Oh, how sweet it is, Sunset!
After calling its six-story facility in Greenwich Village home for nearly 80 years, famous sweet maker Koppers Specialty Chocolate will be making a move to Sunset Park. The company, known for its gourmet chocolate products such as its 450 plus-products, is slated to make the move to Liberty View Industrial Plaza this fall.
According to Co-President of Koppers Chocolate Jeff Alexander, the move, although difficult, is both necessary and exciting. “Over time, we simply grew out of the space, plus there are many challenges to manufacturing top quality chocolate in a multi-store facility located right in the middle of Manhattan, where everything caters to residential use. So we decided we simply had to make a move,” he told The Home Reporter.
Although Koppers had many options to relocate over the world, Sunset was considered by the company as the perfect fit. “A prime concern for me was to do what was best and easiest for our current small group of employees to be able to get to our new location. Sunset Park provides easy access for our employees from all the boroughs,” he said. “Brooklyn in general, and this area in particular, shares the same energy, vibe if you will, and feel of what Greenwich Village had those many years ago when we started.”
The company is expected to occupy up to nearly 50,000 square feet, which will house its office and manufacturing facilities.
Managing Partner of CPEX Tim King told the Home Reporter the relocation of the famous chocolate company will make for a huge addition at Sunset. “Historically speaking, these are the first steps in restoring the Brooklyn waterfront which can serve as a dynamo to the local economy.”
It’s been a busy year for Liberty View Industrial Plaza. Back in January, the building, formerly known as Federal Building No. 2, announced that popular chain Bed Bath and Beyond would open its doors by 2016 on the second floor. Other additions include buy buy BABY, Cost Plus World Market and Harmon Face Values. Then, this past April, according to Commercial Observer, Saks Fifth Avenue signed a letter of intent to develop Saks Off 5th, the company’s sister discount store, although Salmar Properties – the property management company for Liberty View — has declined to comment on that.
“In every way, we are excited about the move, and know it promises to help us continue to produce the world’s widest array of gourmet panned chocolates, and will inspire us to come up with terrific new creations,” Alexander continued. “Made in Brooklyn really conveys something special. And we were lucky enough to find owners of a building at Liberty that are so excited about their facility and made it totally state-of-the-art, and are just a pleasure to deal with.”