A Yonkers business owner who has acquired and started work on idle industrial properties for mixed-use redevelopment on the city”™s waterfront will close his packaging plant in Yonkers by early 2014, putting 112 employees out of work.
Owner and CEO Ron Shemesh notified the state Department of Labor that his Excelsior Packaging Group Inc. plant at 159 Alexander St. will close next Feb. 5 for “economic” reasons. Plant workers are represented by Consolidated Commercial Workers of America Local 528.
Shemesh could not be reached for comment.
Founded in 1964, Excelsior manufactures cellophane bags and wrappers and offers seal printing and engraving services at its state-of-the art facility on the Hudson River. The plant sustained flood damage in Hurricane Sandy, which apparently led to its closing, according to a spokesman for Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano.
“It”™s very unfortunate that they are closing,” said Jason Baker at City Hall. “They suffered really terrible damage and loss from Sandy. They were really never able to fully recover.”
Baker said the city will assist Excelsior worker in finding jobs in Yonkers.
Baker said the plant closing is “completely separate” from the Glenwood power plant redevelopment project at 45 Water Grant on the city waterfront, where Shemesh leads a small group of investors in Glenwood POH L.L.C. The company last February closed on its $3.1 million purchase of the long-vacant red brick landmark on the Hudson from a private owner.
State officials last December approved a $1 million grant to aid in the developer”™s estimated $50 million first-phase project to stabilize buildings on the site. Baker said that stabilization work is under way.
Shemesh has proposed to create 256,475 square feet of hotel, restaurant and entertainment space in the existing historic buildings at Glenwood. Estimated at $175 million a year ago, the total project is expected to create 1,800 construction jobs and an estimated 955 permanent jobs.
“We don”™t anticipate any impact in terms of that” from the Excelsior Packaging closing, Baker said.
Shemesh and investment partners in 2010 also acquired a vacant industrial site at 1 Point St., the former BICC Cable Corp. property, which lies between the Excelsior Packaging site and the Glenwood power station. The city planning board in 2011 approved the developer”™s plans to build 1,395 residential units and 85,000 square feet of commercial space in four phases on the Point Street and Alexander Street properties.
On the Yonkers waterfront, “There are a lot of major projects that are taking off,” said the mayor”™s spokesman. The plant closing is “an isolated situation that”™s very unfortunately happening here.”
Baker said Shemesh “has been a great partner” with the city who has invested significantly in the redevelopment effort. “I”™m sure he”™ll continue to be an integral part of the redevelopment going forward,” he said.
