Historic chimney move deemed too costly

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) - Moving a 250-year-old stone chimney in the city of Niagara Falls is proving to be much more expensive than originally thought.

The Niagara Gazette reports ( http://bit.ly/xYWWcj ) that a Buffalo consulting firm has told city officials it would cost about $200,000 to move the French and Indian War-era chimney from its current location near the Robert Moses Parkway to a site with better public access.

The city was authorized to spend $50,000 on the project. Mayor Paul Dyster says the city will seek alternatives, including having city employees do the work.

Historians say the stand-alone chimney dates back to the 1750s, when it was part of a French fort built near the Niagara River. The chimney was disassembled, moved to its current location and rebuilt in 1942.

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Information from: Niagara Gazette.