Bohemia, NY Hastings Capital is delighted to unveil a remarkable achievement: amidst the challenges posed by the global pandemic, the construction of the new building located at 175 Knickerbocker Ave. has been completed. The tenant, Zippboxx is now in the final stages of refining tenant modifications, and is preparing to commence operations. This architecturally well-designed brick building stands out as a unique testament to resilience and progress, is now open and serving manufacturing and office uses.

“Several hardships hindered the project schedule,” said Bob Birnbaum, CEO, Hastings Capital. “Construction began in 2019 and by March of 2020, the steel for the building was up. Unfortunately, the project was then shut down due to COVID. Despite a return to work by the winter of 2021, the weather was harsh, creating treacherous work conditions, further delaying 175 Knickerbocker Ave.’s progress.”

“What’s more,” Birnbaum said, “Suffolk County’s computer system was hacked in 2021 delaying the issuance of permits not just for our building but for many others. Despite all of that, the building is complete, and remarkably, our contractors were able to stay within the parameters of the original construction budget.”

The new building at 175 Knickerbocker is on 1.7 acres which was owned by Hastings Capital. The total building area is 25,560 s/f. The office space comprises 3,650 s/f, with the remaining 21,910 s/f comprising warehouse space. The ceilings of the building are 20’-22.6’ clear, an ideal height for warehousing.

The building was pre-leased to one tenant, Zippboxx and fortunately for the construction team, the tenant was patient throughout the long project schedule. Zippboxx is a Long Island-based, niche moving and storage company serving the hotel industry. For hotels undergoing interior renovations, Zippboxx provides specialized storage for its furnishings. The company also operates a subsidiary that manufactures furniture. Both lines of business will utilize the location for furniture storage.

The exterior design is brown brick and granite with bronze arched solarized windows. The new property is fully sprinklered. The front entryway has a central hall, a north and south wing branch off to office space. The office space includes a kitchen and conference rooms.

There are individual storage vaults for specialized items and Zippboxx’s tenant modifications include adding temperature controls for specialized storage spaces. 

“In the face of numerous challenges that presented hurdles to the successful culmination of 175 Knickerbocker Ave., every contractor and their dedicated workforce exhibited unwavering diligence to bring the construction to its conclusion, all while adhering to the initial budgetary confines,” said Birnbaum. “Each party demonstrated remarkable patience, understanding, and a spirit of collaboration, embracing the necessary time frame for the project’s fulfillment.”

Hastings Capital would like to give a special thanks to all the contractors on this project for a tireless, unfaltering commitment to complete the project. Each company and its employees listed below went the extra mile in the most unfaltering way, without complaints and holding the price, which was incredible: Arditto Mason Contractors; Millicia Electric; Bob Graham Plumbing Contractors; HJR Landscaping; Wood Art Construction; Formation Concrete; HT Steel; Par Asphalt Contractors; 6Gs Roofing; Irrigation Services of Long Island; Ira Levine Esq; Metro Reality; Designs by Vera; Alarm Tech; Titan Fire Sprinklers; Catering by Kathy; Liberty HVAC; Irrigation services of Long Island; Bills Custom Welding; Soil Mechanics, Inc.; Logistical Coordinater Peter Spinelli; Paul Perez from Impact Images; Metro Realty and managing partner Nick Romano.