City, state and North American Breweries officials took up their shovels behind a pile of dirt dumped in a parking lot this morning, and officially broke ground for the near $50 million “Eco Brewery District” project.
The hard hats and the shovels were just for show, because construction has been underway for weeks, starting with demolition of the old brewery grain silos along St. Paul Street. The project will have several phases, including development of what North American says will be one of the world’s most advanced brewing and bottling facilities. The High Falls area around the brewery and the brew house restaurant and museum is being made over as a tourist district, combining the falls and an expanded brew house and other attractions.
Governor Cuomo’s office says the 13,000 foot brewery expansion in Phase One means more than 120 new jobs. North American CEO Kris Siricho says it will be more efficient, and the cold brewing process opens up all sorts of new business opportunities.