After years of disuse, the quintessentially Brooklyn building, Domino Sugar Factory, reopened as an office space yesterday. The Refinery at Domino, a 15-story, 460,000 square-foot space, is the latest from the Two Trees Management team, the same real estate development firm behind Domino Park and other Brooklyn waterfront developments. Two Trees first purchased the space in 2012.
The Refinery joins other nearby Two Trees projects, the residential buildings One South First and 325 Kent, and the commercial building Ten Grand Street. An additional residential building, One Domino Square, will open next year.
“Tenants will have access to exceptional on-site amenities including the 27,000 SF glass dome penthouse with sweeping 360-degree views that accommodates a variety of uses, including communal workspaces, private club and event space,” according to a press release. “The triple-height atrium lobby features a full-service concierge and security. The building houses 60,000 total SF of retail space, including a retail fitness club with an indoor pool and full-service gym. Tenants can utilize a dedicated bicycle lobby with a separate entrance, ramp and secure bike parking.”
First erected in 1884, the Domino Sugar Factory spent decades as an industrial hub before falling into disrepair and officially closing in 2004. The Landmarks Preservation Committee partially saved the building, except for the iconic sign, in 2007. However, a replica sign now adorns the building.
Considering the blandness that hallmarks our current architectural era, it’s nice to see a project embrace a sense of history while updating it for the present day (seriously, seeing brick is a real sight for sore eyes).