CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, IRVING, N.Y. – The Seneca Nation is returning more than 200 acres of its ancestral homelands to Nation ownership, thanks to a donation agreement with a local developer.

William and Michael Huntress, owners of Acquest Development, are transferring title to 207 acres of land in the Town of Grand Island to the Nation for $1. The transaction was recently approved by the Seneca Nation Council.

“We have lost tens of thousands of acres of our homeland throughout history, so any time we are able to return any portion of our homelands to Seneca Nation ownership for the ultimate benefit of our people, it is an important step forward,” said Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca. “On behalf of the Seneca Nation and all Seneca people, I want to thank Bill and Michael Huntress for generously helping us create a path for new growth for our Nation.”

“We are happy to have donated this land to the Seneca Nation, the rightful owners of Grand Island,” said Michael Huntress. “We believe it is the right thing to do.”

The 207-acre site is located west of I-190 between Long Rd. and Bedell Rd. The land currently has multiple zoning designations, with the eastern 141 acres closest to I-190 currently zoned for industrial uses and the western 66 acres currently zoned for residential. “We don’t have any definite plans for the land yet, but a site of this size and in this location creates a number of potential economic development opportunities,” President Seneca said. “As we continue to try to grow and strengthen our economy and provide for the quality-of-life needs for our people, land is a vital asset. We’ll take a strategic look at how we can put this newly reclaimed site to the best use in meeting the long-term needs of our Nation.”  

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