ESD and NYPA partnered with the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC), which is serving as the developer of the project, as well as the larger Northland Beltline.

In February 2016, the City of Buffalo Planning Board approved the Northland Beltline Redevelopment Project’s site plan for Phase I development, specifically including the Northland Workforce Training Center (NWTC), and made a finding under the State Environmental Quality Review Act that there will be no significant environmental impacts associated with the redevelopment of the entire 35-acre site.  Achieving this milestone allows this initial phase of the project to advance to the process of final architectural and engineering design, construction documents and cost estimates for the proposed remediation and building rehabilitation necessary to accommodate the new NWTC. 

In July 2016, Watts Architecture and Engineering was selected as architect and space programming/final design was initiated for the NWTC  In September 2016, Gilbane Construction was selected as the construction manager. 

In December 2016, after a competitive procurement process, ESD selected Economic Development Group (EDG), Inc., a nonprofit entity comprised of four lead partners—Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance (BNMA); Catholic Charities of Buffalo, Inc.; Goodwill Industries of Western New York, Inc.; and Buffalo Urban League—to be the operator and administrator of the Northland Workforce Training Center.  EDG will undertake all administrative, financial control, internship/job placement, and coordination activities necessary for the operation of the center.  

In August of 2017, ESD and EDG announced the appointment of Stephen Tucker as the President & CEO of the NWTC, and is has staffed its senior positions.  EDG is in the process of branding and recruitment/assessment of students for its inaugural class, working closely with feeder institutions, such as Burgard High School and other Buffalo Career & Technical Education (CTE) high schools, as well as various adult programs for job training.  More information about the  NWTC can be found here. 

 The center graduated its first students in August 2019.