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Military rations! Army terminal opens food-production hub

Military rations! Army terminal opens food-production hub
Photo by Steven Schnibbe

They’re hoping it’s a recipe for success.

Officials want the Brooklyn Army Terminal’s annex building to cook up some jobs for Brooklynites. The Economic Development Corporation opened a “food-manufacturing hub” there on Aug. 10 after finishing a $15-million renovation on the football-field-sized former administrative building in February. Officials want to bring 10 companies and at least 100 jobs for area residents, according to Economic Development Corporation president Maria Torres-Springer.

The announcement came as Momo Dressing — the annex’s first tenant — celebrated opening its salad-dressing-making operation there. The group was previously operating elsewhere in Sunset Park, but it needed room to expand and has hired three people since inking a deal to spread into the annex.

Vinaigrette virtuosos plan on bringing on more workers once they get settled, and their growth will have a ripple effect for Brooklyn businesses from which they buy their ingredients, one owner said.

“We really make an effort to buy in Sunset Park as much as possible. We use local apples and fresh ingredients. It’s important to us that we keep things local as much as we can,” said Masaki Momose.

Officials designated the annex for food companies such as small-batch manufacturers, industrial bakeries, or shared kitchens — and the city will work with tenants to build out leased space to individual business’s needs, officials said.

The city charges $22–$24 per square foot in the annex — on par with the $23.26 average along the waterfront and well below the borough standard $37, according to a recent report from real-estate investment firm Jones Lang LaSalle.

And economic development honchos expect four new businesses to set up shop there by year’s end.

The Brooklyn Army Terminal is already home to some unique businesses — including Modern Meadow, which makes lab-grown meat and may be Brooklyn’s only source of truly locally farmed beef.

Reach reporter Caroline Spivack at cspivack@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260–2517. Follow him on Twitter @carolinespivack.
Pouring of the dressing: Instead of a ribbon cutting, the owners of Momo Dressing held a pouring of the dressing cermony to launch their new location in the Annex.
Photo by Steven Schnibbe