February 4, 2008
Domino Refinery Plans Coming Into Focus
More detailed images of the proposed development at the landmarked Domino Refinery in south Williamsburg have emerged; the biggest news is that developers plan to build a five-story glass addition on top of the Filter House (above), the tallest structure at the refinery, which has been closed since 2004. According to plans revealed by architects Beyer Blinder Belle, the modified refinery would have 1,550 underground parking spaces, 30,000 square feet of retail space, an interior courtyard and “community facilities” on several floors.
The Waterfront Preservation Alliance of Greenpoint & Williamsburg [WGPA] notes that the architect's renderings do not include images of the 9 residential towers, designed by Rafael Viñoly, to be clustered around the 11.5 acre site; Brownstoner attended a community board meeting last week and walked away with the bigger picture, including detailed floor plans for the Filter House.
Photo of rendering via Brownstoner.
Some of the towers will be up to 40 stories tall, with 2,200 residential units total. As for the refinery building, because it is now a landmark, most of the proposed changes are subject to a public review at the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The public hearing is tomorrow, February 5th at 2pm at the Municipal Building (1 Centre Street), 9th Floor North. The WGPA will also be discussing the plans at their monthly meeting tonight.
Gowanus Lounge has dubbed the renderings a “Nightmare in Glass” and agrees that the buildings look like Pez dispensers; our favorite rendering is also the edible kind.
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wow. it must be embarrasing for the architects to be so obviously ripping off the Tate Modern in London.
I think landmarking the domino building was stupid, but I do like how the proposed structure looks like a lit up middle-finger salute to Manhattan.
I wonder if this will actually get built.
Even though I hate tower-in-a-park mega-developments, the rendering looks decent to me. At least it isn't as bad as what Solow is planning on doing with the east-side waterfront.
Wow, the wide view makes it look like Brooklyn is giving Manhattan the finger.
Why would anyone want to pay major bucks to live in a building whose main architectural feature is an incinerator? Wake up call, converted industrial buildings (even with a glass condom slapped on top of them) aren't cool anymore.
For some reason the refinery looks good sandwiched between two tall buildings. But it's completely misleading, of course--where are all of the shadows those towers will cast?
Have the developers or architects addressed the obvious issue of transporting the residents of 3,000+ residential units to and from Manhattan yet? I'm looking forward to seeing these schmucks trudging 15 minutes to the Bedford L stop to wait another 20 minutes for a train car empty enough to board. Or better yet, waiting in the rain on the open-air JMZ train platform while the wafting smells of McDonald's saturate their freshly pressed suits.
I can't even fathom what they'll put inside the 30,000 sq. ft shopping center...
Oh right- also, the Williamsburg area public school system is atrociously bad, far below NYC averages of mediocrity. I wonder if that will be an additional lure for middle class families being priced out of Manhattan?
ahhH! Keep that ugly away from me! Your going to give me nightmares!
ahhH! Keep that ugly away from me! Your going to give me nightmares!
11211 design agreed about the commute issue, which seems poorly thought out, though it does say "the modified refinery would have 1,550 underground parking spaces." Maybe they expect everyone will drive to work.