By SALLY GOLDENBERG
June 18, 2008
Ed Taylor is one of the South Bronx success stories.
Taylor, the owner of a sprawling fish-distribution company in Hunts Point, originally opened shop in Manhattan's Meatpacking District in the early 1990s, when its open space and desolate streets made it a perfect fit for his business.
But during his 16 years in a warehouse on West 13th Street, vacant land was replaced by swank restaurants and high-rises.
Two years ago, Taylor relocated his Down East Seafood shop to Hunts Point in the South Bronx, an area targeted by the Bloomberg administration for economic development.
The strip of Manida Street that houses his 17,000-square-foot depot is surrounded by industry, which creates a friendly atmosphere for business owners, Taylor said.
He's within walking distance of paint and tool manufacturers who helped him spruce up his $3 million building - paid for, in part, with a grant from the federal Small Business Administration.
Taylor also has doubled his staff and no longer worries about being crammed into a street dotted with nightclubs and restaurants.
In recent years, the neighborhood has improved with the opening of Baretto Point Park and a new shuttle service to the nearest subway station, and Taylor is now hoping the city starts a ferry service to Hunts Point. "This is the final frontier," he said "It's like the Meatpacking District was 15 years ago."
