Simone Development Maintenance Tech Jose Aguilar Wins BOMA Westchester 2023 Unsung Heroes Award

YONKERS, NY (July 12, 2023) – Simone Development Companies is proud to announce that Jose Aguilar, a maintenance technician at the firm’s Boyce Thompson Center mixed-use medical and retail development in Yonkers, NY, has been awarded the BOMA Westchester “Unsung Hero” award for his dedication and service to tenants and visitors.

BOMA Westchester Unsung Hero Award Photo by Susi DugawPictured L to R are BOMA Westchester President Scott Tangredi, Director of Construction at Reckson, award winner Jose Aguilar and Giovanni Puerta, Commercial Property Manager at Simone Development.

“Jose consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the satisfaction of our tenants and seamless operation of our Boyce Thompson Center,” said Joe Simone, president of Simone Development. “Jose’s positive attitude, exceptional teamwork, and his willingness to take on any challenge have made him an invaluable member of our team.”

The award was presented recently during BOMA Westchester’s 31st Annual Hall of Honors Awards dinner in Tarrytown, NY. In accepting the award, Mr. Aguilar recalled a chance meeting with the late Joseph Kelleher, a long-term Simone Development senior executive who was playing a guitar gig at a restaurant where he was working. The pair immediately hit it off and Joe offered Jose a maintenance position at the then newly opened Boyce Thompson Center. When Jose questioned his qualifications for the position, Kelleher replied “Can you screw in a light bulb? If so, we can teach you the rest.”

“What I like most about my job is helping people, both with the tenant’s needs and their customers,” Mr. Aguilar said, recalling his ongoing relationship with an elderly woman who visits a medical tenant and is afraid to ride elevators alone. Jose made it a point to learn her schedule and now always meets her during appointment days to ride the elevator with her.

“Jose is a testament to our company’s ongoing devotion to the businesses who call our properties home and the people they in turn serve,” said Mr. Simone. “We are extremely proud of him, his dedication and all the service and maintenance professionals that make Simone Development stand out in the world of commercial real estate.”

BOMA Westchester is the county’s leading professional organization dedicated to meeting the needs of building owners, property managers and allied professionals and tradespeople. BOMA Westchester is an affiliate of BOMA International — the oldest and largest association of the office building industry, with over 100 federated associations in the United States and around the world. The 17,000-plus members of BOMA International own or manage more than 9 billion square feet of commercial properties in North America and abroad.

2023-07-12T14:23:51-04:00July 12, 2023|
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Prime warehouse space in Castle Hill’s Zerega Industrial Complex snatched up by Kamco Supply Corp.

One of the oldest and largest local suppliers of commercial and residential building materials, Kamco Supply Corp. has secured more than 57,000 square feet of warehouse space in Castle Hill’s Zerega Industrial Complex.

Through a long-term lease, Kamco will use roughly 57,544 square feet of warehouse space at and 55,224 square foot of land at 1200 Zerega Ave. for the storage and distribution of building materials.

The Zerega Industrial Complex property is now 60% leased, with 25,895 square feet of remaining available warehouse space and 12,895 square feet of available office space, plus land for additional storage or parking.

Zerega is one of five Bronx Industrial Business Zones — which according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation are “safe havens” for manufacturing and industrial firms — including Bathgate, Port Morris, Eastchester and Hunts Point.

The warehouse facility, which is leased by Simone Development Companies, encompasses nearly 100,000 square feet in warehouse and office property space with connection to the 6 subway line, multiple bus routes, the Hutchinson River Parkway, as well as the Bruckner and Cross Bronx expressways.

“Modern and spacious warehouse space is in high demand in the New York metro area, and 1200 Zerega Ave. is extremely attractive to users like Kamco due to the rare combination of warehouse space and available land that is centrally located with immediate access to major highways,” said Josh Gopan, vice president of leasing at Simone Development.

When the neighborhoods around Zerega began to increase in residential density — in large part due to high-rise public housing development enabled by the New Deal and increased highway connections — manufacturing possibilities began to open up with the creation of the Zerega Industrial Complex in 1970.

In the coming decades, notable tenants include Krispy Kreme and Verizon, among others.

New warehouses are expected to be opening near the Port of New York and New Jersey in the coming months, just when existing space is becoming more available as current tenants move out. Industrial real estate experts said the uptick in vacancies signals a more balanced market and that near-port warehousing should remain in high demand over the long-term.

