Acme Smoked Fish expansion approved by New York City Council

Brooklyn, NY One of New York’s oldest and most-beloved manufacturers – Acme Smoked Fish – will remain in the borough, serving as the anchor tenant in a new $550 million mixed-use development approved by the full New York City Council.

The retention of Acme’s workforce, which includes more than 100 union members, and the creation of as many as 2,000 jobs in the development’s commercial component will boost the city’s economy, still reeling from the financial fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A major step forward for ushering the city’s recovery, the proposal encompasses Acme’s new stand-alone factory–a next generation, four story, 95,300 s/f fish smoking and packaging plant–and adjacent nine story, 454,600 s/f commercial development with open workspaces, natural light, water and Manhattan views, and 33,800 s/f of ground floor neighborhood retail space. The project will also serve as a pedestrian-friendly gateway for the Greenpoint and Williamsburg communities, adding about ½ acre of tree-lined open space to link McCarren Park and the future Bushwick Inlet Park.

Rubenstein Partners and Gensler, the developer and architect firms credited for footsteps away 25 Kent, are working together again on this project, dubbed “10 Wythe” for its 3-acre location on the block bounded by Wythe Ave., Gem St., Banker St., and Meserole Ave.

“From its skilled workforce to its vibrant culture, being in Brooklyn has always been central to this company’s success, and we’re thrilled to now have the opportunity to not only remain here in the borough, but to also expand our operations as we continue to grow with the neighborhood we’ve called home for generations,” said Adam Caslow, co-CEO and fourth generation owner of Acme Smoked Fish.

Construction is expected to begin in Q3 2021 and Acme Smoked Fish is expected to move into its new home by late 2024. The full development will be completed by mid-2025.

Caslow said, “We’re thankful for council member Levin’s thoughtful consideration of this plan, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Council Member and the rest of the surrounding community to ensure Acme Smoked Fish remains the neighborhood partner we’ve always strived to be.”

“We applaud council member Levin and his colleagues in the City Council for their approval of this innovative plan that keeps Acme Smoked Fish in Brooklyn, retains more than 100 good, union manufacturing jobs, and paves the way for thousands of more jobs through compatible commercial development,” said Stu Little, the New York City representative for Rubenstein Partners, the project’s developers. “We look forward to getting to work and ensuring that this community-driven plan breaks ground as soon as possible.”

“Acme Smoked Fish has been an integral partner in our community now for four generations,” said City Council member Stephen Levin. “It supports more than one hundred good union jobs, and is a great source of pride that Brooklynites share with people all around the world who love their smoked fish products. I’m confident that we reached a plan that will help Acme grow their community presence, while ensuring that this space remains industrial, and a generator of good, middle-class jobs, for long into the future.”

“Our small business community has been walloped by COVID-19, and though the impacts have been inequitably distributed, few businesses have been spared from the economic fallout. A real recovery must ensure support for our local businesses, which give our neighborhoods their unique character, while attracting burgeoning industries that will power our economy in the future. Acme Smoked Fish’s expanded facility will help boost local employment, while accommodating growth that is critical to helping Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and New York City thrive. With an end of this pandemic in sight, now is the time for proactive steps to bring our economy back stronger and more equitable than ever,” said Brooklyn Borough president Eric Adams.

Community groups, labor advocates, non-profit organizations, and economic development entities lauded the plan and the council’s approval.

“Helping Acme grow, is helping New York City manufacturing grow,” said Leah Archibald, executive director of Evergreen Exchange, North Brooklyn’s leading industrial and manufacturing advocate. “This project is the gold-standard for how we can preserve and grow industrial uses in the 21st century economy, while growing economic equity locally. The benefits of this investment will directly impact North Brooklyn’s residents, and it’s the type of plan that we need now more than ever to ensure an equitable recovery from COVID.”

“The success of this borough’s manufacturing sector and continuance of good paying jobs that support area residents depends on innovative solutions like the one that will keep Acme Smoked Fish in Brooklyn,” said Randy Peers, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the borough’s leading economic development and small business advocate. “Approving this plan is good for driving business in Brooklyn and creating economic opportunities that benefit the community. Plain and simple.”

“Acme Smoked Fish is a trusted community partner that is making a real commitment to hire locally from its longtime Brooklyn community,” said Larry Rothchild, director of workforce development for St. Nicks Alliance, a 45-year old North Brooklyn non-profit providing skills training and career pathway placements. “We’re excited to work with the project team to train and hire locally, which will go a long way in creating real career paths in the construction sector and opportunities for the area’s workforce. This longtime manufacturer has become synonymous with this neighborhood, and we’re proud to see that won’t change.”