Additional Resources

Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the front 270 acres of the Bethlehem Steel Site

Outdoor Cafes/Retail

Should your business need assistance in setting up the temporary outdoor patios, after the layout has been approved by the City of Lackawanna, students from the WAY (Work Appreciation for Youth) Program at OLV Human Services are available to help!  Please contact Marga McMahon at mmcmahon@olvhumanservices.org for further information!

LACKAWANNA ANNOUNCES TWO NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR LONG-VACANT ALLIANCE DRIVE PROPERTY IN THE FIRST WARD

The City of Lackawanna has formally announced plans to sell over 4.7 acres of long-vacant city-owned industrial property on Alliance Drive to Empire Building Diagnostics (EBD) and IT FITZ Concrete (IT FITZ) for new development projects.

EBD, a demolition and environmental contracting firm, relocated its entire operation from Depew to Lackawanna in 2021 after purchasing and upgrading a vacant industrial complex at 400 Ingham Avenue in the city’s First Ward, which is adjacent to Alliance Drive. EBD plans to expand their current Ingham Avenue campus, which houses 105 employees, to accommodate the addition of two new businesses and 20-30 projected new jobs.

IT FITZ Concrete, which specializes in residential and commercial concrete installation, also operates in Lackawanna from leased space at 4 ½ S. Fisher Road. The company plans to construct its own office/warehouse facility to house their current roster of 9 employees, with capacity for future growth and expansion.

“We’re excited that this next wave of economic development growth in Lackawanna involves companies that are already operating and thriving in our city,” said Mayor Annette Iafallo. “Thanks to the cooperation of our City Council, who approved the respective purchase offers, we’re able to retain two successful companies in Lackawanna for many years to come and return a parcel which has been mostly dormant for over 20 years to the tax rolls for the benefit of Lackawanna taxpayers.”Both deals are expected to close by year end 2023, with construction starting in spring, 2024.

Click the link to read the full press release: http://lackawannany.gov/…/Lackawanna-Media-Announcement…

 

FROM ABANDONED EYESORE TO SERVING SUGAR CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE – INTRODUCING SUCRO SOURCING’S NEW OPERATING FACILITY IN LACKAWANNA

From an eyesore of long-abandoned industrial structures which has haunted Lackawanna for over four decades, Sucro Sourcing, LLC is investing millions of dollars to adaptively reuse these structures as a new operating campus – one comprised of sugar refining, warehouse and distribution activities capable of serving Sucro’s growing world-wide customer base, while creating 75+ new jobs and significant revenues for our community.

Thank you Sucro Sourcing for embracing Lackawanna’s ‘open for business’ philosophy and the collective vision for restoring economic vibrancy to this historic industrial site – Lackawanna is honored to be an integral part of your growing international operation!

PUBLIC INPUT SESSION – LACKAWANNA DRI PROJECT CONCEPTS MONDAY, APRIL 24th 5:00-6:00 PM PRESENTED BY UB SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING STUDENTS

During the recent spring semester, undergraduate students from the UB School of Architecture and Planning have been working on potential Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) project concepts for the City of Lackawanna in anticipation of the city applying to New York State’s next round of DRI funding later this year, which could bring the city $10 million in grant funding.

The public is welcome to attend an input session on Monday, April 24th – details are in the flyer below. The UB student group has developed 15 project concepts, which include, but are not limited to, facade improvements, streetscape, public art, community center, grocery/retail, bike lane connectivity and more.

We look forward to your input!

LACKAWANNA SELECTS NORTH FISHER PROPERTIES FOR 2019 ABBOTT ROAD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The City of Lackawanna today announced the selection of North Fisher Properties, LLC as designated developer for a 2.13 development parcel located at 2019 Abbott Road in the city’s Fourth Ward.

North Fisher Properties was selected from the city’s call for bids for the 2019 Abbott Road parcel which began January 6th of this year and closed on February 3rd. Two other bids were received.

At their Monday, March 27th business meeting, the Lackawanna City Council unanimously approved Mayor Annette Iafallo’s recommendation to select North Fisher Properties based on the company’s high bid of $33K and site proposal for the neighborhood commercially zoned parcel.

