Centuries before the gallery and bar scene exploded, rendering it a mecca for millennial hipsters, Williamsburg was an epicentre of American industry. The Brooklyn neighbourhood’s waterfront stretch hosted some of the country’s biggest players — among them, Pfizer, Brooklyn Flint Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated) and the Havemeyer & Elder sugar refinery. The latter, subsequently dubbed the Domino Sugar Refinery, was once the largest such operation in the world. When the plant closed in 2004, the fate of the historic landmark hung in the balance. Then, in 2012, developer Two Trees bought the site, intent on transforming it into a modern mixed-use hub while still honouring its past industrial heritage.
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Domino Square Plaza Mediates Scales on the Brooklyn Waterfront
Williamsburg’s striking public plaza puts the capstone on a monumental mixed-use development.