The Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation (SBIDC) and the East Williamsburg Valley Industrial Development Corporation (EWVIDCO) teamed up to host an evening of networking and a tour of Bush Terminal at Industry City.
About 50 prospective tenants had their questions answered about what it would be like to set up shop in Industry City, which now has retail space available on the first floor of the building. Space is currently open for manufacturers to move in, with sites as small as 300 square feet or as big as 200,000 square feet.
Yehudah Greenberg, who handles leasing for Industry City, led one of the tours of the new retail space. Blue Marble Ice Cream and Colson Patisserie have already set up shop there. They manufacture and sell goods out of the same space, during the day.
“Two months ago, this was totally empty,” he said, adding that a sculpture garden is going to be installed in between the buildings by sometime in the spring. “It will bring [more foot] traffic. People will be able to sit, get a cup of coffee or a beer, and relax.”
Tenants of Industry City talked about their experiences working out of the decades-old complex.
“Being able to talk with their staff and getting help is invaluable,” said Peter Simon, co-founder of Industry City Distillery, which produces vodka. “We just took a second space next door. Industry City has been very helpful with us surviving and getting us help in the first place.”
Alexis Miesen, co-founder of Blue Marble Ice Cream, agreed. Although the company was born in 2007, she started manufacturing just last year as the first and only certified organic ice cream in New York City.
“We really feel at home here,” she said. “It’s a place that can grow with you. When business thrives, we all thrive.”