Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and local officials today announced that Raymour & Flanigan, a family-owned furniture retailer founded in Syracuse in 1947, will establish a new regional distribution center in Rockland County. The warehouse will create 300 new jobs leading to more than $135 million in wages over the next decade. The chain has a retail store in Nanuet.
Gov. Cuomo said. "This expansion shows that through our efforts to improve the business climate, companies that were born in New York can now stay and grow in the new New York."
Utilizing $2.325 million in Excelsior tax credits from Empire State Development and a package of financial assistance incentives from the Rockland County IDA, the company expects to invest $46 million to purchase and renovate an existing 839,000 square-foot facility in the Village of Montebello. After building renovations, the new facility will serve as the regional warehouse and distribution hub for the company's retail stores in the New York Metro Region, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut.
Raymour's President and CEO, Neil Goldberg said, "New York State and Rockland IDA provided key guidance that we needed to make a good relocation decision to accommodate our continued growth. The size and location of the new Rockland-based facility will afford us the ability to increase our operational efficiency while satisfying our current need for additional capacity in the New York metropolitan area."
Rockland County IDA Chairman Eric Dranoff said the announcement demonstrates the tangible results of the IDA working together with state government.
"This project demonstrates how the IDA strengthens the County's ability to react to the needs of businesses and in doing so, build the economic foundation we need to continue to enhance the quality of life in Rockland," said Dranoff.
IDA Executive Director Steven Porath said the organization's mission is to ensure their incentives facilitate business growth in the county.
Raymour & Flanigan company officials identified the facility in Rockland County and began discussions about the former Dress Barn warehouse with the Rockland County IDA and Empire State Development's Strategic Business Division. The company decided to purchase the facility at 30 Dunnigan Drive in the Village of Montebello, Rockland County to enable it to keep pace with its growth.
Approximately 693,000 square feet of the facility will be used exclusively by Raymour & Flannigan for its warehouse and distribution center with space available within the facility for future expansion.Another company, Par Pharmaceuticals, currently leases approximately 200,000 square feet and will retain its lease.
Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said, "The announcement that Raymour is relocating to Rockland County is welcome news as we experience very challenging economic times. The Rockland IDA continues to attract the quality corporations that we need to enhance our economic base."
Senator David Carlucci said, "Working to bring jobs to Rockland County is of the utmost importance and one of my highest priorities in the State Senate. When state government provides the right economic incentives and partners with the private sector, companies like Raymour & Flanigan are willing to invest right here in Rockland County."
Currently headquartered in Liverpool, NY, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture was established by brothers Bernard and Arnold Goldberg in 1947 with a single, modest store in downtown Syracuse. In 1982, Neil, Steve, and Michael, the second generation of the Goldberg family in the business, took control of the then four stores. They currently lead the company.
Today, Raymour & Flanigan is the 5th largest furniture retailer in the U.S. with 2,079 employees across New York and 95 stores and showrooms in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