Simone Development said its marketing the remaining warehouse and office areas for lease in Zerega Industrial Park.

In the onset of the pandemic, there had been a demand for industrial space, which is reflected in the 2022 fourth quarter numbers, which saw 1.5 million square feet leased in the final quarter.

So far, just 730,000 square feet of industrial space was leased in the first quarter of 2023, according to quarterly data from Global Commercial Real Estate Services.

Prime warehouse space in Castle Hill’s Zerega Industrial Complex snatched up by Kamco Supply Corp.

2023-06-27T14:50:14-04:00June 27, 2023|Tags: |
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Simone Development Signs Lease with Kamco Supply Corp. for More Than 57,544 SF at 1200 Zerega Ave. in Bronx, New York

Kamco lease, Bronx, NYBRONX, NY (June 26, 2023) – Simone Development Companies has announced that building materials distributor Kamco Supply Corp. has signed a long-term lease for 57,544 square feet of warehouse space and 55,224 SF of land at 1200 Zerega Ave. in the Bronx for the storage and distribution of building materials.

The property is now 60% leased, with 25,895 square feet of remaining available warehouse space and 12,895 SF of available office space, plus land for additional storage or parking. The property features six drive-in doors, four loading docks, 16.5’ ceiling heights, outdoor storage, ample parking, and a unique signage opportunity.

“Modern and spacious warehouse space is in high demand in the New York metro area, and 1200 Zerega Ave. is extremely attractive to users like Kamco due to the rare combination of warehouse space and available land that is centrally located with immediate access to major highways,” said Josh Gopan, Vice President of Leasing at Simone Development, who represented ownership in the lease negotiations, along with in-house counsel Patrick Doyle. Kamco Supply Corp. was repped by Mat Diana of DY Realty.

The nearly 100,000-square-foot prime warehouse and office property is close to the #6 subway line, multiple bus routes, the Hutchinson River Parkway, as well as the Bruckner and Cross Bronx expressways.

Kamco Supply Corp. is one of the largest and oldest privately owned commercial and residential building materials suppliers in the New York metro area, with multiple locations in New York and New Jersey. Their new location’s main customer entrance is located on the Gleason Ave. side of the property. Simone Development is marketing the remaining warehouse and office areas for lease in the highly sought after Zerega Industrial Park.

2023-06-26T15:52:02-04:00June 26, 2023|
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Simone Development Companies Diversifies Shopping Centers To Suit Contemporary Consumers

Securing experiential and service-oriented tenants is key to maintaining vibrant shopping centers in the e-commerce era, said Joseph Simone of Simone Development Companies.

“As big-box retailers shrink their footprints or close locations, shopping center owners are increasingly challenged to identify experiences and personal services that can bring more foot traffic to retail destinations,” said Joe Simone, President of Simone Development Companies. “Across the country, we’re seeing the rise of health clubs, experiential retail and urgent care at shopping centers.”

Joe SimoneIn New Rochelle, N.Y., LA Fitness recently opened a 36,000-square-foot gym in a strip shopping center owned by Simone Development Companies and G&S Investors. LA Fitness now occupies the majority of a two-story, free-standing structure at 75 Nardozzi Place. The health club is adjacent to a cluster of 30 beauty and personal service businesses housed within My Salon Suite of New Rochelle and destination retail like PXG Westchester, a golf franchise whose amenities include interactive swing simulators and a practice putting green.

According to data from the retail-analytics firm Creditntell, a retailer located in a shopping center with a health club receives about 2.5 percent more monthly visits compared with a similar retailer in a shopping center with no fitness tenant.

The presence of an LA Fitness as an anchor at another Simone Development property at 262 Boston Post Road in Port Chester, N.Y., helped to attract new businesses. Nothing Bundt Cakes, Nailed It Spa and European Wax Center recently opened at that revitalized location.

“We recognize the value that fitness businesses bring to shopping centers, particularly in terms of early-morning and evening foot traffic,” said Joanna Simone, Principal and President of Leasing and Property Management Operations at Simone Development Companies. “Some prospective tenants specifically seek shopping centers with health clubs because their services align with the healthy lifestyles promoted by the gyms.”

