What's New:
$1.4 Billion Development at Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn Wins Key Council Support
By CHARLES V. BAGLI
The New York Times
Sweet on Domino Apartment Deal
City planners OK Domino factory apartments
Imagining the Future
Project Description
Design
Public Process
Frequently Asked Questions
View an animated video of the proposed open space >
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
 |
View of Kent Avenue Looking South |
THE NEW DOMINO is an imaginative redevelopment planned for the former Domino Sugar site along the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn. The New Domino will create hundreds of high-quality affordable apartments; transform a vacant industrial site into an economically integrated mix of apartments, new shops and businesses, and community facilities; and provide physical and visual access to the dazzling Brooklyn waterfront.
The 11.2-acre Domino site consists of five city blocks located along the waterfront just north of the Williamsburg Bridge, running from South 5th Street north to Grand Street, and a second parcel on an adjacent upland site on Kent Avenue between South 3rd and South 4th Streets.
The New Domino will reclaim a vacant waterfront site that has been closed to the community for over 100 years. With new public open space and a restored historic building as its centerpiece, the development will bring 2,200 new apartments to the Williamsburg community. 660 units, or 30% of the total, will be affordable, the majority of which will be priced to accommodate low-income families and individuals. The New Domino will also feature 274,000 square feet of new retail and community facility space, and 99,000 square feet of commercial office space.
The most prominent feature of the site – the three landmarked buildings known as the Refinery complex – will be transformed into a combination of residential, retail and community facility use. The new buildings flanking the Refinery complex will rise to a variety of heights along Kent Avenue and along the streets toward the river, with two buildings rising to 30 stories and two to 40 stories. The plan for the upland portion of the project continues the varying-height design concept so as to integrate the upland and waterfront components.
Additionally, over four acres of new public, landscaped parks and an esplanade will be built along the 5-block riverfront. This new space will be transferred to public ownership and will include a large central gathering place along the river behind the historic Refinery complex where Williamsburg residents and visitors can take in the spectacular waterfront views. The waterfront esplanade – running the entire length of the site – will connect to Grand Ferry Park north of the site and to South 5th Street to the south. The striking design of the new buildings, created by renowned architect Rafael Viñoly, restores visual and physical access to the waterfront along each of the upland streets leading to the river – access which has been closed off to the public for more than a century.
Over 1,000 permanent jobs are projected to be created at The New Domino. In addition, hundreds of construction workers will be employed over the many years it will take to build the project.
 |
The New Domino |
The proposed new buildings consist of modules designed to allow the buildings to match the scale of the existing neighborhood at Kent Avenue while stepping up to slender towers on the waterfront. The buildings will be handsome masonry to honor Brooklyn’s industrial history and echo the landmarked Refinery complex, and will be lighter and more transparent at the upper levels. The varying heights and facades of the buildings will create a diverse streetscape along Kent Avenue as well as a striking skyline when viewed from afar. Varying the facades and heights of the buildings will also help to break up the massing of each block and will be reflective of the neighborhood.
The overall development is designed to maximize the open space on the site and showcase the historic Refinery complex. A large public lawn will be situated at the center of the site along the waterfront behind the Refinery complex. Additionally, an esplanade with playgrounds, open lawns and seating will grace the entire length of the waterfront. The esplanade will connect to South 5th Street at the southern end of the site and Grand Ferry Park to the north, making the project’s waterfront open and inviting public space for the entire Williamsburg community. Read more about the project's parks >
Four new public streets will be created to connect the Williamsburg community to the waterfront. There is currently no physical access to the water through the site, and existing buildings at two street-ends obstruct even visual access to the waterfront. The extension of these streets through the project will integrate the site into the existing community.
Ground floor retail will be located along the entire length of Kent Avenue as well as on the new streets leading to the waterfront, providing new shops, services and jobs for the neighborhood.
 |
One of Four New Public Streets Leading to the Water |
The entire site is currently zoned for heavy industrial and manufacturing uses, reflecting its history as a sugar refinery. Operations at the plant slowed in the 1990s and ceased entirely in 2004, after which The Refinery LLC purchased the property with the intention to turn the underutilized former industrial site into an economically diverse and vibrant residential community. To move forward with the revitalization of the site, including the landmarked Refinery complex, a City government public review process - the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure - must be undertaken in order to change the zoning of the site from manufacturing to residential, commercial, and community facility use.
