Demo Started, Construction Fence up at Domino Site in Williamsburg

A tall construction fence went up around the Domino Sugar Factory site in Williamsburg last week and demo at the northern end of the site has begun. Last week, Two Trees updated community leaders via a letter and put up a website where it will post updates about the project every two weeks.

The Refinery building, the historic brick structure that is topped by the iconic Domino sign, was landmarked in 2007 and is not at risk of being torn down. DOB approved demo permits for buildings at 2 Grand Street and 314 Kent Avenue in September. In August, as reported, Two Trees said demo could start as early as September.

The creation of a large mixed-use conversion envisioned by former owners CPC was approved back in 2010; Two Trees bought the 11-acre site back in October of 2012 and in March released its $1.5 billion plan for the waterfront property, which features 2,284 apartments and 631,240 square feet of office space. The plan still needs to go through the uniform land use review procedure (ULURP).

Opponents of the project have said Domino should finish the land review process before beginning any demo and wondered why the demo filings say “the scope of work does not require related asbestos abatement as defined in the regulations of the NYC DEP” when a 2010 environmental impact study said that asbestos was found “throughout the facility” and that an “additional survey and abatement would be required to remove all asbestos-containing materials prior to demolition of the buildings and redevelopment of the project site.”

The non-landmarked buildings on this site are going to come down one way or another because of the 2010 approval. The asbestos abatement of the entire site took six months and was completed in September.

Two Trees Gets Demo Permit for Domino [Brownstoner]
Two Trees’ Ambitious New Proposal for Domino [Brownstoner]