Historic Tax Credits
$18.2 Million Federal
$5 Million State
New Markets Tax Credits
$5 Million
Total Project Cost
$110 Million
Project Partner
Buffalo Urban Development Corporation
Impact
Workforce Development
History
Niagara Machine and Tool Works
The Project was originally home to Niagara Machine and Tool Works (NM&TW) that built stamping presses and press brakes for sheet metal. Its equipment was shipped to automobile and appliance manufacturers worldwide. NM&TW’s facility consists of three distinct contributing buildings related to specific functions of the manufacturing facility and the factory evolution: the Headquarters and Main Factory, built in multiple building campaigns from 1910-1981, the Pattern Shop, built in 1913, and the Metal Fabricating Plant, built in 1953. The Headquarters, the Main Factory, and the Pattern shop are what makeup Northland Central. The multiple building campaigns consist of a continuous series of irregular masses and volumes that were added as capacity, technology, and manufacturing needs were required. Depending on the time construction took place, the spaces vary in style and design from utilitarian industrial, ceremonial, and purely utilitarian. NM&TW was sold to a London-based international manufacturing company in 1992 and most of the company’s manufacturing activities ceased around 1999 and the buildings remained vacant.
Revitalization Efforts
Supporting the Local Economy
The 683 Northland development transformed the historic Niagara Machine and Tool Works complex through major stabilization, remediation, and redevelopment efforts. Anchored by the Northland Workforce Training Center, part of New York’s $1 billion “Buffalo Billion” initiative, the project serves as the centerpiece of revitalization in Buffalo’s 35‑acre Northland Corridor. This investment responds to a growing need in the region’s manufacturing sector, which employs over 66,000 people but faces more than 20,000 projected job vacancies over the next decade. The rehabilitated 240,000‑square‑foot facility now provides essential space for training a skilled workforce and supporting innovation-driven manufacturing and energy businesses.
Community Impact
Providing a Path Forward
683 Northland houses two co-located training facilities: The Workforce Training Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Electric Utilities and the Utility of the Future & Clean Energy Training Center, to increase the number and quality of local candidates prepared for energy and advanced manufacturing careers. Northland provides for-credit, certificate, and degree programs as core offerings through its educational partners, SUNY Alfred State College and SUNY Erie Community College, incorporating evidence-based placement strategies, such as co-ops, apprenticeships and internships, and an emphasis on permanent employment.
Northland Workforce Training Center (“WTC”) is uniquely designed to reduce all the major barriers that prohibit students from enrolling and completing post-secondary education such as transportation, childcare, academic readiness, and affordability. Northland Workforce Training Center is committed to providing for-credit education at little to no cost to all individuals with financial needs and supporting students throughout the process by providing intensive wraparound and supportive services.
The WTC hosts roughly 300 annual participants, of which at least 90% are low-income people or residents of the surrounding low-income community. At the WTC, students train for entry-level operator jobs in
machinery, welding, and other positions. Program managers help graduating students secure unionized positions at the local electric utility and other manufacturing companies. The WTC targets high school graduates, current workers who seek to improve their skills, and members of high-distress communities. It also works in partnership with local community and faith-based organizations and public agencies to coordinate wrap-around services, such as GED-support, transportation assistance, child-care assistance, and other soft skills for participants in the training program.
Buffalo Manufacturing Works (“BMW”), one of the building tenants, partners with at least 100 businesses annually. These partnerships allow businesses working with BMW to deliver better products, grow, and better compete. The project created and retained 191 quality jobs paying the City of Buffalo’s Living wage with benefits at financial closing.
Buffalo Urban Development Corporation, the project sponsor, pledged to recruit up to 20 individuals into the Buffalo Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program for the City of Buffalo. The pre-apprentices are provided paid instruction in a trade of their selection and a direct entry into selected trade upon completing the program.
300
Annual Participants
90%
Low Income Individuals
100
Business Partnerships Annually
191
Quality Jobs Created Annually
20
Individuals in Buffalo Apprenticeship
NTCIC & Progress
Economic Impact
The Northland Workforce Training Center was made possible, in part, by NTCIC through an equity investment in the $18.2 million in federal Historic Tax Credits (HTC) and $5 million in state Historic Tax Credits (HTC) generated by the project as well as a $5 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation.
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