BUFFALO, N.Y. — There’s an excellent chance the only view you’ve ever had of the Tesla factory in South Buffalo is from the outside.
2 On Your Side has done several stories which have included ground level video of the exterior of the plant. Or perhaps you’ve seen drone video from above what Tesla refers to as Gigafactory 2.
Main entrance to Tesla Gigafactory 2 in South Buffalo.
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On Tuesday, 2 On Your Side was able to show you a glimpse inside the factory. Most of the photos below were taken inside the facility in August 2018. They show equipment for the factory. Under its agreement with the state of New York, the equipment was funded by state taxpayers.
In photos taken in August 2018, you can see tall piles of crates, some stenciled with “Fort Schuyler Management Corporation”, the state non-profit originally changed with building and equipping the Tesla factory in Buffalo.
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Stenciled on some of the crates is “Fort Schuyler Management Corporation.” That the nonprofit setup by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration to oversee the building and equipping of the huge facility. Total cost was $958,600,000. The equipment, also purchased by the state, ran just short of $300,000,000.
This photo shows both crates and uncrated equipment at the Tesla factory.
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Just last week, 2 On Your Side reported a large amount of crates, loaded pallets and unwrapped equipment had been moved to the Wheatfield Business Park (formerly the location of Bell Aerospace) near the Niagara Falls Airport.
One of the structures at the Wheatfield Business Park which is now stores some 30,000 to 60,000 sq. ft. of unused Tesla equipment.
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Some 30,000 to 60,000 square feet had been set aside at the warehouse for Tesla’s stuff. At the maximum, it means the space now occupied by the crates and pallets in Wheatfield would cover a football field, plus end zones.
Tall stacks of crated equipment at Tesla.
WGRZ
Tesla’s current landlord in South Buffalo, Empire State Development, issued a statement last week which said in part, “Tesla is moving in equipment needed for new production lines and must relocate equipment that is not being utilized at this time.”
Empire State Development released the following statement on Tuesday:
“Tesla is making significant contributions to Western New York’s economy, and its growth at RiverBend mirrors the ongoing economic renaissance in Buffalo and throughout the region. Tesla is paying for the relocation and storage of underutilized equipment as it ramps up its operations and introduces new production lines. We are seeking alternative uses for the equipment, including making it available to other high-tech businesses that are considering a move or expansion in New York, or selling to interested bidders.”
RELATED: Tesla quietly moved crates, loaded pallets out of South Buffalo factory