ULURP Process:
- Certification by the NYC Department of City Planning
- Community Board Review
- Borough President Review
- City Planning Commission Review
- City Council Review
- Mayoral Review
As part of ULURP, The New Domino is undergoing an extensive environmental review pursuant to the City Environmental Quality Review, or CEQR, whereby agencies of the City of New York review proposed projects to determine how they may affect the local environment.
Who is CPC?
The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) and its for-profit development arm, CPC Resources, Inc. (CPCR), have helped to create quality affordable housing for hundreds of thousands of people, often one small project at a time. Assisting a first-time developer with a construction loan in a financially underserved neighborhood, financing units for seniors, preserving irreplaceable low, moderate- and middle-income housing through renovation and modernization, developing programs to preserve moderate income co-ops, financing and developing new affordable housing in partnership with local not-for-profit organizations – these are all part of what we do and are integral to our mission. Please visit our website at www.communityp.com.
Do you own Domino?
Domino was purchased in 2004 by The Refinery LLC, comprised of CPCR as managing member and The Katan Group. CPCR is the development arm of CPC; its mission is to undertake development opportunities that support CPC’s affordable housing mission. CPCR is the controlling partner of The Refinery LLC, and has sole decision-making responsibility for the development of the site.
Have you ever done anything in Williamsburg before?
Absolutely. We have made possible the creation of over 1,600 low-, moderate- and middle-income apartments reflecting a total investment of over $200 million. View CPC Williamsburg Investment Map
What are your plans for the Domino site?
We believe that the 11.2-acre site presents an important opportunity to create hundreds of units of affordable housing in an economically diverse residential community that includes open space, a waterfront esplanade, and historic preservation through adaptive re-use. We selected a world-class architect – Rafael Viñoly – who has designed a stunning new residential community brilliantly integrated into the existing neighborhood. And because the Refinery complex has its own daunting challenges with respect to adaptive reuse, we have retained prominent historical preservation architects Beyer Blinder Belle to plan for the creative reuse of the Refinery complex.
Are you demolishing the entire Domino site?
No. Historic preservation is an important and prominent aspect of The New Domino. The Pan House, Finishing House, and Filter House - collectively known as the Refinery complex - are New York City Landmarks and will be renovated into a beautiful new complex with apartments, retail shopping along Kent Avenue, and community facility uses. Additionally, the history of the site will continue to be celebrated with the Domino Sugar symbol on the Refinery complex roof. Read more about the Refinery complex plans >
Who’s going to be able to afford to live there?
We propose to create a community that welcomes people across a wide spectrum of incomes. Our commitment is to set aside 660 apartments, or 30% of all units, as affordable. This will include a portion of rental housing for households at or below 30% of the area median income (AMI), a second portion of rental housing for households at or below 60% AMI, a portion for senior housing at up to 50% AMI, and homeownership units at the City’s Partnership Program affordability levels. Read more about the Affordable Housing plan >
When will apartments be available at The New Domino?
We are currently in the seven-month formal public review process (ULURP) to secure approval to build the proposed development. If we gain approval, we will break ground on the first phase of the development and apartments will be available as that phase nears completion. We anticipate that half of the apartments in phase one will be affordable housing. Read more about the Affordable Housing program >
Who can apply for the affordable, below-market rate apartments?
Fifty percent of the affordable apartments at The New Domino will be set aside for current Williamsburg and Greenpoint residents (residents of Community Board 1 (CB #1) in Brooklyn). The other 50% will be available to these same local residents as well as to other New York City residents. View income criteria for the various types of affordable housing that are planned for The New Domino >
Where can I get an application for an affordable apartment?
Applications for The New Domino are not yet available. Please sign up for future alerts regarding the application process. However, you also may be interested in visiting the New York City Housing Preservation and Development Department's website for information on other affordable housing projects in the City.
Who will be able to use the open space?
Everyone. The esplanade and the parks created at The New Domino will be completely public.
Where will people park?
There will be approximately 1,700 parking spaces on the site, all in underground parking garages.
