an important step forward that sends a message to the community we are serious about making the culinary institute a reality in 2010,” said Trustee Kevin Schuler. “However, there are still many questions that must be answered during the 120 day due diligence period before we know for sure that everything is a go.”
“The NCCC Culinary Institute project MOU can lead to an opportunity for many NCCC students to prepare for a career in the culinary arts with excellent academic preparation and more importantly, on the job training,” added Board member Bill Ross. “These students will be able to move into the culinary field with very little transition after graduating from the proposed Niagara Falls Culinary Institute.”
-30-