“We’re excited to announce the selection of North Fisher Properties as the latest developer committed to continuing the unprecedented economic development momentum occurring in Lackawanna since 2020,” said Mayor Iafallo. “This newest project will be an ideal and modern complement to an existing mixed residential/commercial neighborhood along the bustling Abbott Road corridor.”

North Fisher Properties is proposing a two-phased project at the 2019 Abbott Road site consisting initially of two warehouse/storage facilities, followed by up to two additional multi-family units.

“As a young emerging company, we are eager to continue being a part of the recent development successes occurring in our hometown of Lackawanna,” said North Fisher Properties Managing Member Jason Szpara. “ We are confident that this project at 2019 Abbott Road will be an asset to Lackawanna for many years to come and a great addition to our emerging development portfolio.”

The 2019 Abbott Road project will be North Fisher Properties second Lackawanna project. Their first was completed on 4 ½ South Fisher Drive, just a short distance east of the Abbott Road parcel. That project consisted of 2 warehouses totaling a combined 13,000 square feet on a 3- acre vacant parcel the company has owned since 2013. The South Fisher facilities are fully leased by several local small businesses who use the space for storing supplies and other operating equipment, which also include a private indoor baseball training facility for local youth sports.

Negotiation of a land sale contract between the City of Lackawanna and North Fisher Properties is in process, and the company’s proposal will require approvals from the Lackawanna Zoning and Planning Boards in the coming months. The city has stipulated that construction on the 2019 Abbott Road parcel begin within 12 months of the land sale contract being finalized.

LACKAWANNA RESIDENTS SHARE IDEAS AT PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION FOR CITY’S NEW DRI GRANT APPLICATION

On Tuesday evening, September 20th, about 40 Lackawanna residents gathered in Council Chambers at City Hall for a public information session to share their thoughts and ideas related to the city’s forthcoming application to New York State for a new Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant.

If Lackawanna is approved for this latest round of DRI funding, there is the potential for the city to secure several million dollars in development funding.

During the public session, residents shared ideas on a range of potential projects including business support, recreation and community development, public transportation, and streetscape/beautification initiatives, among others.

Resident and city administration feedback is being incorporated into Lackawanna’s DRI application by the city’s DRI grant consultant, Clark, Patterson, Lee (CPL) – which is due to NYS on Friday, September 23, 2022. Additional updates will be shared as the DRI application process progresses.

We thank everyone who took the time to participate in the public information session and/or provide feedback through the interactive site which was posted on the city website and Facebook from September 16-21.

LACKAWANNA TO PARTNER WITH DOUGLAS DEVELOPMENT FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT AT 539 RIDGE ROAD

Today at a noon-time press conference, city of Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo and Douglas Jemal, President and Founder of Douglas Development, jointly announced that Douglas has been named as Lackawanna’s designated developer for a $35 million mixed-use project planned for 539 Ridge Road in the city’s Second Ward, which will feature 160 market rate apartments averaging 850 sq. feet, 10,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space and 30,000 sq. ft of underground parking.

Lackawanna issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the 539 Ridge Road site on January, 21, 2022 with a proposal submission deadline of March 15th of this year. Douglas was chosen for the project based on the quality of their RFP response.

The Lackawanna City Council approved the land sale and transfer to Douglas for $1 by a 5-0 vote at their Tuesday, September 20, 2022 business meeting. The $1 land sale price was recommended by Mayor Iafallo given Douglas’s stated intent to develop the 539 Ridge Road project without tax abatement incentives and pay full city taxes upon project completion.

‘We’re honored to partner with the elite development team at Douglas Development as we continue to move forward with my administration’s efforts to revitalize Lackawanna from both an economic and community development perspective,” said Mayor Annette Iafallo. “Doug Jemal and his team have been making a transformational impact in the city of Buffalo over many years through successful completion of several multi-million projects. Given our proximity and similarity to Buffalo, my team has worked hard to bring the Douglas team to Lackawanna and today, I’m proud to say we’ve succeeded. This is another great milestone in restoring Lackawanna to prominence”

The 1.25-acre 539 Ridge Road parcel in Lackawanna’s Second Ward was the location of the former St. Barbara’s R.C. Church, which stood from 1930 until it was closed/consolidated by the Diocese of Buffalo in 2008 and subsequently demolished in 2011. The diocese then sold the land to the City of Lackawanna in November of 2014, and it has sat vacant ever since

“My team and I couldn’t be more excited to work alongside with the wonderful city of Lackawanna. We think that Douglas Development can help play a role in catapulting Lackawanna back to what it once was,” said Douglas Jemal, President and Founder of Douglas Development. “With such rich history, simply minutes from downtown Buffalo, and a tangible eagerness within the community to get the ball moving, we felt like this was a perfect location for our next dynamic project.”

