LACKAWANNA, N.Y. (WBEN) – Officials from Erie County, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, and others celebrated the groundbreaking of Uniland’s planned advanced manufacturing facility along Route 5 at the former Bethlehem Steel site.
The building will be 150,000 square feet and is estimated to cost Uniland $14.5 million to create. There are currently no tenants for the site, though officials are optimistic its creation will spur interest because it will be a Class A industrial space.
“Our region is significantly below the inventory that is required compared to our peer cities,” Michael Montante, CEO of Uniland, said. “That’s not good because that really limits new companies and existing companies coming in and expanding in Western New York. 8 Dona is part of that solution.”
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz lauded the groundbreaking at the site, saying it’s the latest in his vision for the former Bethlehem Steel site, which closed down in 1982 and had sat largely vacant for decades.
“This is not the end,” Poloncarz said. “This is the end of the beginning. There’s so much more to come, especially when the doors to this building open.”
Erie County had previously purchased 140 acres of the site along Route 5 to create the Renaissance Commerce Park. During that time they relocated rail lines, created a bike pathway, completed remediation under a Brownfield Cleanup Program, and extended Dona Street for public access to the site.
This year, the county purchased an additional 80 acres of land to the south of Dona Street with plans to expand the commerce park.