The firm is expanding its presence in Westchester County and will relocate from its current headquarters location at the Taxter Corporate Park in Elmsford. Fuji currently occupies approximately 106,000 sf of space there.

Officials with CB Richard Ellis say that the lease deal commences in April 2003 and comprises more than half of the 200 Summit Lake Dr. building. The 249,551-sf property is owned by Reckson Associates Realty Corp. CB Richard Ellis' Paul Myers, senior vice president of the firm's New York City office and Frank Tomasulo, senior vice president of the company's New York/Connecticut suburban operations, represented Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. in the deal. John Maher, Anthony Dattoma and John Pavone of CB Richard Ellis' New York City office and Al Gutierrez and Paul Hoffmann of the firm's suburban branch office assisted in the transaction.

Fuji Photo Film at one time had considered sites outside of New York, including properties in Connecticut, however, the firm had recently focused on the Summit Lake Drive location sources say. Recently, the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency approved inducing Fuji's application for approximately $1.9 million in sales tax exemptions. The firm will also be eligible for a $750,000 capital grant from New York State's Empire State Development Corp.

State officials say that Fuji Photo Film plans to increase its Westchester workforce from its current 425 employees to 677 workers over the next five years.

Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano comments, "Fuji Film's decision to not only stay--but expand--is a major coup for Westchester, and we couldn't be happier. As one of our major employers, the company already knows that this is a good place to do business. And with the additional jobs and the company's continued success, this is a decision that will benefit Westchester for years to come."

Salvatore Campofranco, senior vice president and managing director of Reckson Associate Realty Corp.'s Westchester Division, stated that it negotiated and successfully relocated some of its tenants at the Summit complex to alternative space in order to facilitate the deal with Fuji.

Fuji Photo Film will occupy the entire third and fourth floors and a portion of the second floor at 200 Summit Lake Drive. The company, which was established in 1965 and relocated from New York City to Westchester in 1986, is the American sales and marketing subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., of Tokyo.