Watchtower has received the green light for construction at Warwick as it closes on the billion mark in Brooklyn property sales

JW.org has announced that construction work has officially commenced on the new Warwick Headquarters after approval was granted by the local town planning board.

The first building permit was obtained on Friday, July 26, and site work and the digging of foundations began three days later.

The news comes as Watchtower looks set to surpass the billion dollar mark in property sales for its Brooklyn headquarters.

The new Warwick site is targeted for completion in 2017, and Watchtower officials see the planning approval as a huge leap forward in that regard. “Obtaining this site plan and special-use permit in July was the first critical scheduling milestone to reach our goal of finishing the project in four years,” said Enrique Ford of the Warwick project committee.

The site where Watchtower’s new world headquarters is due to stand in 2017


Key to the planning board’s unanimous decision was Watchtower’s willingness to use an “environmentally sustainable building design,” promoting, among other things, the conservation of local wildlife. Those who are aware of the recent scandal surrounding the discovery of buried barrels of toxic waste at Watchtower’s Wallkill facility will note the irony of this.

With the green light given for construction at Warwick, Watchtower has been able to press ahead with its lucrative Brooklyn sales transaction. As reported in a recent JWsurvey article, Watchtower has already secured a staggering $804 million from selling off the bulk of its Brooklyn property portfolio.

Now the New York Post has announced that Watchtower looks set to gain a further $240 million from the sale of a “five-building complex encompassing about 973,000 square feet of office and retail space located in the DUMBO portion of the Brooklyn waterfront.” This complex is thought to be the iconic former Squibb complex that was recently featured in a Watchtower promotional video.

Watchtower’s move to upstate New York is seen by many as borne from necessity, as the organization stands to profit considerably from the transaction even after the new headquarters is complete.

As publisher growth in wealthier countries continues to stagnate, Watchtower is forced to become increasingly resourceful in securing funding for its downsized operations. And the recent spate of child abuse allegations, including the announcement of the Elizabeth McFarland lawsuit, would indicate there is no end in sight for Watchtower in terms of its growing legal bill.

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading…

22 thoughts on “Green light for Warwick HQ as Brooklyn sales pass the billion mark

  • August 7, 2013 at 3:55 am
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    That’s all anyone needs… a looming, dangerous, threatening but legally on the ropes, desperate and ever more bizarre by the day cult newly flush with money!

  • August 7, 2013 at 5:53 am
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    Will be complete by 2017? Wont the end be here by then? Or is this the Watchtower’s way of saying we are in the clear for atleast another 4 years?

  • August 7, 2013 at 6:24 am
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    The mountain of Jehovah keeps moving! This mountain has left many ruined lives in its wake! this mountain makes billions for Jehovah! God needs this money to further His purpose! The “place” Jesus said he prepared isn’t good enough.

  • August 7, 2013 at 9:37 am
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    The WTS could have easily used SOME the real estate profits to feed the homeless or other community outreach efforts (in areas targeted by their ‘publishers’) but noooo that’s not how the WTS operates. They prefer to invest in printing facilities to produce those ‘profitable’ magazines which are produced and distributed at almost zero expense to the WTS.

  • August 7, 2013 at 9:39 am
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    All this JWs call it “sucking the milk of nations, and the breast of kings…. IT IS A LONG STORY. You can read in their literature (http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/l/r1/lp-e?q=w02+7%2F1+pp.+15-16+par.+6)

    *** w02 7/1 pp. 15-16 par. 6 Jehovah’s Glory Shines on His People ***
    6 Listen, now, to another divine promise. Speaking to Zion, Jehovah says: “You will actually suck the milk of nations, and the breast of kings you will suck; and you will be certain to know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior, and the Powerful One of Jacob is your Repurchaser.” (Isaiah 60:16) How does Zion feed on “the milk of nations” and suck “the breast of kings”? In that anointed Christians and their “other sheep” companions use valuable resources from the nations in order to advance pure worship. (John 10:16) Freely given financial contributions help to make possible a great international preaching and teaching work. Wise use of modern technology facilitates the publishing of Bibles and Bible literature in hundreds of languages. Today, Bible truth is available to more people than ever before in history. Citizens of many, many nations are learning that Jehovah, who repurchased his anointed servants out of spiritual captivity, is indeed the Savior.

