MakerBot shrinking office by 90K sf at Industry City

3-D printing company MakerBot is downsizing its space at the Industry City office and light manufacturing complex in Sunset Park by 65,000 square feet, reducing its total production space in Brooklyn by more than a quarter.

MakerBot is also vacating an additional 25,000 square feet that it continues to lease at Industry City, bringing its footprint at the 6 million-square-foot redevelopment to 135,000 square feet – 40 percent less than the 225,000 square feet it formerly occupied at the property.

The company paid an undisclosed termination fee for the 65,000 square feet it gave back to Industry City[TRData], according to Crain’s. MakerBot laid some workers off while relocating others to its headquarters at 1 MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn.

MakerBot has no plans to reduce its 37,000-square-foot space at 1 MetroTech, a company spokesperson told Crain’s.

The 3-D printing firm in many ways epitomized the wave of creative and tech-focused tenants who have spurred the Brooklyn office market and driven demand for office projects like Industry City, Kushner Cos.’ Dumbo Heights and Midtown Equities’ Empire Stores.

But MakerBot has fallen on harder times as of late, going through two rounds of layoffs last year. Company founder Bre Pettis left the firm late last year, and MakerBot recently announced that it was shifting its sales focus to Asia – raising the possibility that it would look to move some of its manufacturing there, as well.

“MakerBot’s decision yet again points out how difficult it is for companies competing in the global marketplace to grow their manufacturing presence here in New York City,” Industry City CEO Andrew Kimball told Crain’s in a statement. [Crain’s] – Rey Mashayekhi