The proposed $35 million mixed-use project by Douglas Development will mark the first of its kind in Lackawanna’s in over a generation and serve as the anchor for the Iafallo administration’s multi-million revitalization plan for the Ridge Road – Center Street corridor, which will include:
– A complete curb-to-curb reconstruction of Center Street in partnership with the Erie County Water and Sewer Authorities – which will be going for bids in the coming days,
– Construction of a grant-funded splash park/inclusive recreation park at nearby Franklin Playground, which is expected to open next summer,

– And construction of three affordable single family residential homes by Habitat for Humanity Buffalo in partnership with the Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation with funding from the city’s community development block grant dollars administered through Erie County.

Lackawanna’s project partnership with Douglas Development continues the city’s success at attracting new development projects since Mayor Iafallo took office in 2020 and unified/lowered the city of Lackawanna’s tax rate as part of an overall strategy for rebuilding the city’s economy, which had eroded since the former Bethlehem Steel Corporation closed its local steelmaking operation in the early 1980’s.

Since 2020, over $100 million in new tax revenue generating development has been initiated or completed in Lackawanna, including:
– Advanced manufacturing /warehouse projects by TMP Technologies/Magic Eraser, Sucro Sourcing, LLC, Uniland Development and Ciminelli Development within and adjacent to the new Renaissance Commerce Park emerging within the former steel plant site which is led by Erie County government in partnership with the City of Lackawanna,

– And manufacturing / warehouse projects for Flexlume Sign Company and Premium Coffee/Queen City Foods on city-owned parcels just east of the commerce park off NYS Route 5.

The next step in the process is for Douglas Development to present their project plans for 539 Ridge Road to the Lackawanna Zoning and Planning Boards before year end 2022. The project is expected to take up to 24 months to complete.

Site renderings are posted below. The press event can be viewed on YouTube by clicking https://youtu.be/9r52TbefaOw

CELEBRATING LACKAWANNA’S NEWEST BUSINESSES!

Today, Lackawanna Mayor Iafallo and City Council members Marrano, Muflahi, Anderson, Moretti and Surdyke participated in ribbon cutting ceremonies celebrating the official grand opening of two new Lackawanna businesses.

* TMP Technologies, the maker of nationally branded Magic Eraser cleaning products, opened their 280,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility at 6 Dona St. in Renaissance Commerce Park, which employs 150.

* Socotra Cafe’, owned by Amin & Yehya Almontaser, opened their coffee/pastry cafe’ in a wonderfully renovated facility at 671 Ridge Road. Socotra Cafe’ is OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Monday thru Thursday 7AM-11PM, Friday & Saturday 7AM-Midnight and Sunday 8AM-10PM.

Welcome to Lackawanna TMP and Socotra Cafe’! We wish you great success for many years to come!!

ATTENTION LACKAWANNA SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS – ERIE COUNTY STOREFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM

Great news! Erie County, NY is offering grants of up to $40,000 to small businesses to renovate their exteriors. On May 9 the county will conduct a web presentation to discuss the application process and answer questions from potential applicants. Registration is required.

To learn more about the program and to register for the web presentation by Erie County, click the icon below. The deadline to submit an application is June 16th.

Please share this information with those who may be interested!

Storefront Revitalization Grant Program | Economic Development

Congressman Higgins & Assistant Secretary of Commerce Castillo Highlight Federal Investments at the Former Bethlehem Steel Plant Site

On Wednesday, March 23, Congressman Brian Higgins & Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alejandra Castillo visited the City of Lackawanna for a press event highlighting ~$3.6 million in funding from the federal Economic Development Agency which has been used to advance redevelopment at the former Bethlehem Steel Plant site.