Simone Development Companies is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of healthcare, mixed-use, office, industrial, retail, and residential properties. Headquartered at the Hutchinson Metro Center, it boasts a portfolio of over 7 million square feet throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Westchester County, Orange and Fairfield Counties and New Jersey. With services spanning acquisition, development, construction, finance, asset management, accounting, leasing and property management, Simone Development Companies is set apart by its vertically integrated management team, long-term asset ownership and its pursuit of visionary development.

2023-06-01T10:58:40-04:00June 1, 2023|
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Mercy College Signs Long-Term Commitment to Bronx Campus at Simone Development’s Hutchinson Metro Center

Original Anchor Tenant at Borough’s Most Successful Commercial Development Extends Lease

BRONX, NY (May 11, 2023) – Simone Development Companies has signed a long-term lease renewal with Mercy College for 125,522 square feet of classroom, administrative and amenities space at 1200 Waters Place in the Bronx, renewing the institution’s commitment to the borough and the Hutchinson Metro Center, which they helped anchor more than 20 years ago.

James MacDonald, vice president of leasing at Simone Metro Properties, assisted by Sean Heneghan, assistant general counsel, represented the owners in the lease negotiations. Bill Cuddy and Greg Maurer-Hollaender of CBRE represented Mercy College in the renewal.
“Mercy’s lease renewal with Simone Development Companies for its Bronx Campus demonstrates the College’s confidence in the site to provide the best possible environment for our deserving students, staff and faculty,” said Mercy College President Tim Hall. “The Mercy College Bronx Campus will continue to offer state-of-the-art facilities and academic programs that lead to in-demand jobs. It will also position Mercy to continue to evolve to meet the workforce and educational trends of the future and strengthen the College’s impact in the Bronx community.”

The Mercy College Bronx Campus at the Hutchinson Metro Center provides a vibrant, diverse student population the opportunity to achieve their academic and professional goals in a dynamic and modern learning environment. The undergraduate and graduate degree and ceritifcate programs offered at the Bronx Campus prepare students for in-demand careers, so that they are hired soon after graduation.

Degree programs include nursing, childhood education, community health, gerontology, data analytics, health services management, criminal justice, cybersecurity and finance, among many others. State-of-the-art facilities, such as fully-equipped health and science labs and anatomage tables provide maximized opportunities for learning, while student-centered spaces such as the Veterans Lounge facilitate students’ positive assilimiation to college. A landscaped courtyard offers a serene setting for study and reflection in an otherwise bustling, New York City-borough. Partnerships between the Campus and Bronx community organizations and businesses have resulted in extensive and rewarding internship, clinical and volunteer opportunities, many of which are conveniently located for Mercy Bronx students.

“More than 20 years ago, Mercy College was instrumental in the development of 1200 Waters Place and the success of Simone Development’s Hutchinson Metro Center, transforming an underutilized, obsolete state hospital site that was closed off to the public into a vital part of the Northeast Bronx community,” said Joe Simone, president of Simone Development. “Today we are extremely gratified that Mercy has chosen to renew their commitment to our borough and our expanding development.”

In 2003, Mercy College became the second anchor tenant to commit to 1200 Waters Place, a three story, 433,286 square-foot new development that at the time was the first Class A office building developed in the Bronx in more than a decade. During the next 20 years, the 42-acre Hutchinson Metro Center became the most successful commercial development project in the history of the Bronx. The current center is a 1.4-million-square-foot mixed-use campus of office, medical, retail, hospitality and academic space. The Hutchinson Metro Center is currently home to over 80 leading businesses, healthcare and educational institutions, and federal, state and city agencies, employing over 8,000 people and welcoming more than 5,000 daily visitors.
In addition to Mercy College, other major tenants at 1200 Waters Place include The New Jewish Home, New York City Housing Authority, the Administration of Children’s Services, and a major federal agency.

About Simone Development Companies
Simone Development Companies is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of healthcare, mixed-use, office, industrial, retail and residential properties. Headquartered at the Hutchinson Metro Center, it boasts a portfolio of over 7 million square feet throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Westchester County, Orange and Fairfield Counties and New Jersey. With services spanning acquisition, development, construction, finance, asset management, accounting, leasing and property management, Simone Development Companies is set apart by its vertically integrated management team, long-term asset ownership and its pursuit of visionary development.

2023-05-15T10:34:10-04:00May 15, 2023|
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