  • August 7, 2013 at 9:40 am
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    Comme cela Brooklyn n’existera plus donc insolvable. Warwick sera sous une autre administration qui n’auront rien à voir avec les procès en cours, donc ils ne paieront rien.

  • August 7, 2013 at 12:32 pm
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    Is this the same God who Governs the FDS-Governing Body to many printed failed end of time predictions. When are people going to come out of this 7th day Adventist type thinking religion where it finds its roots with Pastor Russell? Or how about squirting the law of the lands and not properly reporting cases of Child Abuse that cause life long harm to Children for the sake of the WTBS reputation and not “Jehovah” You have to be a complete idiot to not see the reality of this cult type religion.

  • August 7, 2013 at 12:56 pm
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    John, ignorance is the most difficult thing to fight. When you take today’s people (JWs) 4,000 years ago and ask them to think like people of that time, you have won them all in a trap of IGNORANCE.
    Look at for example THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) MAY 2013 QUESTIONS FROM READERS: Did the Israelites execute criminals by hanging them on stakes?

    Read the answer and tell me what that answer is for today. Nonsense! Rubish! Foolish writings!! (http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130515/did-ancient-israel-execute-criminals-by-hanging/)!

    Sad to say it! They seem to accuse The Catholic to be “200 years behind the times.” (http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/g201308/watching-the-world/)! when they are”4,000 years behind the times.”

  • August 7, 2013 at 5:11 pm
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    nice work!

  • August 8, 2013 at 12:11 am
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    Why waste time with worldly things things like building a new HQ years in the future when this system of things is so close to passing away? The creator’s promise (and he said this time he not kidding like he was in 1874,1914,1915,1925,1975), is that this system is so so close to conclusion. Just look around you, the events in Daniel are happening now! its so obvious to any thinking bible student! you just need to count the years from 607BCE and then multiply it by Nebuchadnezzar’s nipples (he had 3.5) then multiply by the stones of the pyramid and divide by the hairs under Daniel’s armpit.. Durrrr!! its obviously 2014… The end is here!!!. So they should focus all their effort and time on doing Jehovah’s work in the last days and not playing property empires and gambling on hedgefunds.

  • August 8, 2013 at 4:54 am
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    What huge profits!!!! Thanks for this expose. As someone who has been Df’d for a year and trying to get reinstated for the sake of family to teach them how to be critical thinking, I very much welcome this revelation of finances. Although I stopped donating years ago….I didn’t realise the huge profit margin. I will be teaching my kids not to donate when the repeated begging for funds occurs during CON…..ventions!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thanks
    70wksofyrs

  • August 8, 2013 at 11:24 am
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    This is funny, but when I asked this question, elders who are working there, they reply(obviously they were told this way) that Warwick going to be like a hotel in the beginning if the NW for those who will travel.
    Funny right? They even not able to realize, how such could be without electricity, water and gas.

  • August 8, 2013 at 2:29 pm
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    Zeebo, I like your comments. Do you have any idea they will celebrate “100 year anniversary of the Watch Tower Society declaration: “The Gentile Times have ended.”October 2nd, 2014 at the New HQ? (http://jwleaks.org/)

    *** re chap. 18 p. 105 par. 5 Earthquakes in the Lord’s Day ***
    Thus, when C. T. Russell appeared for morning worship with the Brooklyn, New York, Bethel family on the morning of October 2, 1914, he made the dramatic announcement: “The Gentile Times have ended; their kings have had their day.”

  • August 8, 2013 at 2:45 pm
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    “Thus, when C. T. Russell appeared for morning worship with the Brooklyn, New York, Bethel family on the morning of October 2, 1914, he made the dramatic announcement: “The Gentile Times have ended; their kings have had their day.”

    They had Strawberry Syrup and Hickory Smoked Bacon that day!
    They also danced the Chicken Polka and wore those pointy hats with blow ticklers and confetti for a while and then things went back to normal….

  • August 8, 2013 at 10:06 pm
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    In their eagerness to see the glorious conclusion of this system, Jehovah’s witnesses have, amongst themselves, made certain predictions and read meaning into things that was not there.

    Russel never said that, and the apostates have obviously infiltrated the website you got that quote from. The statement from he actually said was:

    “The Gentle Times have ended” – This was a reference to his bunion massage program. It moved gentle relaxation massage to real physiotherapy type massage.

