Legislator Rich Andres

09/16/2026

There are some promising developments involving the former Lowry Middle School. While there is still a lot of work ahead, continued collaboration between county and city government will be key to moving this important property forward and bringing it back to productive use.

After roughly 15 years of sitting vacant, Lowry Middle School in North Tonawanda is closing in on an ownership transfer that would redevelop the school property into housing.

09/12/2026

Every year first responders hike the gorge trail down hundreds of stairs and back up again in full gear to remember those that died on September 11. It’s always a challenging hike, but the firemen in full turnout gear and air tanks had it pretty rough as they navigated the narrow trail. I’m glad I got to take part, Great job by all involved.

09/11/2026

We will never forget.

Today, we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost, honor the courage of our first responders, and never forget the sacrifices made that day and in the years since.

09/10/2026

This September 11 marks 25 years since a day that forever changed our nation.

Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo and I are asking churches and houses of worship throughout Niagara and Erie counties to help mark this solemn anniversary by ringing their bells at two significant moments:

9:59 AM — the time the South Tower fell
10:28 AM — the time the North Tower fell

For a few moments that morning, we hope the sound of church bells will carry across our communities as a tribute to the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were taken on September 11, 2001.

We remember the firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other first responders who answered the call without hesitation. We remember the families who lost loved ones and the Americans whose lives were forever changed. And we remember the courage and unity our nation showed in the days that followed.

A quarter century has passed, and many young Americans know September 11 only through the stories of those who lived through it. That makes our responsibility to remember — and to teach future generations why we remember — more important than ever.

On September 11, may the bells across Western New York ring in their memory.

We will never forget.

09/07/2026

Here in Niagara County, we know the value of a hard day’s work. Our community was built by generations of hardworking men and women, and that same work ethic is still alive and well today.

To our tradesmen, first responders, small business owners, public employees, healthcare workers, and everyone who puts in an honest day’s work: thank you for all you do.

I hope everyone gets a chance to relax, spend some time with family and friends, and enjoy the unofficial end of summer. 🇺🇸

09/03/2026

Today we rededicated Charlie Fleischman Park in North Tonawanda. That little park has been expanded, upgraded and landscaped and is a beautiful centerpiece to our downtown. The park and clock tower has been an effort for me and many others since 2017. The clock tower steering committee met many times to discuss the layout of the park and the features of the tower. We engaged the NTHS Academy of Engineering students to come up with concepts for the park.Student teams submitted their concepts and the winning team of Ben Kolbe and Rob Rozicki presented a design and presented it to the common council. The council loved the idea and grants were applied for. I was happy to support the project with Niagara County Greenway Funds. After getting awarded Downtown Redevelopment funding, the project got included into the larger effort to improve downtown. Today it is complete on Webster and we are looking forward to starting on Oliver St.

09/02/2026

Truck routes have been a concern for many in North Tonawanda. The current truck route map was designed to keep trucks as many trucks as possible away from our residential neighborhoods. Local deliveries are not prohibited and can take the most direct route, trucks just passing through are a major issue. While I understand truck drivers interest in cutting through our city, the residents quality of life come first. Please note the route and know why it was designed this way. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FaQHUCKBp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Clarification on truck routes and enforcement in North Tonawanda.

We have heard concerns from both sides of this issue. Residents understandably do not want heavy trucks unnecessarily traveling through neighborhood streets. The concerns we hear most often involve the noise and vibration from large trucks, homes shaking as they pass, added wear on residential roads, and safety concerns when large commercial vehicles travel on streets that were not designed for regular heavy truck traffic. At the same time, businesses throughout the City still need trucks to be able to make deliveries.

An important point is that a truck being off a designated truck route (attached map) does not automatically mean it is in violation. Trucks making legitimate local deliveries are permitted to leave the designated route when necessary to reach their destination. The concern is when trucks use neighborhood streets unnecessarily or as shortcuts.

Speaking with our Police Chief, the NTPD has been working to address this largely through education, warnings and targeted enforcement. Since March, officers have conducted 23 commercial vehicle enforcement details and 220 vehicle stops, with 164 warnings or educational contacts issued. Officers have also been providing drivers with information and maps explaining North Tonawanda’s designated truck routes.

Likewise, seeing a commercial vehicle pulled over does not necessarily mean the driver was ticketed for being off a truck route. Officers may be checking weight, equipment, licensing, safety concerns or other issues.

The goal is not to make it difficult for trucks to do business in North Tonawanda. It is to educate drivers on our local routes, address legitimate neighborhood concerns and enforce the rules when necessary, while still allowing businesses to efficiently receive the deliveries they depend on.

There is a balance to this, and that is what our Police Department is working to achieve. Hope this helps get some clarification on the matter. Thank you.

*The most recent code change to designated truck routes was in 2012 and can be found here: https://ecode360.com/12172631

08/24/2026

Over the weekend I attended a presentation by sculptor Susan Geissler at the North Tonawanda History Museum, where she shared her vision for the sculpture project I first began working on couple years ago. One of Susan’s most recent and most impressive works that you may be aware of is the Lock Tenders sculpture that was unveiled a few years ago in the City of Lockport.

Recently, we brought together a group of interested individuals to discuss the project and the path forward. I’m excited to see the momentum building again, and we plan to reintroduce the project to the North Tonawanda Common Council in the fall.

08/21/2026

Great news for NT. The city has been awarded $1 million from the County Infrastructure Grant Program to help prepare the Bridge Street Landing site on Tonawanda Island for future development of the VisoneCo. apartments and mixed-use project.

This investment will support converting the former fire department training facility property into a build-ready site with new utility line expansions, environmental remediation infrastructure, stormwater drainage, new asphalt and streetscaping, and more.

Another important investment in the continued growth and revitalization of our waterfront.

A North Tonawanda project is among 49 across the state that were awarded portions of $38 million through the County Infrastructure Grant Program.

08/16/2026

Yesterday, I had the honor of presenting a Niagara USA 250 Challenge Coin to Suzanne Todaro, owner of Gleam & Glimmer Stained Glass Studio, a longtime staple of Webster Street and our downtown community.

Suzanne has also played an important role in helping plan the Arts & Eats Festival, an event that continues to bring people downtown to enjoy local art, food, music and businesses.

The festival is still going on today, so there’s still time to head down to Webster Street, enjoy everything the festival has to offer, and support our great local businesses.