New York's First Foreign Trade Zone for Fine Art Opens in Harlem

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May 02, 2018, 06:30 ET

NEW YORK, May 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CAYRE Equities is pleased to announce the opening of ARCIS, the first Foreign Trade Zone* specifically built for the storage of cultural property and fine art in the United States. Open April 2018, this fine art storage facility in Manhattan, is designed to museum-level specifications and constructed from the ground-up to satisfy risk management at the highest level, enabling insurance capacity in excess of $3 billion.

"Foreign Trade Zones provide crucial support to industrial companies, which helps stimulate job creation and helps strengthen the City's economy," said Ryan White, Assistant Vice President of Ports & Transportation, NYCEDC. "NYCEDC is proud to administer and grow this important Federal program which supports companies like ARCIS, which will allow art collectors to store fine art from all over the world while keeping it as secure in a brand new, sustainable facility."

Located in Harlem, the recently completed 110,000 square-foot, five-level building features managed storage space, customizable private storage units and five expansive viewing rooms with ceilings up to 18 feet high. Engineered and specifically conceived for the world's finest private and institutional collections, the building integrates the most advanced security systems, air filtration and climate control technologies.

ARCIS Executive Director Tom Sapienza said: "We are honored to be designated U.S.'s first Foreign Trade Zone, sustainably designed and purpose built for fine art storage located in Manhattan. New York City remains the capital of the art world, and our goal is to offer discerning local and global clientele the finest service in a unique, highly secure facility right in Harlem. Developed to exceed current industry practices, our mission is simple: to safeguard and preserve the world's most exceptional art works and collections."

The building is sustainably designed from the ground up, to ensure, optimize and safeguard cultural property for the highest-rated insurance available. Advanced engineering allows ARCIS to extend integrated technologies that achieve a sustainable microclimate combined with a constant air filtration process that exceeds industry practices. Among the building's most important features is the application of atomization, a state of the art humidification process currently installed in the new Whitney Museum, which exceeds the ASHRAE** specifications as applied to museum construction.

In addition to its pristine environment, ARCIS provides 100% mechanical redundancy, supported by a 750 kilowatt Cummins natural gas generator custom built to NYSERDA*** specifications. Unparalleled security levels include video surveillance, iris scanning, vascular scanning and UL rated central station.

ARCIS achieved this by teaming up with the world's leading professionals in the field, who advised on the measures necessary to bring to market the most sophisticated building and uniquely rigorous environment to preserve and care for works of art. Among these is the Van Gogh Museum, who lent their engineering expertise. ARCIS also sought the expertise and services of VIDARIS, the engineering company responsible for the envelope, the computational fluid analysis and LEED certification of the new Whitney Museum.

ARCIS has taken every measure to create the most sustainable environment for the preservation, storage and care of fine art, and is currently pursuing LEED**** and BREEAM***** certification. Once achieved, ARCIS will be the only art storage facility in the world to hold both certifications.

ARCIS Operations Director Kevin Lay said: "We are thrilled to open the doors to our Harlem facility. ARCIS teamed up with industry leaders such as the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Whitney Museum's engineering consultant, VIDARIS, to build the most advanced environment to preserve and care for works of art. With state-of-the-art technology and customized, full-service solutions, ARCIS will set a new paradigm for the industry, not only in the United States, but in the entire world."

*Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) are secure areas under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervision that are generally considered outside CBP territory upon activation. Located in or near CBP ports of entry, they are the United States' version of what are known internationally as free-trade zones or freeports.

**New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

***American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

****LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.

*****BREEAM is the world's leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings.

About ARCIS www.arcisartstorage.com

ARCIS is New York City's first and only sustainably designed facility for art storage and collection care and the first to receive foreign trade zone status specifically designated for fine art. With customized, full-service solutions led by seasoned industry experts, ARCIS offers the highest caliber of care and protection to the world's finest private and institutional collections.

About CAYRE Equities www.ceqy.com

Cayre Equities is a private real estate investment and development firm based in New York City, specializing in acquisition and operation of prime retail, office, and storage properties in major metropolitan areas nationwide. Founded by Ken Cayre and the innovative Cayre family, the company and affiliates hold a diverse portfolio of retail, office, and storage properties totaling more than 3 million square feet.

Contact: [email protected]

Related Links

Arcis Website

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