Ward Bakery Remnants Coming Down
The last structure standing in the near-empty stretch of Vanderbilt between Pacific and Dean is starting to be demolished for Atlantic Yards. The past few months we’ve covered the other buildings being demolished on this stretch; a parking lot has replaced them. This one was originally part of 774-802 Pacific Street, the old Ward Bakery…
The last structure standing in the near-empty stretch of Vanderbilt between Pacific and Dean is starting to be demolished for Atlantic Yards. The past few months we’ve covered the other buildings being demolished on this stretch; a parking lot has replaced them. This one was originally part of 774-802 Pacific Street, the old Ward Bakery building. (Click through for a Tracy Collins picture of the building pre-demolition.) We couldn’t get a great shot of what’s left on account of Pacific Street being closed as construction continues. GMAP
Photo by Tracy Collins.
I’ve heard the Ward Bakery compared to BAM and the Prospect Park boat house (now Audubon Center). Same Beaux Arts style and distinctive terracotta tiles on the facade. Although later 20th century additions and changes made it looks like a bit of a dog’s dinner, it could have been restored to its former magnificence.
Bigmiss: I have a scrap of the tile on my kitchen windowsill. Salvaged when the cornice collapsed a few years back!
“They pave paradise and put up a parking lot” This song always made me sad, even as a little kid back in the 70’s. While this building is not a Hawian paradise, the sentiment is the same.
Absolutely, MM.
Totally agree, MM
Amen, MM
Yep, definitely a shame. Ratner could have converted the bakery to residential use, it was big enough, and had great historic and nostalgic credentials, all marketable items. But nooo. When the bulk of it was torn down, they knew at that time that they would not be developing most of the site, and that this would be a parking lot. But they tore it down anyway, just because they could, and to thumb their nose at the opposition. Great. We lose our architectural heritage to a petulant child.
It’s shame. I would love to get my hands on some of those beautiful tiles to save for posterity. I remember when the bakery was still in operation in the late 1980’s-early 90s when I lived in Fort Greene and the whole neighborhood would smell like a slice of toast.