Gilbane Building Company Announces Completion of Phase II of Northland Central
Phase II Creates A New Home for Buffalo Manufacturing Works to Expand Collaboration Between Buffalo’s Manufacturing Firms
Project Exceeds Minority/Women Owned Business Utilization Goals
Buffalo, New York – January 9, 2020—Gilbane Building Company announced the completion of Phase II of the Northland Central at 683 Northland Avenue in Buffalo, New York. The second phase of construction creates a new home for Buffalo Manufacturing Works, providing 50,000 square feet of a state-of-the-art facility that is twice the size of the organization’s previous space. The organization will continue to work with local companies to help facilitate better internal manufacturing, engineering, and research and development teams.
“The completion of Phase II of Northland Central is yet another step forward in the continued economic development of Western New York,” said John Cleary, Senior Project Executive, Gilbane Building Company. “This project, which will help advance Buffalo’s manufacturing capability, is particularly exciting because of the involvement of the local workforce and the training programs that helped workers develop the skills they need to succeed in the construction industry.”
Gilbane’s extensive local outreach efforts ensured that the team exceeded minority women owned business participation. A very strong minority partner who assisted with the outreach and project construction was the 34 Group, run by Patti and Thurman Thomas. Gilbane and the 34 Group have worked together on several projects around the state since establishing a mentor protégé agreement in 2016. Additionally, a major focus of the team was the local participation of the workforce. Approximately 900 local workers were hired on the project, including over 30% minority and women owned businesses.
“Gilbane and the 34 Group have been fantastic partners on the Northland projects,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown, Chairman of the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC). “They worked with BUDC from the beginning to ensure that this project was not only about renovating an abandoned building but was about transforming a community.”
Buffalo Manufacturing Works is a space for manufacturers all over the country to learn from leading professionals and take their businesses to the next level, learning how to implement new technologies, improve productivity, and find new ways for their companies to grow. The project will help boost the local economy, and the utilization of local labor on the project’s construction is just the first step in that process.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide.
Since1949, Gilbane has been delivering construction services in New York State for clients across various market sectors including commercial office, multi-unit and high rise residential, cultural, education, healthcare, public sector, mission critical and science and technology. For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com.