No hitting the brakes here.
Electric automotive company Tesla is opening up its second showroom in Brooklyn and third in the city, amid layoffs at the Austin-based enterprise elsewhere across the globe, Crain’s has learned.
The maker of the divisive Cybertruck — which starts at $60,990 and has been beset by accelerator complaints — debuted its New York City dealership in the Meatpacking District at 860 Washington St. in 2009. The second Tesla dealership in the city opened in Red Hook at 160 Van Brunt St. in 2016, and now, a third is planned to open at the Roulston House at 94 Ninth St. — just steps from the fetid Gowanus Canal.
A polarizing figure in the business world, Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has no apparent plans to back out from his imminent expansion in the borough, according to Joseph Hamway of Industrie Capital Partners, who owns the Ninth Street office building at the corner of Second Avenue as part of a 50-50 partnership with Bobby Cayre of Aurora Capital. The Roulston House opened two years ago and is fully operational as a “successful, creative office” building, according to Hamway, save for the forthcoming Tesla showroom. Hamway declined to say for how much the Musk-owned company is leasing the space.
Hamway told Crain’s Thursday that Tesla is “about to” open soon, but could not specify exactly when. He declined to comment on the news that Musk, who also runs the private rocket company SpaceX, is laying off 10% of his global workforce, including 285 employees across two different Tesla locations in Buffalo, according to a notice from the Department of Labor on Wednesday that cited economic reasons. Tesla’s stock took a bit of a nosedive this week after the job cut revelations, falling to its lowest level in almost a year, according to reports.
City records indicate that the electric-vehicle maker most recently renewed its Certificate of Occupancy with the Department of Buildings last month — a filing that lasts for three months at a time and costs $130. The latest renewal was issued on March 12 and is valid until June 10, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Buildings.
Tesla first obtained the required authorization in 2022 for a motor vehicle showroom, auto dealership, auto repair and accessory storage on the entire ground floor, according to city records.
The company’s iconic red-and-white logo is now hoisted on the facade of the 4-story brick building. Just outside is the site where 37-year-old Sarah Schick was killed by a truck while riding a Citi Bike in early 2023. A white ghost bike now stands at that corner to honor her memory.
Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.
Julianne Cuba , 2024-04-18 19:01:01
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