Arthur H. Lerner, vice chairman of Newmark & Company Real Estate Inc., in Manhattan, says that while the deal has been signed, the company decided afterward that rather than move employees from other Monstermoving.com locations in Beaverton and Portland, Oregon and in Connecticut, the firm would hire as many as 1,000 new workers. Lerner said that at the time of the lease signing, the company did not feel it was eligible for any employee training incentives. Now that the firm is hiring new employees, it believes it may be eligible for state and county incentives.
Salvatore J. Carrera, director of the Westchester County Department of Economic Development, said that his office enters into discussions with corporations requesting incentive assistance prior to a lease being signed. He said that neither Monstermoving.com nor Newmark came into his office to ask for state or county incentives prior to the lease being signed.
"We do not give any company incentives unless it is proven that there is competition," Carrera notes. He said that since the company has already signed the deal, there is no competition.
"The bottom line is that this office is not engaged in corporate welfare," Carrera stresses. "When incentives are given, it is for the benefit of the Westchester County taxpayer."
Lerner says that while Monstermoving.com will occupy the 16th floor penthouse at 50 Main St., (approx. 22,500 sf) which until recently was the home of Heineken USA. Its space on the 15th floor will not be available for about nine months.
In that time, Monstermoving.com will decide whether to occupy the space or shift those workers to Monstermoving.com offices in Oregon or Connecticut. He notes that the state of Connecticut has offered the newly formed web moving service some incentives to occupy additional space in the Nutmeg State. If it were to decide to not occupy the space on the 15th floor, Lerner says the company will put the 22,500 sf on the sublease market. Lerner adds that he will be attempting further discussions with Westchester County government to explain its position on Monstermoving.com's office space commitments in White Plains.
On Oct. 24, Monstermoving.com, a division of TMP Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: TMPW; ASX: TMP), and a marketing extension of Monster.com, was launched. Accessible at www.monstermoving.com and from the home page of www.monster.com, Monstermoving.com features home and apartment searches to mortgage financing quotes, moving quotes, community information and utility connection services.
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John Jordan
John Jordan is a veteran journalist with 36 years of print and digital media experience.
