The Seneca County Industrial Development Agency has announced its choice for the winning bidder to take over the former Seneca Army Depot.
He is Earl Martin, who bid $900,000 for the 7,000 acres that are being sold. The depot is a former World War II weapons storage facility, and may be best known as being home to a herd of white deer.
Martin says it’s important for him to protect the deer and he will devote at least 1,500 acres for the white deer.
“I believe the white deer are part of the history of the area and on top of that, a lot of people are going to benefit from having the white deer.”
Martin owns Seneca Iron Works, which manufactures dairy equipment for the agricultural sector, and his company plans to invest $13 million as he expands his company on that property. Officials say there is the potential to create more than 200 jobs over a 10-year period.