Domino Sugar Factory

September 27, 2023

The Refinery at Domino unveils office space and grand glass atrium at historic Williamsburg sugar factory

The Refinery at Domino, a 460,000-square-foot all-electric office building, is now open at the former Domino Sugar Factory plant on the Williamsburg, Brooklyn waterfront. As the latest addition by Domino Park developer Two Trees Management, the new adaptive reuse project saw the conversion of the former 19th-century factory site of what was once the largest sugar producer in the world into a net zero carbon office space. The Refinery is the newest building to open in the 11-acre, mixed-use development north of the Williamsburg Bridge.
Find out more
December 21, 2022

Iconic yellow ‘Domino Sugar’ sign returns to Brooklyn

An iconic sign that was part of the Brooklyn skyline for nearly a century has returned to its rightful place. A replica of the 40-foot Domino Sugar sign was installed and fully illuminated this week atop Williamsburg's Domino Sugar Refinery building, which was part of a massive sugar factory that operated from the 1880s to the early 2000s. Located at the 11-acre Domino Sugar redevelopment, the landmarked 19th-century building is currently being transformed into a modern commercial building.
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November 8, 2019

See inside Domino Sugar Factory site’s first commercial building

The first commercial building at the Domino Sugar Factory site in Williamsburg officially launched leasing this week. Ten Grand Street sits within the 45-story mixed-use tower One South First, which opened in September with 330 rental units. Designed by COOKFOX Architects and developed by Two Trees Management, the towers interlock, a sustainable component that allows extra heat from the office building to be preserved and reused at the residential property. Offering tenants between 5,000 and 6,000-square-foot floor plates and floor-to-ceiling windows, Ten Grand boasts sweeping views of Manhattan, faces the six-acre Domino Park, and will be home to several Brooklyn-based retailers, including Roberta's and Other Half Brewing.
Take the tour
September 13, 2019

Williamsburg’s tallest building opens in Domino complex with an outdoor pool and rooftop cabanas

Two Trees Management announced yesterday the opening of the second building to rise at Williamsburg's Domino Sugar Factory site at the corner of Grand Street and Kent Avenue. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, One South First is a mixed-use 45-story building within the newly-created six-acre Domino Park that includes 330 rental apartments, office space, and retail. Unique features include a distinct facade inspired by the structure of sugar crystals in honor of the site's history as a sugar manufacturing plant. The building is now the neighborhood's tallest tower at 435 feet, and it makes use of every inch of that height with dazzling amenities that include an outdoor granite pool overlooking the East River and City skyline.
New views, this way
May 21, 2019

Williamsburg’s tallest tower tops out at Domino Sugar Factory development

Williamsburg officially has a new tallest tower. One South First, formerly 260 Kent Avenue, topped out this week at the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment along the waterfront. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the 435-foot-tall tower features two interlocking buildings with white precast concrete facades inspired by the molecular pattern and forms of sugar crystals, a reference to the former factory site.
Domino details here
February 4, 2019

Amazing photos show COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar tower getting its crystalline facade

The installation of 1 South First's (formerly known as 260 Kent Avenue) innovative exterior is officially underway, its molecular pattern now visible. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the tower, part of the Domino Sugar project in Williamsburg, will feature concrete window panels made using 3D-printed molds. New photos from the Gate Precast Company reveal the start of the crystalline-inspired facade as the building's construction is more than halfway complete (h/t CityRealty).
See the photos
October 19, 2018

Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest

Fully above ground, the second tower to rise at the massive Domino Sugar site has a pair of new renderings. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, 1 South First (previously 260 Kent Avenue) is a 42-story mixed-use tower on the Williamsburg waterfront development, which was formerly home to the sugar manufacturing facility. When 1 South First opens next fall, it will join already opened 325 Kent Avenue and Domino Park, all developed by Two Trees Management.
See them here
June 6, 2018

