Oct. 6--The idle American Axle & Manufacturing plant on East Delavan Avenue in Buffalo has a new owner.

Buffalo's Ontario Specialty Contracting, Ltd. has acquired the hulking auto industry manufacturing plant for with plans to demolish the structures, remediate the site, and position it for redevelopment. Ontario Specialty closed the $1.5 million deal on Friday, buying the properties under the name East Delavan Property LLC.

American Axle closed the storied 1.2 million-square-foot plant, which employed some 2,000 workers at its peak, late last year as part of its corporate retrenchment. The East Delavan Avenue facility began life in 1923 as a Chevrolet assembly plant, switching briefly to an aircraft parts maker during World War II, before refocusing on auto equipment.

American Axle, which has owned the multiparcel site since 1994, sold off equipment and supplies from the mothballed plant in June.

Ontario Specialty, located at 333 Ganson St., has taken on several high-profile demolition and industrial remediation projects in recent years, including cleanup of the former Buffalo Gas Works site on W. Genesee Street, which has been redeveloped as the HealthNow $110 million headquarters.

The local company also played a key roles in razing DaimlerChrysler's Pillette Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ont., and removal of PCB-contaminated soil along the Hudson River tied to General Electric's Ft. Edward plant.

Ontario Specialty is also the apparent low-bidder to tear down Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, a contract that is scheduled to be awarded Tuesday.

slinstedt@buffnews.com

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