Hauppauge, NY The Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (SCIDA) has preliminarily approved a transaction to assist B9 Oser Owner, LLC in constructing a new warehouse and distribution building at 45 Oser Ave. for its tenant, Max Finkelstein Inc,. a subsidiary of U.S. Autoforce, which is a division of U.S. Ventures, Inc. With the SCIDA’s support, the project applicants will invest $9 million to construct and customize a 132,515 s/f headquarters, allowing Max Finkelstein, Inc. — a family-owned business — to expand their facilities on Long Island with a larger, more modern warehouse. This action will create six additional jobs within the first two years and retain their existing 45 full-time employees, which amasses to a total payroll of more than $3.2 million.
“This project aligns with our mission as it ensures a Long Island-based company remains and expands in the region,” said Kelly Murphy, acting executive director of the Suffolk County IDA. “Providing assistance to businesses in this situation not only positively impacts our local economy, but also significantly benefits the Suffolk County residents employed by these companies. We take pride in supporting the growth and prosperity of a company that has been located in Suffolk County for decades.”
Max Finkelstein, Inc. founded in 1919, has been in Suffolk County since 1978 and has been expanding their operations at their current Ronkonkoma warehouse ever since. Due to their growth, the existing 102,000 s/f facility — with only four loading docks and low ceiling heights — can no longer accommodate their needs and now requires a larger space. The new facility, which will serve as a tire distribution warehouse and distribution center, is being constructed with higher ceilings and a total of 21 loading docks. These modifications to their operations will allow the company to better serve their customers by facilitating the seamless transportation of tires to automotive dealerships and tire retailers across Long Island and the metro area.
“We cannot express enough gratitude for the Suffolk County IDA’s unwavering support for the construction and expansion of our new Long Island headquarters,” said Pat Hietpas, president of U.S. AutoForce. “It was so important for us to make every effort to remain on Long Island for the sake of our team members and our customers. We would not be able to make this investment happen if it were not for the support of the Suffolk IDA.”
Aside from requiring additional space, the high operating expenses of running a business in the region have prompted the project applicants to seek the support of the Suffolk County IDA. Without IDA benefits, the applicants were considering making this investment in nearby states such as New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania where they have existing facilities. Relocating the company’s operations out of state would result in the loss of 45 existing and six to-be-created jobs on Long Island, which have an average annual salary of more than $63,000 plus comprehensive benefit packages.
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