REVEALED: First look at Williamsburg’s Domino Park ahead of Sunday opening

Two Trees Management announced today that Domino Park, the long-awaited new waterfront recreational public space at the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory site, will celebrate its grand opening this Sunday, June 10. In April, 6sqft revealed renderings of the new park and esplanade that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development at the Domino Sugar Factory site, designed by James Corner Field Operations (of the High Line fame). The quarter-mile long public park, located just north of the Williamsburg Bridge, celebrates the history of one of the city's most iconic industrial waterfront sites with adaptively reused syrup tanks, warehouse columns, and original cranes (now painted the park's signature turquoise color "untealed"). There will also be a taco kiosk from Danny Meyer, a water feature, bocce courts, and a children's playground designed by Mark Reigelman as a reinterpretation of the original factory.
Check out industrial artifacts, water features and more
April 5, 2018

REVEALED: New renderings of Domino Sugar Factory’s waterfront park and esplanade

Almost a year to date since the first renderings were revealed for Domino Park, the 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development at the Domino Sugar Factory site, a new batch of views has been released by developer Two Trees, and they showcase everything from an urban "beach" to a better look at how preserved artifacts from the historic factory will be incorporated throughout. Designed by James Corner Field Operations (of the High Line fame), the park is scheduled to open this summer, ahead of most of the buildings.
All the renderings and details ahead
April 5, 2018

10 things you didn’t know were made in Brooklyn

The new exhibition at the Brooklyn Historical Society, "The Business of Brooklyn," celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and tells the fascinating story of the borough’s 100 years of business, detailing its industrial past, large companies, as well as its preponderance of mom-and-pop shops. It also showcases many objects and artifacts, which have their origins in Brooklyn, demonstrating the significant “role that Brooklyn has played in American consumer culture.” The exhibition is on view at the Brooklyn Historical Society’s landmark building in Brooklyn Heights located at 128 Pierrepont Street until Winter 2019. From those iconic yellow pencils to Brillo pads to Cracker Jack, you may be surprised to see what has been made in Brooklyn.
The history of 10 famous products made in Brooklyn
February 9, 2018

See new photos of SHoP Architects’ Domino rental tower at 325 Kent

Now that the doughnut-shaped 16-story waterfront rental building at 325 Kent Avenue is nearly complete, you can take a look at some seductive new snaps of interiors and amenity spaces to see if it lives up to the hype. The first structure at the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory site to open, the 522-unit riverfront tower brings something new to ogle to the famously rezoned Williamsburg neighborhood’s veritable city of glassy condo towers that surround the landmarked Refinery building.
More photos, yoga and food this way
January 12, 2018

The Urban Lens: See the last photographs of the abandoned Domino Sugar Factory

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Paul Raphaelson takes us through the Domino Sugar Factory before its redevelopment got underway. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. The term "ruin porn" was born out of generations of street photographers venturing into neglected, decaying, and off-limits spaces, but today it's become more of a mainstream trend to fluff one's Instagram feed. So when Brooklyn-based artist Paul Raphaelson received the chance in 2013 to be the last photographer allowed into the then-abandoned Domino Sugar Factory, he knew he didn't want his project to simply "estheticize surfaces while ignoring the underlying history." His stunning photos of the 135-year-old structure still "capture the sublime sense of spectacle," but they also accompany archival maps, newspaper clippings, corporate documents, and even interviews with former Domino Sugar Factory employees, all of which come together in his new book "Brooklyn’s Sweet Ruin: Relics and Stories of the Domino Sugar Refinery." Raphaelson shared his stunning images with us and also shared his thoughts on "urban exploration," his process in compiling a comprehensive history of Domino, and his thoughts on the recently approved plans for the site.
See all Paul's photos
December 11, 2017

Last day to vote for 6sqft’s 2017 Building of the Year!

This year was all about new development redefining the New York City skyline. Construction moved along at a rapid pace, whether it be the topping out of Richard Meier's tower at 685 First Avenue or foundational work kicking off at Brooklyn's first supertall 9 Dekalb. In the next several years we'll see these buildings open and show off apartments at sky-high prices, but for now, we get to enjoy the construction process on some of the most notable new architecture to come to New York. We’ve narrowed down a list of 12 news-making residential structures for the year. Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2017 Building of the Year? To have your say, polls for our third annual competition will be open up until midnight on Monday, December 11th and we will announce the winner on Tuesday, December 12th.
VOTE HERE! And learn more about the choices.
October 30, 2017

New Domino Sugar Factory renderings show barrel-vaulted glass topper and taller towers

