Silvercup Studios expanding with a new Bronx film and television production facility; $35M project brings hundreds of well-paying jobs
New York, NY– July 7, 2015 – To help meet the growing needs of New York’s booming film and television production industry, Silvercup Studios, the Northeast’s leading independent film and television production studio facility, announced plans today that it is expanding with a new studio complex to open at 295 Locust Avenue in the Port Morris section of the Bronx. The $35 million project will bring hundreds of well-paying jobs as well as millions of dollars in tax revenue to the borough. With the expansion to its third location, Silvercup Studios will operate more than 500,000 square feet of studio space citywide.
Silvercup will transform an existing modern warehouse into a 115,000-square-foot full service production facility. Silvercup North will feature four production studios with 50-foot-high ceilings. The four studios to be built at 295 Locust Avenue will have the highest ceilings of any film/TV production studio in New York City and can easily accommodate two-story sets. A full complement of shops, offices and other support space essential to support film and television production will be provided on-site.
The project will bring an estimated 80 to 100 construction jobs. The new studio space and the film and television productions that will occupy them will create an estimated 400 well-paying production-industry jobs, in addition to injecting money in the local community for materials, and other goods and services to support the productions.
“The film and television industries have historically offered good jobs with pathways to success for New Yorkers, and the expansion of this thriving industry will be hugely meaningful for Bronxites,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Every year the production industry injects over $7.1 billion to our local economy and creates over 130,000 jobs in New York City, and thanks to Silvercup’s new studio, the Bronx will now receive its piece of this pie.”
“My office has been working to expand the film industry in The Bronx for several years, and we are thrilled to welcome Silvercup Studios to the mainland and their new home in Port Morris,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “This expansion will not only bring new jobs and economic development to our borough, it will also help us continue to rebrand our borough and showcase the transformative development we have seen over the past decade. The Bronx and Silvercup Studios will be great partners, and I look forward to working with them on this expansion, and to make this project work for all Bronxites.”
“The film and television industry is a key component of New York State’s economic development strategy that injects billions of dollars into the economy and creates thousands of industry jobs for New Yorkers,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “New York has become the premiere destination for filming, and Silvercup Studios’ expansion to the Bronx further supports the industry’s staggering growth as this iconic production studio continues to attract more films and televisions shows to the Empire State.”
“Silvercup’s expansion to the Bronx is indicative of the thriving creative industry that the City of New York has created and supported throughout the five boroughs,” said Commissioner Cynthia López, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “This new facility in the Bronx will not only increase stage options for the production industry, but it will also bring new jobs and business opportunities to the borough. We want the entertainment industry to experience everything the Bronx has to offer, and we applaud Silvercup on this new endeavor.”
With its iconic sign visible from the East River, Silvercup Studios has been home to famed television productions including HBO’s Sex and the City and The Sopranos, 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, dozens of major motion pictures including When Harry Met Sally and The Devil Wears Prada, and hundreds of commercials. Current productions at Silvercup’s Queens facilities include Girls, Elementary, Madam Secretary, Mister Robot, The Mysteries of Laura, and Person of Interest. Silvercup North is slated to be completed by June 2016.
“For more than 30 years, Silvercup Studios has been an integral part of New York’s film and television production industry, which has never been more active than it is today,” said Silvercup CEO Alan Suna. “The Bronx is undergoing a tremendous revitalization right now. We’re excited to expand our studios here as the industry continues to grow and to bring with it high quality production jobs and the resulting benefits from having this production work remain in New York.”
Silvercup North will benefit from proximity to the Bruckner Expressway, the Major Deegan Expressway, the RFK Bridge and the number 6 subway line providing easy access to Manhattan, Queens, Westchester and Long Island. In addition, the building’s location offers access to a large skilled labor pool.
“Governor Cuomo’s successful New York State Film Tax Credit program has made it possible for us to build this new site and bring these jobs to the Bronx,” said Stuart Suna, President of Silvercup Studios. The State’s program with the support of the New York State Senate and Assembly has helped our industry grow tremendously. With additional studio space, more television shows and feature films that may have been filmed elsewhere can now take advantage of all the benefits of filming in New York.”
He added, “The central location and nearby access to highways and public transportation, as well as the incredible soaring ceilings at this Locust Avenue location will surely be a draw for producers. The height and size of these new sound stages will allow us to attract Television and Feature Film work to New York that we have heretofore not been able to accommodate at our other facilities.”