Lackawanna, NY With construction nearing completion on the first of two planned 150,000 s/f industrial spec buildings at Renaissance Commerce Park, Uniland has signed a lease with Total Quality Assurance International (TQAI) who will occupy 81,000 s/f at the first building at 8 Dona St.. Headquartered in Flushing, Michigan, TQAI specializes in engineering, logistics, warehousing, quality control, quality inspection services, packaging and rework. TQAI established its Buffalo operations in 2011 and currently employs 45 people.
“The new location gives us more space to continue to grow in Buffalo,” said Joe Wolkiewicz, chief operating officer for Total Quality Assurance. “In addition to the benefits of a completely new building, we felt that the location in Renaissance Commerce Park provides our business with a strategic location that is centrally placed and convenient for our clients in a growing industrial hub.”
TQAI occupies 53,000 s/f of industrial and office space at 375 Commerce Dr., owned by Uniland. A Uniland tenant since 2011, TQAI will look to take occupancy of its new location. Lease terms were not disclosed.
The 230-acre Renaissance Commerce Park has undergone a significant industrial transformation in recent years. The Erie County Industrial Development Agency [ECIDA] is developing the site through its land development arm, the Industrial Land Development Corp. [ILDC]. The redevelopment of the park has involved a complete remediation under the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Brownfield Cleanup Program, expanding water and sewer extensions and public roads onto the site, the relocation of rail lines, and the enhancement of the multi-use Shoreline Trail bike pathway along Rte. 5 to expand access and usability at the site.
“Congratulations to Uniland for becoming the first to build spec, light industrial/warehouse distribution space at Renaissance Commerce Park, and we offer an enthusiastic welcome to new tenant Total Quality Assurance International,” said ECIDA/ILDC president and CEO John Cappellino. “More than a third of the original acreage purchased for RCP is now built-out or under pre-construction, and we continue to field great interest in the available parcels. A big reason for that is our partnership with Michael Montante and Uniland Development who bought into the redevelopment vision for the site from early on”.
After breaking ground in October 2021, Uniland began construction at 8 Dona St. on the single-story industrial building which features 36-ft. clear height and column spacing. The location is intended to serve as a hub for manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and trucking operations. The 150,000 s/f spec building is scheduled to be completed soon. Uniland has also scheduled a second 150,000 s/f spec building, adjacent to 8 Dona, is scheduled to begin construction later this year and will open in 2023. Both industrial facilities include options for customized interior buildouts for first-generation tenants.
“On behalf of the City of Lackawanna, I offer a warm welcome to Total Quality Assurance International, LLC as the newest valued member of our growing business community,’ said mayor Annette Iafallo. “We also extend congratulations to Uniland Development for achieving this significant milestone in their multi-million-dollar investment in Lackawanna at Renaissance Commerce Park.”
“Anytime you see a local company expanding, it just feels good,” said Michael Montante, CEO for Uniland. “A lot of praise is owed to New York State, the City of Lackawanna, the ECIDA, ILDC and specifically the vision of Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz. With Renaissance Commerce Park, they have created a place where businesses want to locate and grow.”
“Since day one of my administration we have been focused on making smart investments in Erie County. Our work transforming the former Bethlehem Steel site into Renaissance Commerce Park is a testament to that focus. I am pleased to welcome Total Quality Assurance International as Uniland’s first tenant at their Renaissance Commerce Park footprint. The continued revitalization of a former industrial wasteland into a twenty-first century commerce park shows that Erie County can compete with any region. I commend TQAI for expanding their operations here in Western New York, and thank our partners at Uniland, the ECIDA and ILDC, the City of Lackawanna, and those in state government for their diligent work moving this project forward,” Poloncarz.
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