SUFFERN, NY-In a deal valued at $15.13 million, the 158,000-sf former Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp. manufacturing plant here has changed hands. Bronx-based Manhattan Beer Distributors Inc. acquired the property from Miller Realty Co. LLC.

The property was built more than 30 years ago, and was developed and occupied by International Paper Corp. It has been operated as a manufacturing facility until late 2006 when the building went dark. The building at 20 Dunnigan Dr. is located on more than 14 acres off exit 14B of the New York State Thruway in the Town of Ramapo, Village of Montebello in Rockland County.

John D'Amato and David Yao of McBride Corporate Real Estate's Franklin Lakes, NJ office represented the seller. Manhattan Beer Distributors was represented by Morris Goldberg of McBride's Central Valley office.

Miller Realty, the seller, purchased the property in the late 1990s, according to D'Amato, senior vice president of McBride Corporate Real Estate. Miller Realty operated a manufacturing concern for some time at the property. Eventually Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp. of Newark operated a corrugated box plant at the site. Schiffenhaus was later acquired by Southern Container Corp. of Hauppauge, which announced its plans to close the Suffern plant in April 2006.

Manhattan Beer Distributors, which has several other locations in the Hudson Valley, including a large property in Harriman, plans to take occupancy of the property in the fall and is expected to undertake some improvements to the building, D'Amato notes. He adds that the firm was attracted to the site in part because it is serviced by Norfolk Southern Railroad.