Royer Corp., which makes custom and stock swizzle sticks, cocktail and sandwich picks, flower arrangement card holders and other plastic products at 805 East St., on Tuesday took its plans to expand to the City Council.
Royer plans to add 8,000 square feet of warehouse space and convert its warehouse to a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing area.
As part of the company’s rearranging of how it uses its land, it is asking the city to vacate a part of Moody Park Lane, an alley that divides Royer’s parking lots. If the request is approved, motorists will not be blocked from going into and out of the area, the City Council was told. The request is for the part of the lane between Saddletree Lane and East Street.
The Board of Public Works has recommended granting the request.
There is no vote on a first reading. The second of three readings and discussion will be at the next council meeting May 22. The third and final reading and vote can come immediately after the second reading or be scheduled for another meeting.
Roger Williams, owner, president and CEO of Royer Corp., said he plans to spend more than $1 million on the expansion and could add 20 to 40 new jobs over the next three to four years.
At the end of the month, he said, he will know whether he has won a contract to process 300 million parts for a new customer. He did not elaborate.
Williams said he looked at other locations to build a bigger plant, including on the hilltop.
“We love being downtown and we want to stay downtown,” he said. A lot of employees walk to work, another plus for remaining downtown, he said. Royer is in the building that formerly was a US Shoe factory.
City Council member Laura Hodges, who is sponsoring the ordinance to vacate part of Moody Park Lane, said, “Royer has always been a good neighbor downtown. You’re the last manufacturer left downtown.”
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