TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Amazon logistics announced on Thursday afternoon that it plans on opening a delivery station in the Town of Tonawanda.
The delivery station will be located in the Riverview Solar Technology Park, off River Road.
The new station will allow the company to speed up deliveries for people living in Erie County, according to a news release issued by the company. That same news release states Amazon will create hundreds of part time and full time jobs.
“The Town of Tonawanda is very excited to welcome Amazon to our community and to Western New York,” stated Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger in a release issued on Thursday. “I want to acknowledge the great work and collaboration between the public and private sectors, and in particular Montante Group of Companies."
"Tom Montante, the founder and CEO of our company, had the visionary idea to start developing Riverview Solar Technology Park along the Niagara River about fifteen years ago," said Matthew Montante, Montante Group COO. "It’s been a long road to transform the 200 acres at Riverview into a sustainable business park, but we continue to build momentum and today are excited to add Amazon to our dynamic and growing group of companies, which includes FedEx Trade Networks, Sherex, Pine Pharmaceuticals and Unifrax, amongst others."
"Tom Montante, the founder and CEO of our company, had the visionary idea to start developing Riverview Solar Technology Park along the Niagara River about fifteen years ago," said Matthew Montante, Montante Group COO. "It’s been a long road to transform the 200 acres at Riverview into a sustainable business park, but we continue to build momentum and today are excited to add Amazon to our dynamic and growing group of companies, which includes FedEx Trade Networks, Sherex, Pine Pharmaceuticals and Unifrax, amongst others."
"You'll be able to raise a family on what they're going to be paying these employees, and we're not talking about one or two jobs, we're talking a hundred-plus jobs," explained Emminger.
The world's largest retailer is busy building a new 127-thousand square foot Delivery Station at Riverview Solar Technology Park, but until Thursday, unless you were on the inside, it was a secret.
"Everybody knows the Amazon deal, now that we can announce it today, as Project Bruno. And we've been working on this with Amazon and the developer, the Montante Group, for a year now I would say," added Emminger.
As far as the Town Supervisor is concerned, the door isn't closed on expansion.
"There will be land there that they can expand, and hopefully in the future, we'll maybe if it works out as well as we hope it does, they'll have more positive news coming to Tonawanda," said Emminger.
"Are they getting any tax breaks?" asked 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik.
"The good news, I guess for if you want to look at it that way, I look at it from the municipal standpoint, the good news is, I'm told that they are not looking for any tax breaks, so certainly they would be entitled to them, and we wouldn't object to them getting the tax breaks, but I've been informed that they will not be looking for any tax breaks," says Emminger.
The site is expected to open in 2020.