Joining the congressman and assistant secretary for the event were Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz – who has championed the Bethlehem redevelopment efforts since 2012, ECIDA President & CEO John Cappellino, and Eli Cohen from Sucro Sourcing, who hosted the event in one of the three former steel plant buildings the company is restoring as part of their new Lackawanna sugar production and distribution complex, which is expected to be fully operational by year-end.

The EDA funding was used for the planning and construction of water and sewer infrastructure vital to redevelopment efforts on the site, which is now known as Renaissance Commerce Park – where TMP Technologies and Welded Tube currently operate and Uniland Development is constructing two new light manufacturing and warehouse facilities for future tenants. The Sucro Sourcing project sits just outside the commerce park footprint on the northern end of the former steel plant complex near the Port of Buffalo.

The event was covered by every local print and broadcast media outlet. The following clip is from an on-air and online story from WBFO/NPR radio https://www.wbfo.org/…/assistant-commerce-secretary….

Thank you, Congressman Higgins and Assistant Secretary Castillo, for your support of this important redevelopment project for Lackawanna and Erie County.

UNILAND PURCHASES SECOND RENAISSANCE COMMERCE PARK PARCEL IN LACKAWANNA.

There’s more great economic development news in the City of Lackawanna!

Uniland Development Company, one of the region’s premier developers, has purchased a second land parcel in Renaissance Commerce Park (former steel plant site) from Erie County & the ECIDA (through the Buffalo & Erie County Industrial Land Corporation (ILDC)) on which they plan to build a second manufacturing/distribution facility for a tenant to be named.

This second building will consist of 170,000 sq. feet of space and be adjacent to a similar-use 150,000 sq. foot facility Uniland currently has under construction in the commerce park, also for a tenant to be named, which is targeted for completion this summer.

“Uniland’s second large investment in Renaissance Commerce Park is a tremendous vote of confidence in the collective progress we’re making to bring new, sustainable economic activity and employment opportunities to Lackawanna and Erie County,” said Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo.

There is strong and growing demand for manufacturing/warehouse space and Renaissance Commerce Park in Lackawanna is emerging as one of the area’s premier light industrial commerce parks.

Click the icon below to read the full press release on the ECIDA website.

October 29, 2021 was a day of celebration at Renaissance Commerce Park (the former Bethlehem Steel site) in Lackawanna!

During an afternoon event, leaders from New York State and Erie County governments, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, the City of Lackawannna and other development partners celebrated the groundbreaking for Uniland Development Company’s new $14.5 million 150,000 sq. ft. distribution and advanced manufacturing facility.

Erie County and the ECIDA also announced the acquisition of an additional 80 acres of land on the south side of the new Dona Street extension that will expand the Renaissance Commerce Park footprint. Also announced was the final design for a bike path expansion through the site to Woodlawn Beach.

Lackawanna is proud to be working alongside our partners at all government levels to restore economic and community vibrancy to this historic industrial site. We offer our congratulations to all for the milestones celebrated today and look forward to continuing our work together to make Renaissance Commerce Park a premier commerce destination.

Lackawanna Awarded $300,000 EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grant  Funding supports ongoing efforts to redevelop brownfield land from the city’s storied industrial past  

Lackawanna, N.Y. – The City of Lackawanna has been awarded a $300,000 Brownfield Assessment  and Cleanup Grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Lackawanna was among  eight municipalities in New York State to receive this EPA grant.  

“The City of Lackawanna is proud to be among the recipients of a 2021 US EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grant, continuing our city’s long and productive working partnership with the EPA,” said  Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo. “This funding provides additional valuable resources in support of our  ongoing efforts to redevelop brownfield land associated with our city’s storied industrial past, which is a vital  component of our larger strategic plan for attracting new private development investments, more jobs and  broader financial and community benefits to Lackawanna.” 

Grants awarded by EPA’s Brownfields Program provide communities across the country with an  opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve  broader economic development outcomes while taking advantage of existing infrastructure. This new  funding from the EPA will be used by Lackawanna to perform up to 25 site assessments on former  industrial and other lands within the city limits, particularly those in the city’s First Ward along the  eastern end of Route 5 and along Ridge Road; all approximately a mile from the former Bethlehem  Steel complex, where the city continues to be an active partner with New York State and Erie County  governments to remediate and redevelop over 150 acres on the former steel plant site.  

