Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - What does the future have in store for the former Sumitomo Rubber plant in the Town of Tonawanda?
Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger says as of right now, Sumitomo still owns the nearly 2 million square-foot facility, but the Sumitomo Rubber Closure Task Force is actively looking at finding a new owner.
"On Day 1, when officials were looking at the site, we didn't know if the highest and best use of the site would be to demolish the building? I don't think that's the case now. I don't think that's the case at all. I think there is a future use for the building, but it's 2 million square feet. There aren't a lot of 2 million square foot users that are growing on trees. That's why we're going to do a nationwide search and find the right user for the property that will re employ, hopefully, most of the 1500 people who lost their jobs. They've been producing tires at that facility for over 100 years in the town. While they may not produce be producing tires any longer, it'll still be part of the industrial core of Erie County," said Emminger.
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Even though the facility closed in early November, Emminger says Tonawanda has not lost any tax revenue from it.
"The tax revenue from the town, county standpoint, real estate taxes has not been impacted. They're still paying the taxes, same taxes that they would pay they were under a pilot agreement, though those those agreements were canceled by the ECIDA, so they're paying full taxes on their property as we speak."