About 100 people gathered on Grand Island Friday evening to oppose a plan to build an Amazon facility off I-190 on Grand Island.
PROJECT OLIVE ISSTILL IN THE WORKSON GRAND ISLAND.THAT IS THE NAME OFTHE PLAN THATWOULD PUT ANAMAZONDISTRIBUTION CENTERIN THE MIDDLE OFTOWN.GILAT MELAMEDREPORTS ON THEPLAN'S PROGRESS --AND WHY ONE GROUPWANTS NOTHING TODO WITH IT.FROM TRAFFICCONCERNS TOENVIRONMENTALCONCERNS."IT JUST DOESN'TBELONG ON HERE."ABOUT 100 PEOPLEGATHERED ON GRANDISLAND.
TO OPPOSEA PLAN TO BUILD ANAMAZON FACILITY OFFTHE 190.THE GROUP CRED4GIHAS A PETITIONASKING THE TOWNBOARD TO OPPOSETHE PROJECT.THEY SAY 13-HUNDREDPEOPLE HAVE SIGNEDIT."WE DON'T BELIEVETHAT A MASSIVE, ONEOF THE WORLD'SLARGESTWAREHOUSES BEINGBUILT ON THIS ISLANDIS A GOOD IDEA.
WEDON'T BELIEVE THAT'SRESPONSIBLE IT DOESNOT FIT THECHARACTER OF THEISLAND WE HAVE."MANY AT THE MEETINGSAY THE SITE...REPRESENTED BY THEHEIGHT OF THISCRANE WOULD BE ANEYE SORE.THE GRAND ISLANDCONSERVATIONADVISORY BOARDAGREES WITH SOMEOF THE GROUP'SCONCERNS.
SAYINGTHE ISLAND IS ANIMPORT ECOSYSTEMIN THE GREAT LAKESWATERSHED.IT WANTS THE TOWNBOARD TO DO ANENVIRONMENTALIMPACT ASSESSMENT."THEY'RE LOOKING TOCHANGE THE COURSEOF A COUPLE OFWATERWAYS HERE, WEHAVE ENDANGEREDSPECIES HERE ON THEISLAND."SOME AT THE MEETINGSAY THE FORMERBETHLEHEM STEELSITE WOULD MAKEMORE SENSE.ERIE COUNTYEXECUTIVE MARKPOLONCARZ SAYSTHAT WAS HIS FIRSTCHOICE.
SAYING THEPROJECT IS TOO BIGTO TURN AWAY."IF WE TURN OUR BACKON THIS PROJECT IT'SBASICALLY SENDING AMESSAGE TO A LOT OFTHESE OTHER MEGAPROJECTS THAT DOEXIST OUT HERE, DON'TCOME TO ERIECOUNTY, DON'T COMETO WNY AND I DON'TTHINK THAT'S AMESSAGE WE CANSEND AT A TIME WHENTHOUSANDS OFPEOPLE HAVE LOSTTHEIR JOBS."PROJECT OLIVEWOULD BRING ATHOUSAND JOBS.85-PERCENT OFCONSTRUCTIONWORKERS MUSTCOME FROM ERIECOUNTY.IN ALL -- THE FACILITYWOULD COVER 3-POINT-8 MILLIONSQUARE FEET."WE ARE NOT AGAINSTBUSINESSES COMINGAND OPENING ONGRAND ISLAND THIS ISA MAMMOTHWAREHOUSE THATDOES NOT BELONG ONTHE ISLAND.""THE TOWN BOARD ISHOLDING A SPECIALMEETING ON AUGUST13TH TO DISCUSS THEPROJECT.
RESIDENTSCAN ATTEND INPERSON OR VIA ZOOM.ON GRAND ISLAND,GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.ALSO NEW AT 11 -- ANANNUAL OBSERVANCETURNED INTO AALSO NEW AT 11 -- ANANNUAL OBSERVANCETURNED INTOALSO NEW AT 11 -- ANANNUAL OBSERVANCETURNED INTO ACHANCE TO SERVETHE COMMUNITY.THE "MASJID NU'MAN"ISLAMIC CE
A controversial plan that would have brought an Amazon distribution center and at least 1,000 new jobs to Grand Island is now off..
As for Monday night's meeting, no decisions were made on the project. The board listened to Amazon representatives and public input..