    “their king’s have had their day.” – This was clearly a reference to how the British Liverpool Regiment were progressing in WWI. They were known as “The king’s” and by October had had a suffered heave losses at the battle of Aisin and defense of antwerp. see http://www.1914-1918.net/kings.htm

    So he wasn’t wrong, the organization wasn’t wrong (Its God’s channel how can it be wrong) but you silly children misunderstood in your eagerness to see the end.

    Ok this is fun BUT this kind of historical revisionism is actually exactly the same as WT does. I mean its funny when you see it like this but in many publications it is just as brazen as i have done. e.g Millions now livine WILL never die… becomes Millions now living MAY never die… ahhh “Winston, How many fingers am i holding up?” “Oh i don’t know Mr Obrien”…. “Gooood that is a good start”

  • August 8, 2013 at 10:14 pm
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    Thanks. Wow 100 years already! how time flys. I hope they have a little get together at the KH for this. I will suggest it and see how it goes.

  • August 12, 2013 at 10:34 pm
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    Zeebo,
    JWs are marvelous creatures. They will tell you “imagine Armageddon had come in 1975 before you knew the TRUTH…”!! It sounds like “Armageddon did not come BECAUSE JEHOVAH WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO BE BORN AND LATER BECOME A JW!!”

    Take time to read what they were writing towards 1975. Just an example:
    *** km 5/74 p. 3 How Are You Using Your Life? ***
    Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.—1 John 2:17.

    WHAT ARE THEY WRITING ABOUT WARWICK CONSTRUCTION PROJECT? Here is the answer AT LEAST FOR NOW:
    Ref: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/l/r1/lp-e?q=w12+8%2F15+p.+17; w12 8/15 p. 17

    There are plans to develop a 248-acre (100 ha) property at Warwick. “Although we are not yet certain of Jehovah’s will regarding Warwick,” said Brother Pierce, […] we hope to complete the entire project within four years,” said Brother Pierce. “Then our property in Brooklyn can be sold.”
    “Has the Governing Body changed its mind about the closeness of the great tribulation?” asked Brother Pierce. “Not at all,” he answered. “If the great tribulation interrupts our plans, that will be wonderful, absolutely wonderful!”

    IT SEEMS JEHOVAH HAS AN IDEA ON ONLY BIGGER PROJECTS LIKE ARMAGEDDON NOT SMALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS LIKE WARWICK…..

  • August 13, 2013 at 7:38 am
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    If the GB can be so out of touch living in Brooklyn, just imagine how utterly out of touch they will become in their country hideaway! I have a great dislike for out of the way religious settlements. One has only to look to Branch Davidian in Waco to see what can happen.

  • May 15, 2015 at 1:30 am
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    being born in the UK but living in france and having lived years in Germany and Austria,In our present congregation here in the VOSGES ,Since a good moment I feel that I’m being “ill treated ,so my wife too !,Since then I keep my mouth shut,because when I see the wrong and jealousy falling upon me,letting alone “the partiality,menaces,( allways putting forward,'” well i’ve been named elder by jéhovah and if you complain to anybody your letter will come back to us and it will be worse for you!What does Jehovah god think of this matter ?!:see: acts 20:29,30 – 1 timothy 4:1,2 – 2 peter 2:1-3 May jehovah’s spririt be allways upon us!!

  • December 8, 2015 at 11:26 am
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    Lies. Stop hating Jehovah
    Repent and come back to Him
    No one fights war with Him
    My brother repent

  • May 15, 2016 at 6:48 pm
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    I hope and pray that those in the Watchtower Society will be touched by God’s Holy Spirit and that one life at a time will experience life-transformation by the true Jesus Christ, the one who is the same yesterday, today and yes forever. The jehovah of the Watchtower is NOT the Jehovah of the Bible. I pray for many to be saved before Jesus returns.

  • October 14, 2016 at 4:15 pm
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    O opositor que diz que testemunhas de Jeová esta mal financeiramente, porque muitos betelitas estão indo para outras atividades, entretanto na realidade o que esta acontecendo e uma reciclagem de tecnologia, e muitos jovens estão ingressando em Betel, ou indo para funções e regiões remotas em novos campos de de tradução. E muitos desses betelitas com alto treinamento são estremamente uteis mesmo no mundo comercial. e portanto são bem aceitos no mercado fora de betel, sem ha um forma de absorver esse possoal em novas funções.

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