industry · Erie County
Pratt & Lambert — Scajaquada Creek Plants
Buffalo
Paint, solvent and lacquer manufacturing at 75 Tonawanda Street and 1451 West Avenue provides a two-property field stop along Scajaquada Creek. Records identify spills and potential creek impacts; they do not assign particular creek sediment contamination to these plants.
The documented story
What happened here?
The 1988 facility report describes paint and resin production at 75 Tonawanda Street, with equipment cleaning and discarded products generating solvent and paint wastes.
The 2021 creek work plan identifies more than 100 historical petroleum and chemical tanks at 75 Tonawanda Street. It separately describes lacquer production and above- and below-ground solvent and petroleum storage at 1451 West Avenue.
Chronology in context
Turning points in the public record
1901
The 1988 facility report dates the beginning of operations at 75 Tonawanda Street to January 1901.
1988
A facility assessment documents paint, resin and cleaning waste streams.
2021
The Scajaquada work plan includes both former Pratt & Lambert properties in its review of possible industrial sources.
Chemical guide
Chemicals named in this record
These links explain potential hazards and exposure pathways. A chemical named in a record does not establish that anyone was exposed or harmed.
Environmental record
Documented impacts
- The 2021 work plan records spills and soil cleanups at both addresses and identifies the West Avenue operation as a potential creek-impact source. Potential contribution is not a demonstrated assignment of individual sediment contaminants.
- Separate off-site evidence: EPA's 2000 Newstead report describes excavated paint/solvent containers bearing Pratt & Lambert labels at 8471 Fletcher Road. It reports earlier soil findings including lead and chromium and shallow-groundwater metals and volatile organics. Those findings belong to Newstead, not these creekside properties, and do not identify the source of every detected compound.
Response
Cleanup and controls
- The creek work plan characterizes soil cleanup at 75 Tonawanda as limited. That historical description does not establish a current sitewide cleanup status for either property.
Then and now
The site today
Field stop: use 75 Tonawanda Street as the first navigation address, then orient toward 1451 West Avenue. Observe only from lawful public streets or paths; confirm access on arrival.
Photograph industrial edges, creek banks, bridges and visible drainage structures from public viewpoints. Record location and viewing direction. A visible pipe or stain alone does not establish a historic discharge or its source.
Atlas connections
Connected places
These collections explain documented material, facility, waterway, ownership, or cleanup relationships. Inclusion does not imply that every place shares one contaminant source or plume.
Pratt & Lambert and Scajaquada Creek
The plants are documented potential sources in a creek with multiple industrial histories; proximity alone does not establish responsibility for sediment contamination.
Research status
Open questions
- The map uses DEC's 915251 site point at 75 Tonawanda Street, retrieved September 25, 2026. It represents the first property, not both plant footprints or an outfall location. The 915351 work-plan archive belongs to a separate creek investigation.
- Recover parcel-level historical maps, operating dates for West Avenue, discharge records and later cleanup documents. Verify the proposed Buffalo-to-Newstead hauling history before naming a hauler, disposal period or specific originating plant.