“The end of heavy industry in Lackawanna left both a legacy of world-class multi-modal transportation  infrastructure and thousands of acres of environmentally impacted property,” said Lackawanna Director of  Development Richard Stanton. “The resources brought by this grant award, and our strong working  relationships with the US EPA and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will help  us pinpoint environmental issues on these former industrial sites and strategically reconnect them with  the legacy infrastructure – leveraging New York State’s as-of-right Brownfield Tax Credits – in an  economically and environmentally sustainable manner for decades to come.”  

The City of Lackawanna’s site assessment work related to this grant is scheduled to begin later this  year and continue into 2022.  

For full news release click link below:

News Release – Lackawanna Receives $300K EPA Assessment and Cleanup Grant 51221

Buffalo Felt Products Targets Future Growth at Lackawanna Industrial Center Complex on Abbott Road

The LA Industrial Center located at 1971 Abbott Road in Lackawanna’s Fourth Ward is home to six business tenants within the 90,000 square foot complex, which is situated on nearly 20 acres behind the Matthew Glab Post adjacent to the NYS Thruway.

Buffalo Felt Products, a leading fabricator of felt parts, saddle pads, and other die cut parts sold to industry, owns the Abbott Road complex and is its primary tenant. The company purchased the complex in 2015 and has since made numerous improvements. Among the other five tenants operating on the site is Nu-Source, a highly rated Amazon supply chain partner owned by Buffalo Felt.

Based on the industrial center’s excellent layout, superior logistics and Lackawanna’s favorable business environment, Buffalo Felt plans to consolidate another existing operation in West Seneca into the Lackawanna facility within the next two years, bringing the company’s full 30-person operation together under one roof.

Copy/paste this video link to your web browser https://youtu.be/y-vwSx2YAQ4 or click the image below to hear Buffalo Felt executive Greg Cavanaugh talk about the company and their growth plans in Lackawanna.

Thanks Buffalo Felt for investing in Lackawanna and being a valued, growing member of our business community!

Empire State Development (ESD) has announced the more than $3 million “Raising the NYS Bar” Restaurant Recovery Fund to assist restaurants in New York State during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Raising the NYS Bar” grant funding can be used for COVID-19-related improvements and equipment that will allow the business to comply with social distancing guidelines, expand take-out/delivery operations, or accommodate outdoor dining such as Plexiglas barriers/partitions, signage promoting social distancing and hygiene protocols, heaters, heat lamps, weatherization upgrades and insulated delivery bags; improvements that will allow the business to continue operating through the winter months such as filtration system upgrades and food heaters to maintain temperature for to-go orders and purchasing PPE and sanitation supplies necessitated by the pandemic; and COVID-19 related business improvements like patio heaters or contactless technology.

Qualifying purchases and expenditures must be from September 1, 2020 onwards to be eligible. Initial round of grants are up to $5,000. The application window for the “Raising the NYS Bar” Restaurant Recovery Fund opened on Monday, January 11. More information can be found on the Empire State Development website at https://esd.ny.gov/raising-bar-restaurant-recovery-fund.

A copy of the “Raising the NYS Bar” Restaurant Recovery Fund press release with a link to the program information was mailed to Lackawanna restaurants this week. All questions pertaining to this program should be directed to the NYS contacts listed in the press release link.

The Christmas Shoppe – A Holiday Shopping Destination in Lackawanna for 20 Years

The City of Lackawanna is proud to have one of the most desired Christmas stores in all of New York State call our city ‘home.’ The Christmas Shoppe, located at 880 Ridge Road, has been a destination for generations of holiday shoppers for 20 years.

Owned and operated by the Woyshner family, the Christmas Shoppe carries a wide assortment of ornaments to help complete any household decoration plan or personal collection.

Below is a short video introduction from owner/operator Pat Woyshner, along with several pictures of the Christmas Shoppe selection – which represents just a small sample of the vast inventory on hand.

The Christmas Shoppe is located only a minute away from another family-run business, Woyshner’s Flower Shop at 910 Ridge Road, which has been a leading provider of floral arrangements based in Lackawanna for 60 years.

Among her many accomplishments as a florist, Pat Woyshner had the honor of serving 16 years among a select group of volunteers tasked with decorating the White House for Christmas – a period covering the presidential administrations of Ronald Regan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton!