Update 10/31/17: The Landmarks Preservation Commission did not approve the new plans at the hearing, instead suggesting the architects present revised designs that address how the newly exposed brick will be preserved and how the ground floor will interact with the open space. The Commissioners were divided on the glass topper, with some feeling it appropriately references the building's arches and others feeling it inappropriately treats the structure as a ruin.  6sqft previously shared the latest round of designs for the three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Factory mega-development in Williamsburg, done by Vishaan Chakrabarti‘s Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). Developer Two Trees broke ground on the first tower in the Domino Sugar Refinery Master Plan last spring, and the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at the SHoP Architects-designed building, the 16-story 325 Kent Avenue. Now, more new renderings of the complex have been released ahead of an October 31 presentation before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (h/t Brownstoner).
More new renderings this way
October 4, 2017

Vishaan Chakrabarti reveals new designs for Domino Sugar Factory

The past few years have seen as much change as progress in the rise of the three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Factory mega-development in Williamsburg; Two Trees broke ground on the first tower in the Domino Sugar Refinery Master Plan last spring, and the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at the SHoP Architects-designed building, the 16-story 325 Kent Avenue. Last October we saw the first set of renderings by architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle for the refinery building that will house Two Trees' new 380,000-square-foot office space at the massive new complex; the corresponding plans had been approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2014. Now, Justin Davidson writes in New York Magazine that a new round of designs by Vishaan Chakrabarti's Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) have been revealed.
See the new designs
August 23, 2017

Construction Update: SHoP’s first Domino Sugar Factory building approaches completion

Just over one year ago, 6sqft reported on the initial climb of 325 Kent Avenue, the first tower of the SHoP-designed Domino Sugar Refinery master plan slated for the Williamsburg waterfront. Now, CityRealty shares that the building is nearly finished with its distinct, upside-down U-formation standing tall. When complete, the 189-foot, 400,000-square-foot building will be the second largest residential structure in the neighborhood (just after 2 North 6th Street), fronted by a spectacular 11-acre park designed by James Corner Field Operations that will open next summer.
see more photos
June 6, 2017

Roasteries and refineries: The history of sugar and coffee in NYC

Brooklyn is properly known as Kings County. During New York’s Gilded Age, Sugar King Henry Osborne Havemeyer and Coffee King John Arbuckle made sure the borough lived up to its name, building their grand industrial empires on the shores of the East River. By the turn of the 20th century, more sugar was being refined in Williamsburg and more coffee roasted in DUMBO than anywhere else in the country, shaping the Brooklyn waterfront and NYC as a preeminent financial and cultural center. The history of coffee and sugar in this town is as rich and exciting as these two commodities are sweet and stimulating, so hang on to your homebrew and get ready for a New York Story.
The whole juicy history of sugar and coffee in NYC
April 20, 2017

First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade

With building construction well under way at the Domino Sugar Factory site, Two Trees Management has now released details about the 11-acre park that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development. To be known as Domino Park and designed by James Corner Field Operations, the quarter-mile open space will boast a new waterfront esplanade, six acres of parkland, a plethora of preserved artifacts, and easier waterfront access. In addition to sharing several new renderings, Two Trees also announced that the park will open in the summer of 2018.
All the details and renderings ahead
February 6, 2017

Construction update: Domino Sugar Factory tower tops off and gets its skybridge

Things are moving ahead swiftly at the Domino Sugar Factory since Two Trees broke ground at the three million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development last spring. In November, the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at 325 Kent Avenue, the first building at the site. Designed by SHoP Architects, who are also responsible for the project's entire master plan, the $200 million tower has now topped off at 16 stories, and the skybridge connecting its two wings has also gone up. CityRealty paid a visit to the construction site and got a look at these new views, as well as the copper cladding that's taken shape on the lower face of the building.
See it all here
November 28, 2016

Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units

Earlier this fall, the first building at Two Trees’ three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Refinery mega-development topped out. The 16-story, $200 million tower at 325 Kent Avenue was designed by SHoP Architects, the same firm responsible for the entire Williamsburg project's master plan, and features a two-winged scheme with a central courtyard. It'll hold a whopping 522 rental units, 104 of which will be reserved for individuals earning 40 percent of the area media income. As of today, these affordable apartments are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery, where availability ranges from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
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October 28, 2016

