City breaks ground for Brooklyn industrial facility.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Brass Masters owner Gittu Modi broke ground last week for a new 33,000 s/f facility on a formerly City-owned site in East New York, Brooklyn within the proposed boundaries of one of the City's newly designated Industrial Business Zones.

Brass Masters imports, finishes and distributes hardware, furniture and architectural products. It is one of the first companies to benefit from new tax incentives created by the Mayor's Office of Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses. The incentives, which provide up to $1,000 per employee for companies that relocate to one of the City's 16 IBZ's, are the cornerstone of the City's effort to retain and grow industrial and manufacturing jobs.

The new facility will allow Brass Masters to expand its capabilities, create more than 60 construction jobs and 45 new permanent jobs. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $2.7 million.

Councilman Erik Martin Dilan, Economic Development Corporation president Andrew Alper, Department of Small Business Services commissioner Robert Walsh, Mayor's Office of Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses director Carl Hum, Local Development Corporation of East New York president Sherry Roberts, and Yogesh and Durga Modi, brothers of Modi who run the foundry in India, all attended the ceremony.

"Brass Masters' relocation to East New York is a welcomed expansion of New York City's industrial base and the latest evidence of our Administration's focus on strengthening the City's industrial core," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The new facility will help a well-respected manufacturer to add valuable jobs and diversify its business. The manufacturing and industrial sector in New York City remains a critical part of our economy, accounting for more than 500,000 jobs, representing about 15% of the City's workforce. We are firmly committed to helping New York City's industrial businesses grow and create jobs."

Gittu Modi founded Brass Masters in 1998 and currently has four employees. The company imports sand castings, forgings and stampings from India for distribution across the U.S. to specialty hardware stores, architects and interior designers. Products include decorative hardware, furniture such as bar and tea carts, coffee tables and etageres, in a variety of finishes. At the company's present location in Queens, Brass Masters also designs and fabricates custom-designed prototypes for individual customers which are then sent to the foundry in India for production.

The new facility will allow Brass Masters to produce many of these items in-house, increasing capacity and lowering costs. The company recently acquired a tubing business that will further expand its customer base to include manufacturers of carousels, kaleidoscopes and lighting systems. Brass Masters was selected to develop the site as a result of a request for proposals issued by EDC and is currently in negotiations with EDC for another 11,000 s/ f parcel in East New York to allow for further expansion. The new facility will incorporate a cogeneration system to produce most of its electrical requirements on-site with no strain on the electric system and that will reduce air pollution. The cogeneration system will also enhance Brass Masters position in the marketplace by reducing the company's exposure to electric outages and cost increases. The facility is scheduled for completion in late 2006.

The new facility is located in the proposed East New York Industrial Business Zone.

The 100-acre zone is home to 43 industrial and manufacturing businesses that employ more than 1,000 industrial and manufacturing jobs. Key industrial subsectors represented include steel and metal fabrication, transportation, warehouse/distribution and vinyl manufacturing.