The Domino Sugar Plant in Williamsburg closes today. The American Sugar Refining Co. bought the plant in 2001, but not says the Brooklyn plant "was not equipped to compete with its plants in Baltimore, Yonkers, N.Y., and outside New Orleans." Two hundred people will lose their jobs.
Domino started its Brooklyn operations in 1856, a time when New York was the country's leading sugar producer. In the recent past, sugar has lost market share high-fructose corn syrup and beet sugar.
Many believe that the real value in the plant is converting it into residential lofts.
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One more milestone in the shift from an industry-based economy to a service-based economy?
My understanding is that real-estate value is the primary motivation for closing the plant.
I hope they don't tear it down. It's such a beautiful complex, especially the glass-topped silo, which glows blue and pink when the sun hits the glazing just right.
It's a given that they will have to at least change it substantially to make it palatable for residential ownership, but I just hope the developer has enough foresight to find innovative ways to re-use portions of the complex (a garden /greenhouse at the top of the silo? or maybe a pool, open to the sky?) and maintain the elements that make it such a distinctive landmark.
Yay, luxury condos! Just what we need! But what will they call it?
The Domino Arms?
The Sugar Building?
The 'Without Government Price Controls On Sugar This Monster Would Have Been Blown Up Decades Ago' Estates?
Poll! Poll! Poll!
Imagine how much the condo in the smokestack, built around a huge spiral staircase and skylight (but no windows), will sell for!
You've got to wonder if this is a small representation of the U.S. Govt's INSANE farm subsidies policy, which has led to a massive increase in the use of high fructose corn syrup.
You, the American taxpayer, give massive subsidies to farmers, which don't end up with the little guy but mainly go to companies like ADM. They produce mass quantities of corn and dump it on the world market. This hurts little farmers in developing countries and helps keeps those countries in poverty (see WTO protests). It also subsidizes food companies like Coca-Cola, which buys the corn at artificially low prices in order to make high-fructose corn syrup and pump it into soft drinks. Then, Americans get fat on all these high-fructose corn syrup based products and the U.S. govt spends more money on obesity related health problems. Brilliant policy.
This is really making me sad. I always like seeing the tower part from the Williamsburg bridge at night, looks like a japanese paper lantern. Why lux-condos? Aren't we all getting poorer? I feel for the people losing their jobs.
Man, those would make some sweet lofts.
I'll miss south Williamsburg smelling like molasses.
In an effort to enhance my reputation as a pedantic dweeb, I must point out that it is cane sugar that has lost market share to corn syrup and beet sugar, not sugar in general. Thank you.
that is a truly beautiful photograph btw
well, the guard was never friendly, and i never heard much about that diner outside. i imagine this is, as a previous commenter has asserted (and as i have seen so far) all part of the plan to rehabilitate the brooklyn coast to res standards. shit be unstoppable; trust me. i'm in philly and it's unstoppable; i don't see how brookyln could get away from it. next stop: red hook. and goodbye, navy yard.
this would be a rad site for some lofts and a museum, but i'm worried about the area's plans to put high rises on the water. no only would it completely ruin my view from my southside apt., but it would ruin the feel of the neighborhood. they've already torn down some of the sweet older buildings to put in yuppie brick palaces with their symetrical floor plans and stainless steel applicances. i don't need pseudo-hip, urban outfitter wearing white people killing the vibe here in williamsburg. no one needs that really.