TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Five years after Amazon opened its first last-mile delivery station in Western New York, the Tonawanda facility is celebrating its anniversary with a mix of art, community, and career growth.
To mark the milestone, Amazon commissioned celebrated Buffalo-based artist Vincent Alejandro to paint seven custom murals inside the station, highlighting the company’s connection to Buffalo and Western New York.
The artwork features local landmarks and cultural themes meant to inspire both employees and visitors.
For operations manager Erl Presentacion, the anniversary is personal. He joined Amazon in 2018 as a part-time associate and worked his way up to lead day-to-day operations for the Tonawanda site.
Presentacion helped launch the facility in 2020 and now oversees five Delivery Service Partners, supporting more than 200 drivers and 150 daily routes.
“It's not a one-man team, you're essentially working with others to be successful in the overall scope of the business,” Presentacion said. “So my day-to-day is making sure that the people around me are doing fine, are doing good, that everyone's OK.”
WATCH: Amazon’s Tonawanda delivery station celebrates 5 years of service in WNY
As a graduate of UB and D’Youville, Presentacion said his background in social work shapes how he leads and manages people.
“I’m part of the change in the right direction for someone’s life, and that means a lot to me,” he said.
The celebration comes just ahead of Amazon’s four-day Prime Day event (July 8–11), when demand for fast, reliable delivery ramps up across the region. But the focus at the Tonawanda site isn’t just speed, it’s sustainability and connection.
Marc Heintzman, Amazon field communications representative, said the five-year mark is significant.
“To be such a part of this Buffalo community means a lot," Heintzman said. "As Amazon grows in WNY, the stories of our employees grow with it.”
