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Press Release

NYCEDC and Bartlett Dairy Receive Overwhelming City Council Approval to Develop a New Permanent Home for Milk Distribution in New York City

Jun 14 2019
NYCEDC and Bartlett Dairy Receive Overwhelming City Council Approval to Develop a New Permanent Home for Milk Distribution in New York City

The 6.15-Acre Vacant Site Is Located in the JFK Industrial Business Zone

54,000 Square Foot Facility Will Bring 165 Quality Jobs Online

QUEENS, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Bartlett Dairy, Incorporated (Bartlett) today received Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) approval for the disposition and development of NYCEDC’s JFK North Site. Bartlett, a minority-owned, family-run local business, will develop a 54,000 square foot dairy distribution center on a significant portion of the JFK North Site, one of the largest city-owned manufacturing zoned properties. Bartlett’s development of the JFK North Site will provide a permanent home for milk distribution within the five boroughs. Currently, milk distribution occurs in New Jersey and the products are then delivered to New York City by truck.

Bartlett has excelled at dairy and dry goods distribution since 1968. The Queens-based company employs approximately 500 people across three locations in Jamaica, Newark and Rochester and delivers dry and perishable goods to schools, hotels, grocery stores, and restaurants, among others. The new facility will be Bartlett’s New York headquarters. Bartlett’s largest contracts include the New York City Department of Education, the Archdiocese of New York, and Starbucks.

“The closing of the Elmhurst Dairy plant in 2016 was a devastating loss for New York City,” said NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett. “Bartlett's expansion is a win-win for New Yorkers and the city’s local economy. We are proud to have helped bring a dedicated milk distribution company back to the five boroughs and create new economic opportunities for more of our residents.”

“The return of Bartlett Dairy to Queens is bringing jobs back to the borough where so many workers call home," said Council Member Donovan Richards. "With additional opportunities for more jobs and apprenticeships along with the resurfacing of Rockaway Boulevard, stormwater mitigation and an expedited construction timeline for improvements to Baisley Pond Park, this development is an all-around win for Southeast Queens. I'd like to thank Bartlett Dairy, EDC and the entire de Blasio administration for their commitment to good jobs in the outer boroughs."

"Queens Community Board 13 is in full support of Bartlett Dairy, a minority-owned family-run business, building a distribution center in the Springfield Gardens area, adjacent to JFK Airport,” said Mark McMillan, Director of Community Board 13. “This project brings needed development for the location, job opportunities for local residents and general economic development all around. It also fits in nicely with the recent creation of Gateway JFK, the Industrial Business Improvement District comprised of the airport freight businesses, hotels and residents within the Spring-Jam Civic Association catchment area.”

“We are excited to be returning home to the birthplace of Bartlett Dairy,” said Thomas Malave Jr., President of Bartlett Dairy Inc. “We look forward to our continued growth in conjunction with the local community. To celebrate this moment, we are establishing a scholarship fund for local graduating high school students.”

“Gateway JFK is happy to see Bartlett come into the community,” said Scott Grimm-Lyon, AICP, Executive Director of Gateway JFK. “We believe they will be a great contributor to the area and a beacon of development. They will help us show that our community is ripe for investment.”

Bartlett Dairy responded to NYCEDC’s Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) because of their need to relocate both their corporate office and distribution facility. The company was selected in 2016 because it was able to meet the City’s industrial manufacturing criteria, Living Wage and HireNYC requirements for employees, as well as a 25% MWBE contracting goal for design and construction.

Development of the new distribution facility on the JFK North site, which is expected to create 70-90 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs with average salaries of $70,000, has an expected completion date of fall 2020.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation creates shared prosperity across New York City’s five boroughs by strengthening neighborhoods and creating good jobs. NYCEDC works with and for communities to provide them with the resources they need to thrive, and we invest in projects that increase sustainability, support job growth, develop talent, and spark innovation to strengthen the City’s competitive advantage. To learn more about our work and initiatives, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

About Bartlett Dairy Incorporated
Bartlett Dairy Incorporated is a minority-owned, family-run business with three centralized distribution centers, specializing in the custom distribution of frozen foods, dairy and paper products. Bartlett serves the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from Montauk, Long Island to New Haven, Connecticut. Bartlett provides food service for schools, hospitals, hotels and restaurants, in addition to supermarkets, mom-and-pop grocery stores, and other retail businesses.