Offer made to buy Beech-Nut facility

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Enger

The vacant, 20-acre Beech-Nut site dominating Canajoharie’s northeast side could soon bustle with new activity more than two years after the company packed up for a new facility in the town of Florida.

Pyramid Brokerage real estate agent Christopher Westfall confirmed Monday that an offer was recently made on the building. He couldn’t comment on the nature of the business looking to move in, its offer price or the likelihood of a sale actually going through.

“The company is under contract,” he said, “but the sale is contingent on a building survey, just like if you were buying a house.”

He said the potential buyer is in the process of inspecting the building and the deal should be resolved in two or three weeks.

Village Mayor Francis Avery is cautiously optimistic about the development.

“Of course it would be great for the village,” he said. “An occupied building is better than an empty one.”

When Beech-Nut moved to its new facility 20 miles to the east in Montgomery County’s Florida Business Park two years ago, the village took a major hit. Avery said most of the local workers were offered jobs at the new facility, but activity dropped off in the village downtown. The board had to re-work water and sewer budgets with their largest customer shut down.

“We thought it would turn us into a ghost town overnight,” Avery said, “but we’re working on reinventing ourselves and it hasn’t been as bad as we thought.”

Even while the village kept going, the empty building looming over the village was a constant reminder of former prosperity, Avery said.

“Any empty building is depressing,” he said. “If that place was active again, that would be great for morale.”

He’s also hoping for jobs. The number of jobs will depend on the type of business looking to move in.

In a Gazette interview conducted before the recent offer, Westfall said he was pursuing artisan beer brewing operations and aspects of the dairy industry.

“There’s plenty of water at the facility,” he said at that time. “Office space is included and the docking bay leads right onto a Thruway entrance.”

Despite Westfall’s list of selling points, it hasn’t been an easy facility to market. It was built over many years as Beech-Nut grew and changed.

It’s very large, very old, and a custom fit for the previous occupant. Changes will likely be necessary.

Avery said any offer is good news, but he’s not scheduling any parties yet.

“Once the paperwork is signed and I’m officially notified,” he said, “then I’ll jump up and dance on the table.”

Even if the sale falls through, he said the village will survive. Water and sewer rates have equalized and Beech-Nut is still paying full property taxes on the empty facility.

“We’ll be fine,” he said, “but we’d love some more jobs.”