New York, NY
Saving Space at an Indoor Farm
Learn how an innovative Spacesaver system helped a Manhattan indoor farm grow more herbs in a small space.
City Indoor Farms
Chefs in Manhattan and other urban centers want to serve meals made with the finest ingredients, and they’re willing to pay a premium price for fresh, high-quality herbs, salad greens, and other produce. But supplying fresh foods year-round can be difficult for farmers, particularly in cold winter climates. The logistical challenge of transporting fresh produce into the city from farms and greenhouses in the countryside adds another layer of cost and complexity.
With Spacesaver’s help, a Manhattan entrepreneur has devised a creative solution to this problem: he has transformed a restaurant basement into a thriving hydroponic herb-growing business. The indoor farm, called Farm.One, grows hundreds of different varieties of high-value herbs and microgreens year-round. Located in Manhattan’s TriBeCa neighborhood, the farm is less than half an hour away by bike or subway from most of the restaurants that it supplies.
Spacesaver’s ActivRAC® Mobilized Storage System boosted the indoor farm’s growing area by over 30 percent.
The urban farm grows hundreds of different varieties of herbs and microgreens.
Shelving moves along rails placed in the floor, and employees can turn handles to open aisles where needed.
"It gave us about 30 percent more space in the room, which is obviously a really big deal for us. It’s a beautiful piece of engineering."
- Robert Laing, Farm.One CEO
Smart Solutions to Maximize Growing Space
In an effort to maximize space in the small room, Farm.One CEO Robert Laing sought a way to eliminate wasted aisle space between the growing racks. He found information about the ActivRAC® Mobilized Storage System online and he worked with the Manhattan-based Spacesaver distributor to design the layout. “It gave us about 30 percent more space in the room, which is obviously a really big deal for us,” he said. “It’s a beautiful piece of engineering.”
Spacesaver’s ActivRAC system eliminates empty aisles, allowing more shelving units to be placed in any given space. The system consists of rails installed in the floor along with “carriages” that move along the rails and support shelving units or pallet racking. Clients can install their own shelving or racking on the system or purchase new shelving or racking from Spacesaver. The shelves slide together to completely fill the room, and an aisle can be opened by turning a handle (mechanical assist systems) or pressing a button (electronic systems).
Download This Story for More Details
Spacesaver helps Farm.One, an indoor farm in Manhattan, maximize space to grow more fresh herbs. We want to help you grow more with smart solutions to maximize your growing space.
Download This Story for More Details
Spacesaver helps Farm.One, an indoor farm in Manhattan, maximize space to grow more fresh herbs. We want to help you grow more with smart solutions to maximize your growing space.
Minimizing the farm’s environmental impact
Farm.One is committed to minimizing its environmental impact. By using proprietary automated systems for LED lighting and irrigation, along with natural pest control methods, plants are kept healthy and thriving without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Deliveries are made on foot, by bike, or by public transportation.
