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Town of Tonawanda Development Corporation 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive, Room 117 Tonawanda, NY 14150 |
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Phone: 716-871-8072 Fax: 716-871-8073 Email: ttdc@tonawanda.ny.us |
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In addition to serving the needs of individual businesses, we are also called upon to undertake projects of interest to the community, in general. |
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REVITALIZATION
Eastern State Grain Mill Demolition Project
In early 1995, the TTDC was asked by Supervisor Carl J. Calabrese and Erie County Legislator Charles Swanick to provide assistance in the demolition of an abandoned industrial complex located on Military Road.
First opened in 1918, the Eastern State Grain Mill facility was once the world’s largest grain feed mill—employing as many as 525 persons and producing more 1.8 million tons of |
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grain feed weekly. Changing markets resulted in closure of the facility in 1965. Although portions of the 26-acre site were sold off for re-use, the former mill and silo structures were abandoned. At least four deaths occurred in the site since 1965.
The TTDC contacted an industrial archivist who had possession of original building plans, and commissioned a series of environmental reports. These materials provided the basis for unofficial estimates by contractors in late 1996. The Town of Tonawanda pledged $700,000 toward the project and Legislator Swanick added $100,000. The project took a major leap forward in late 1998 when county, state and federal representatives secured a combined $2.0 million: State Senator Mary Lou Rath ($1,000,000), State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger ($500,000), Congressman John LaFalce ($250,000) and County Executive Dennis Gorski ($250,000).
Since that time, the TTDC has participated in a project task force led by the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA) to implement the project. The ECIDA, in addition to its own economic development activities, has had experience in coordinating demolition activities in conjunction with such projects as Pilot Field (now Dunn Tire Park) and the Marine Midland Arena. |
