Well Greenpointers, the time has come. Bust out your hankies, snap those photos, and wave bye-bye to one of our most recognizable landmarks, the beloved Greenpoint Sludge Tank.
After a series of delays, the Park Tower Group, the firm responsible for the contentious Greenpoint Landing developments, has finally gassed up their bulldozers. The 16 column, 52ft concrete behemoth that spent the bulk of its years processing millions of gallons of treated sewage is officially is being laid to rest.
Prepping for this momentous demolition was no easy feat. For months, the Department of Environmental Protection dredged parts of Newtown Creek in order to relocate the tank to its new home—a loading dock on Whale’s Creek, an inlet on the backside of the Newtown Creek Waste Treatment Facility. For those of us lucky enough to see and smell the fetid sediment being unearthed onto the big barges, the ending of this project couldn’t happen soon enough.
But when it comes to endings, the removal of the Sludge Tank is bittersweet. Some area residents would prefer it be declared a landmark, while others encouraged its use as a pool or converted into a green space. Whether you are glad to see it go or want it to stay, the demise of our Sludge Tank marks the end of an era. In its place will be the first of two buildings in Greenpoint Landing’s portfolio. Dedicated as affordable housing, both 21 Commercial Street and 33 Eagle Street will contain 93 apartments and 98 units each.
While the wall of 40-story towers might not be here yet, one thing is for sure: Greenpoint Landing is here to stay.
Adios Sludge Tank, may your demolition be quick and painless. Come sunset, I’ll slip out onto my roof, tip my glass to you and toot a blown horn loud enough for the whole East River to hear.
Article Correction: The Department of Environmental Protection is handling the demolition. Both affordable housing buildings, 33 Eagle St and 21 Commercial St, are separate parcels and won’t be built on the Sludge Tank site.
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