Domino Sugar Factory reveals renderings of creative office building The Refinery

Commercial landlords looking to compete with cutting-edge co-working spaces like the Navy Yard's New Lab or amenity-filled developments like Industry City have their work cut out for them, and it looks like Two Trees is pulling out all the requisite stops for their new office building The Refinery at Williamsburg's massive, under-construction Domino Sugar Factory complex. Curbed got its hands on the first set of renderings of the 380,000-square-foot office space, which show how tenants can work with architects Beyer Blinder Belle to customize their spaces for "innovation" and "authenticity." The interiors preserve the former industrial details (exposed brick, ceilings beams), while incorporating creative perks such as suspended glass-and-steel office pods, an indoor skate park, and a bevy of common areas.
More details and renderings ahead
April 21, 2016

First Domino Sugar Refinery Tower at 325 Kent Avenue Now Rising Above Williamsburg

After breaking ground last spring, the first tower of Two Trees' three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Refinery Master Plan has finally lifted out of the ground. Addressed 325 Kent Avenue (Site E), the 400,000-square-foot building rises one block inland from the East River waterfront and the remaining five parcels of the master plan. The future 16-story, 189-foot-tall project covers three-quarters of its block bound by Kent and Wythe Avenues and South 3rd and 4th Streets. All in all, the two-winged tower will hold a whopping 522 rental units, making it the second largest residential building in Williamsburg after the also-in-construction 2 North 6th Street.
Find out more about the development
April 20, 2016

Skyline Wars: Brooklyn Enters the Supertall Race

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s latest development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. Here, Carter brings us his fifth installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter looks at Brooklyn's once demure skyline, soon to be Manhattan's rival. Downtown Brooklyn has had a modest but pleasant skyline highlighted by the 350-foot-high Court & Remsen Building and the 343-foot-high great ornate terraces of 75 Livingston Street, both erected in 1926, and the 462-foot-high flat top of the 1927 Montague Court Building. The borough’s tallest building, however, was the great 514-foot-high dome of the 1929 Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower, now known as One Hanson Place, a bit removed to the east from Downtown Brooklyn. It remained as the borough’s tallest for a very long time, from 1929 until 2009. A flurry of new towers in recent years has significantly enlarged Brooklyn’s skyline. Since 2008, nine new towers higher than 359 feet have sprouted there, in large part as a result of a rezoning by the city in 2007. A few other towers have also given its riverfront an impressive frontage. Whereas in the past the vast majority of towers were clustered about Borough Hall downtown, now there are several clusters with some around the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the former Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower and some around the Williamsburg riverfront.
more on Brooklyn's skyline here
December 15, 2015

REVEALED: Domino Sugar Factory’s Tiny New Neighbor at 349 Kent Avenue

In the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge and across from the massive Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment underway by Two Trees, a tiny corner site at 349 Kent Avenue and South 5th Street will give rise to a six-story, 10-unit residential building designed by Brooklyn-based Workshop DA. The 4,000 square-foot lot was purchased for $1.3 million by Eugene Bushinger's 351 Kent Realty LLC in early 2011 and in May, it was reported that building permits were filed for a 15,300 square-foot residential building. The pre-existing, two-story structure that once provided a welcome splash of color along the Brooklyn Greenway has since been demolished. Its worn, brick faced boasted a geometric and robot-infused mural painted by R. Nicholas Kuszyk (a.k.a. RRobotsollaboration) with How and Nosm in 2011.
find out more about the development here
August 18, 2015

22,000 New Apartments Coming to Northern Brooklyn by 2019

We recently reported that New York City was entering its biggest building boom since 1963. Building permits rose 156 percent over the last year, accounting for 52,618 new residential units. If that number seems large to you, keep in mind it's spread over the five boroughs, including the supertall towers of Manhattan. But a new report from CityRealty shows that northern Brooklyn alone with get 22,000 new apartments over the next four years. According to the report, which only looked at buildings with 20 or more units, "around 2,700 new units are expected to be delivered in 2015. That number will nearly double in 2016, when approximately 5,000 apartments will be ready for occupancy." The majority of these units, 29 percent or 6,412 apartments, will come to Downtown Brooklyn, followed by Williamsburg with 20 percent or 4,341 units.
More on the Brooklyn building boom