Who Profits?
The Montante Family
The Montante family own Uniland Development, the largest commercial real estate development company in Western NY. They make $1.95 million a year in rent from ICE, plus another $0.56 million a year from Customs and Border Protection. With a total profit of $2.5 million a year, the Montante family is the largest local profiteer from immigration enforcement in the region.
Carl J. Montante
Executive Chairman, Uniland
Michael J. Montante
CEO, Uniland
Laura A. Zaepfel
VP Corporate Relations, Uniland
Carl J. Montante Jr.
VP Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, Uniland
They took a tax break, claiming the building would “benefit the community”.
250 Delaware was built with $9.6 million in public tax breaks the Erie County Industrial Development Agency approved in 2013, over public opposition, to “benefit the community.”
On top of this, the building collects a property-tax abatement through its IDA PILOT deal. Under the agreement, Uniland paid just 10% of its property tax for the first three years, 20% for the next three, and now pays 30%. State-reported figures put the total saving from 2017 to 2024 at $4.17 million.
Network of Influence
In 2025, Buffalo Business First ranked Michael Montante No. 27 and Carl Sr. No. 139 among the most powerful people in Western New York. That power is built deliberately: they fund politicians, buy seats in the business groups that shape development policy, and earn tax breaks through philanthropy. Every donation, board seat, and charitable gift is another lever of influence. Map their network of deals, donations, and favors, and we can start to hold them accountable.
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Who Pulls the Strings
The Jacobs family donated $65,000 to Trump's transition, paid Governor Hochul's husband hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and have said nothing about what happens in the building that bears their name.
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