The Christmas Shoppe is open 7 days a week through Christmas from 10am-5pm. Stop in to view their great selection of ornaments or visit them online at https://woyshnerschristmas.com/.

Thank you Pat Woyshner and the entire Woyshner family for being long-time valued members of the Lackawanna business community!

Pat Woyshner video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwpeCxnpZPo

Lackawanna Approves New Redevelopment at Former Bethlehem Steel Site

The City of Lackawanna has approved a site plan and special use permit application submitted by Sucro Can Sourcing, LLC (Sucro Sourcing) to redevelop an abandoned industrial building located within the former Bethlehem Steel complex into a permanent warehouse facility for cold storage of imported raw granular sugar.

Sucro Sourcing will invest approximately $1 million to transform the former Blowing Engine House No.3 into a permanent bulk sugar warehousing operation. The new facility, which is targeted for completion by early 2021, would significantly increase Sucro Sourcing’s onsite warehousing capacity. The company opened a temporary storage facility in Lackawanna’s Gateway Metroport this past April.

The new permanent warehouse facility is located within an adjacent 12 acre parcel Sucro Sourcing has under contract to purchase on the former steel plant complex, which is being remediated under New York State Department of Environmental Conservation oversight through the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program. Other development by Sucro Sourcing on the 12 acre parcel is possible in the coming years based on market conditions.

“Sucro Sourcing’s decision to invest in a new permanent warehouse operation here in Lackawanna reflects the growing value new businesses are seeing in our city and the tremendous development potential we have to offer,” said Mayor Annette Iafallo. “It’s also a testament to the strong partnership efforts between New York State, Erie County and the City of Lackawanna to restore the former steel plant complex land to productive re-use.’

A first cargo freighter of raw granular sugar destined for the new warehouse facility arrived at the Lackawanna Gateway Metroport on Monday, November 23, 2020. The Gateway Metroport complex offers a highly accessible in-land deep water port to help companies with international supply chains avoid the extensive delays often encountered at other ports when unloading foreign freight. U.S. Customs operations are set up on-site in the Free Trade Zone to process cargo.

Together with the substantial truck and rail assets of the adjoining former steel plant property, The Gateway Metroport property provides a unique and convenient break-bulk location for subsequent shipment by via nearby rail and Thruway lines to end-user destinations in Canada, the U.S. east coast, and U.S. central states.

“Since we started the Lackawanna operation in January 2020 our experience has been extremely positive; we’ve had tremendous support from all local agencies and officials, as well as various trade partners”, said Jonathan Taylor, CEO and Founder of Sucro Sourcing. “We’re very excited about this new growth opportunity and our future in Lackawanna.”

Sucro Sourcing is a rapidly growing and dynamic sugar trade partner for sugar mills, processors, distributors, and industrial customers – and a 100% cane sweetener supplier. The company is based in Coral Gables, Florida with additional operations in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and multiple locations throughout South America. Sucro also operates a sugar refinery in Hamilton, Ontario. The Lackawanna operation just recently opened a new liquid sugar processing facility, and is already a major supplier to several leading global multinational food companies.

LACKAWANNA AND GOBIKE BUFFALO INTRODUCE THE RIDGE ROAD PROTECTED BIKE PATH PROJECT

At a press conference this morning held on Ridge Road in the First Ward at the former Friendship House site, Mayor Annette Iafallo and Justin Booth, Executive Director of GObike Buffalo officially announced the launch of the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path Project. Construction began on Monday, August 31.

This partnership project between Lackawanna and GObike Buffalo will produce the region’s first on-street protected bike lane – creating 1.4 miles of temporary bike lane along Ridge Road starting at Route 5, heading east to Electric Avenue and then north onto Nason Parkway.

Earlier this year the speed limit on Nason Parkway was reduced and the road re-designated as one-way in anticipation of this bike lane project and the grant-funded community parkway which is being constructed adjacent to the old City Hall building to provide a safer and more convenient connection between Lackawanna and the over 120,000 annual visitors to Botanical Gardens and South Park.

Through the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path project, bicyclists in Lackawanna and neighboring communities can experience and provide feedback on the temporary bike path design which will provide access to the Outer Harbor, Canalside and the proposed extension of the Shoreline Bike Trail to Woodlawn Beach through the redeveloped former Bethlehem Steel site.

The protected bike lane will also provide greater connection for the larger bicycling community to Lackawanna’s restaurants and shops.

As a temporary design project, the City of Lackawanna is able to test out the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path design before any decisions are made on a permanent bike path at a fraction of the cost. The project will also allow residents, business owners, and visitors to participate in the design process by touching and feeling the temporary protected bike lane to understand the pros and cons of a permanent installation.

Design concepts and information for the project can be
found at https://gobikebuffalo.org/…/ridge-road-pop-up-protected-bik… .
This site also includes a survey for providing direct feedback about the plan design once construction is completed.

Joining Mayor Iafallo and Mr. Booth at the press conference were Lackawanna City Council President Frederic Marrano, City Council members John Ingram (First Ward) and Dean Moretti (Third Ward) along with Lackawanna Director of Development Richard Stanton and DPW Commissioner Anthony DeSantis – who were recognized by Mayor Iafallo during the press conference for the great work they and their teams have done to make this GObike partnership possible.

A picture of the project design is below.

A Facebook Live presentation was attempted however audio challenges were experienced during the recording and the recording was removed from this site. We apologize.

News coverage of the event was very strong … with Channels 2, 4, 7, Spectrum News and WBEN Radio attending. Anyone interested in the event should be able to find on-air and/or online coverage on these stations.

Last week was a busy and exciting one for Lackawanna development.

There was the TMP Technologies ‘beam topping’ ceremony at the former Bethlehem Steel site – if you haven’t already, check out our August 12 post on this page which provides event highlights.

In addition, early milestones were reached on a few other exciting development initiatives:

PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF 539 RIDGE ROAD

The City is considering making available for mixed use redevelopment (combination residential & commercial), the 1.25 acre parcel at 539 Ridge Road in the Second Ward, which many residents will recall as the former St. Barbara’s R.C. Church site.

The first picture below is an aerial view of the parcel, which is bound by Center Street and Caldwell Place, and directly across from Memorial Field, the Lackawanna Public Library and land between those venues targeted for redevelopment as modern recreational/community space hopefully next year, circumstances permitting.

Proposals from qualified developers for 539 Ridge Road are being accepted through September 11. More will be shared as the evaluation process moves forward.

PUBLIC COMMENTS SOUGHT FOR BROWNFIELD CLEANUP APPLICATION – 100 DONA STREET

We’re also looking to restore 100 Dona St. in the First Ward to productive economic use. This parcel is represented in the second picture below.

This site housed the former Lincoln Annex School for many years before the school closed. The former school building was then sold to Friendship House of WNY in the late 1980’s and subsequently demolished in 2018.

As part of this redevelopment plan for 100 Dona St., Lackawanna has submitted a Brownfield Cleanup Application to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

The public comment period is now open and all are welcome to provide comments on the brownfield application. More information is on the City of Lackawanna website: http://lackawannany.gov/#f6738c65156124b67

These are just a few of the projects under consideration. With our new unified City tax structure now in place, developers and businesses are very interested in learning about what Lackawanna has to offer.

CLERK DEPASQUALE OFFERS VIEWS ON NEW CITY TAX RATE AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Lackawanna City Clerk Jeff DePasquale, a lifelong City resident and former Fourth Ward Councilman, recently shared his thoughts on the importance of the new unified City tax rate in creating a stronger development and economic future for Lackawanna. You can hear Jeff’s video message by clicking this link or copying and pasting to your browser https://youtu.be/FyzQOv2NwH4

More development news will be shared in the weeks ahead.

What Is Going On In The Parking Lot Near City Hall?

 

This past Friday, we received several inquiries regarding fencing erected in the municipal parking lot near City Hall and wanted to provide an update.

As part of a NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant, a ‘Pocket Park’ is being constructed behind the original City Hall. This development project will involve beautifying and expanding an existing walkway area for the purposes of providing Lackawanna residents with a modern community space AND better connecting users of Olmstead-designed South Park and the nearly 30,000 annual visitors to Botanical Gardens with Lackawanna’s restaurants/stores on Ridge Road.

Above are pictures of how the walkway behind original City Hall looks today and below are renderings of the future Pocket Park.

