To date, this project is probably our biggest success story. Located adjacent to the Erie Canal in Canastota, NY, the site at 120 Barlow Street is rich in manufacturing history. Lumber, glass, farm wagons, military supplies, buses, and motor homes were all manufactured here for over a century. By the early 1990’s, the facility was operating as a recycling plant. In 1994, a massive fire erupted which burned the entire 220,000 sq. foot  facility to the ground. All that was left was a steel skeleton and small outbuilding. For the past two decades, the property has remained blighted, jobless, and plagued with legacy environmental issues.

Over the years, several companies expressed interest in rebuilding at the site, however, in each instance environmental liability was a deal killer. Bowers Development was made aware of the property through the Madison County IDA, who felt our skill set and background in environmental consulting was needed to make this property viable for redevelopment again.

After gaining site control, we aggressively marketed various parties in order to secure a commitment for redeveloping the site. Dutchland Plastics, a plastics manufacturer headquartered in Wisconsin, emerged as our tenant. Dutchland Plastics moved into the new building in August 2018 and will be actively manufacturing plastics products for the next 10 years at Barlow Street.

One of the core goals of the City of Canastota is to revitalize the local community and to undertake initiatives to attract residents and businesses to live, work and play in the area. The new building location is walking distance from a bus route and offers an opportunity for employees to work without having to own a car. The project will also be a catalyst for revitalization in the entire neighborhood.