Taking a page from Chelsea Market, The Factory, a commercial warehouse in Long Island City, will be the home of several established food tenants.
Located at 30-30 47th Ave., the 10-story building was previously a warehouse for Macy’s. In 2014, Atlas Capital purchased the building and has led a renovation and leasing plan that has attracted retailers with a large presence in other boroughs.
Ralph Lauren, Madewell and Gwynnie Bee have all moved in. According to Jay Fehskens, the senior asset manager for the property, the owners have admired the old Chelsea Market model, when retailers would set up a production facility and incorporate a retail space into the building.
“What we’ve been doing at The Factory is bringing a lot of retail that’s extremely under-served in Queens and were bringing in brands that have strong presence in Manhattan and Brooklyn,” he said.
Two Boots Pizza will run a production facility and its world headquarters in the Long Island City space and will also have the capacity to facilitate quick orders and sell its pizza from The Factory location.
Vanessa’s Dumplings, which has locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, will also move its wholesale production facility at The Factory. Customers will also be able to pick up food items from the 47th Avenue location.
Lastly, Papillon Bistro will open a regional baking operation and a retail component where customers could purchase salads, soups and sandwiches.
Fehskens said the area has dramatically changed in the last few years, ushering in a younger workforce.
“Instead of being a quiet back office location its really becoming populated by a younger generation,” he said.
Owners have also offered amenity packages to draw retailers in. Since July, the Breakroom @ The Factory has offered a rotating supply of food trucks that tenants can choose from, and employees have the option to vote for their favorite offerings.
COFFEED, a chain of coffee shops that originated in Long Island City, also has a presence at The Factory.
The three retailers will move in between February and April. Once they do, the internal lobby will open up to the public, who will be able to purchase the food items.
Fehskens said he hopes to mimic the time at Chelsea Market when “you [could] see the bread being made and smell it. That way you have the full experience throughout the lobby.”
In the next 12 months, the building will also welcome a fitness center and an establishment to purchase drinks after dinner. The building also includes bike storage, “which is a great factor for the overall neighborhood in reducing car traffic,” he said.
To find out more about The Factory, visit the website.
