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In 2004, we believed that the Domino Sugar Factory would make for a great museum, à la the Tate Modern. Today the NY Sun reports that a group of Brooklyn artists are calling on the Community Preservation Corporation Resources development company "to change its plans for the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg, pushing for the creation of a cultural complex similar to London's Tate Modern art museum."
Currently the developer plans on turning the factory into a housing complex with over 2,000 units as well as retail and community spaces. They do need approval by the City Council and the City Planning Commission in order to move forward, however, and the first public hearing is tonight. Meanwhile, the artists have been trying to garner attention for their own plan involving a museum being housed in the old factory. Backing them up are some influential numbers, such as how many jobs the museum would create in the area, and the more than $200 million a year in economic benefits it would likely reap. Check out this video slide show highlighting their points for the alternate plan:
More at Brownstoner and Curbed, and the public meeting is tonight from 6 to 8:45 pm at Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street.
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Do you guys see any irony in the fact that you've been flogging the 'nets in hopes of preserving a factory - a piece of purely utilitarian design and real estate - and that you preservationists fight tooth and nail against the new and the industrial? A few decades ago, you might have been protesting the building of the sugar factory.
Also, London desperately needed a large space for modern art - we just got a new MoMa and we have a host of other museums eating up all the relevant funding. It ain't gonna happen.
1. We already have too many museums.
2. a housing complex with over 2,000 units as well as retail and community spaces is a realistic idea that will make tons of money.
3. influential numbers, such as how many jobs the museum would create in the area, and the more than $200 million a year in economic benefits it would likely reap is just a projection. Look at PS1, does that look like it benefits the neighborhood greatly? I don't think so. Sure, soe, but not $200 million a year.
I'm guessing the developer will still go with the 2,000 units as well as retail and community space despite all the cries of protest from hipster artist wannabees.
Hear, hear
Carlson is deeply divorced from both community reality. I don't know if she's ever been to the neighborhood, she sure doesn't write like it. There are economic realities here people. Just because you have a strange attraction to an old factory doesn't mean all of New York is going to get behind your cause. It took billions to create the Tate and it is the center of modern art in London. As well, it was a completely different kind of building (one main turbine hall). Domino is a series of buildings, many of which cannot be used for anything else. Get educated.
agreed... in this case, I don't really see anything worth protecting. There are other examples of nicer factory buildings in the area with greater architectural merit, this one really needs to come down, it serves no purpose other than a blight to the area. let them put as much housing as they can on the site.
They should turned the ConEd plant on the East Side into a museum. We have enough million dollar condos.
Here's an idea: use it to produce sugar.
hipster artist wannabees...? how many times to we need to hear this truly tired boring expression tied to anything and everything people don't agree with. so bitter.
there are hundreds of case studies around the globe where preservation is a win win situation (with affordable housing). i guess all these well educated planners and developers with great track records fall into this category. here is more hipster artist wannabee info. from the u.k.
Heritage: Social, Economic, & Environmental Benefits:
http://www.rtpi.org.uk/download/1644/Appendix-1-IHBC-RTPI-PAid-E-.pdf