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Fisher-Price to invest $20 million in East Aurora headquarter

Global toy giant Fisher-Price Inc. is planning a $20 million reinvestment in the place where it got its start.

The toy company, which is now owned by Mattel, will undertake a multi-year effort to upgrade its East Aurora headquarters. No new jobs will be created as a result.

The multimillion-dollar upgrade program includes a new mail-tracking system, renovation of conference rooms to accommodate state-of-the-art teleconferences, model shop enhancements, and improvements to audio recording facilities.

Fisher-Price spokeswoman Brenda Andolina said the physical and equipment updates will be made at a toy campus building that dates back to the 1950s.

"A lot has changed at Fisher- Price and in the toy industry since that building was built," Andolina said. "Toys incorporate an increasing level of technology and business practices have gotten more sophisticated. We need to reinvest and modernize to keep pace."

The so-called "Building 17" will also see physical reconfigurations better suited to support Fisher-Price’s team approach to work. There will also be improvements to space used by seasonal consumer affairs personnel and general updates to the office environment.

"[That] building housed the original Play Laboratory — a unique research concept conceived by Herman Fisher," Andolina said.

The toy company has filed an application with the Erie County Industrial Development Agency seeking $1.75 million in tax abatements for the project. Fisher-Price made use of a similar $1.4 million, ECIDA-sponsored tax break in 2003. That revenue bond helped cover a $17.5 million slate up updates which were completed over the past five years.

"The [ECIDA] has incentive programs for businesses that are meant to support the company’s long-term sustainability in the local market. Our shareholders expect us to investigate these types of incentive programs at the local, state and federal level, and we do," Andolina said.

The industrial development agency has scheduled an Oct. 17 hearing on the tax abatement application. The requested incentives would be tied to job retention, not expansion of the workforce.

Founded in East Aurora in 1930, Fisher-Price was acquired by Mattel in 1993. It currently has more than 900 employees in East Aurora.

slinstedt@buffnews.com

By Sharon Linstedt NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER