Despite last year’s depressing failure to gain Landmarks designation for 184 Kent Avenue, the Waterfront Preservation Alliance is refocusing its efforts on the ever-changing landscape of Northern Brooklyn. First Up: The Domino Sugar Factory. On Tuesday, the group formally requested that the Landmarks Preservation Commission designate the Domino Sugar Refinery in Williamsburg as a New York City Landmark. The Domino site includes buildings that date to the 1880s, and occupies over five blocks of the East River waterfront. Why the urgency? The site is scheduled to be rezoned for residential use and early designs by Rafael Vinoly show plans to largely destroy most of the historic features of the building, according to a WPA press release. Of particular interest to us, given how much grief we’ve given him for failing to protect other historic buildings, is the fact that David Yassky has signed on in support of the designation. Did we mention he has a small election coming up next week? Regardless of the motivation, it’s a nice change in attitude. The Preservation League of New York State, the Municipal Art Society, the Historic Districts Council, and the Roebling Chapter of the Society for Industrial Archaeology have all also joined WPA in petitioning the LPC.
American Sugar Refinery [Waterfront Alliance] GMAP