The Erie County Industrial Development Agency Board yesterday aided a project that could set the stage for reuse of a Buffalo River site. ECIDA board members okayed $355,135 in abatements for OSC Manufacturing & Equipment Services, Inc. to support a $17.5 million project on the former American Axle plant at 1001 East Delevan Avenue.
Ontario Specialty Contracting Group, headquartered at 333 Ganson Street, provides management and equipment in the areas of Environmental Remediation, Civil Construction, Demolition/Dismantlement, Brownfield Re-development and Specialty Groundwater Treatment Systems. The Buffalo company, led by Jon Williams, will be relocating its manufacturing group to the former American Axle site, while creating a new division focusing on “green tech” equipment.
The first product in its new line will be the OSC Green Machine, a mini-excavator, powered by a lithium ion battery, rather than fossil fuels. The first-of-its kind excavater, which is noise- and emission-free, is already attracting interest from a major utility company.
OSC will spend $17.5 million to renovate and upgrade 106,000-square-feet of space on the 55-acre East Delevan Avenue site, 20,000-square-feet of which will be dedicated to the battery-fueled digger. In addition to improvements to the existing building’s roof, windows and electrical and HVAC systems, OSC will also be installing overhead cranes and central compressed air, oil and water.
In addition reactivating and improving the dormant manufacturing site, OSC will boost its manufacturing workforce from 20, up to 31, within two years. The company, which also has facilities in Toronto and Winnipeg, will retain its business offices at the current Ganson Street location.
The downtown rumor mill says the Ganson Street site property is being eyed by a team of investors for a number of uses.