Construction of the park is a work in progress and we’ll provide periodic updates as appropriate. In the meantime, please plan parking needs accordingly if visiting City Hall or a nearby business.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and cooperation during construction.

Lackawanna Officials Participate in TMP Construction Milestone at Former Bethlehem Steel Site

Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo and Director of Development Richard Stanton joined other government leaders from New York State, Erie County and the Erie County Industrial Development Agency in celebrating a ‘topping off’ of the steel frame structure for TMP Technologies new 290,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Lackawanna, which is being built in the 150-acre commerce park redevelopment on the former Bethlehem Steel site owned by the Buffalo and Erie County Industrial Land Development Corporation and County of Erie.

TMP, the maker of Magic Eraser cleaning products for a Fortune 100 company, has outgrown its current City of Buffalo facility and will be relocating more than 120 new and retained full-time workers to their new Lackawanna facility upon completion of this $22 million dollar project. TMP becomes the first tenant of the new commerce park site, which is located off the Dona Street extension along Route 5.

The City of Lackawanna played a critical role with Erie County and the ECIDA in helping TMP acquire the land on which their new site is being built – which involved buying and transferring ownership from multiple entities and navigating various environmental and permitting steps. The quality of Lackawanna’s partnership in this development effort was recognized often during today’s ceremony.

You can read about and listen to the event press conference as recorded by WBEN radio by clicking here: https://wben.radio.com/…/construction-milestone-on-former-b…

Pictured below is a ceremonial signing of the ‘top off’ beam by Mayor Iafallo, Development Director Stanton, Deputy Erie County Executive Maria Whyte, TMP President Bob Laughlin, ECIDA President and CEO John Cappellino, and Kulbach Construction President Tom Barrett, among others.

For those interested, a video recording of the ‘top off’ beam being hoisted and installed to the TMP facility frame can be viewed by clicking this link or copying and pasting it to your browser https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YifAFaEeh0&feature=share

NOTE: The video is over 7 minutes long as the process was done very carefully in accordance with construction safety protocols.

We congratulate TMP on this momentous occasion and look forward to having them as part of the Lackawanna business community for years to come!

Development News: Hazmat Environmental Expands Commerce Drive Facility; Mulberry Italian Restaurant Co-owner Sees Bright Development Future Ahead

HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP recently completed an expansion of its Lackawanna facility with the addition of a new driver training center built by Concept Construction Corp.

Hazmat Environmental, located at 60 Commerce Drive in Lackawanna’s First Ward, is a transporter of chemical products and by-products nationwide. As the company continues its growth plans, this newly constructed space will be used to conduct new hire orientation and various company training programs.

Thanks to the Hazmat Environmental team for expanding their investment in Lackawanna. We wish you continued success!

MULBERRY ITALIAN RESTAURANT co-owner and former Lackawanna Councilman Joe Jerge recently offered his thoughts on the bright economic development future ahead for Lackawanna with our new unified City tax rate of $17.15, which takes effect on August 1.

This new City tax structure was implemented by Mayor Iafallo, with approval from the City Council, in an effort to attract significant new business and development investments to Lackawanna, while helping to retain and grow those businesses already operating here.

You can listen to Joe’s message by clicking on the video below or copying/pasting this link to your web browser. https://youtu.be/skQnRUI940U.

Thanks to Joe and the Mulberry team for being valued leaders of Lackawanna’s business community!

Public Notice  of Right to Comment on Public Infrastructure Plan, and Master Plan for a Portion of the Former Bethlehem Steel Site

The Erie County Industrial Land Development Corp., has accepted a Draft Master Plan for the proposed public infrastructure on about 240 Acres of the former Bethlehem Steel Site, and the potential redevelopment of the site.  The Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement, which reviews the proposed public infrastructure plan is available on their website at:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tuc32mt0eph1d5j/AAAx8AXv9rJM7nrIuZFBNwOma?dl=0

Due to health concerns with public assembly, and restrictions currently in place, both due to the Covid-19 health crisis, the public hearing to be held on June 29th, 2020 at 6pm will be virtual; however, your comments are welcome. Instructions on how your comments may be submitted, and  heard, are on the attached Notice of Public Hearing:

Notice of Public Hearing