The Domino Sugar Refinery is a landmark building that was integral to the development of the Brooklyn waterfront throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, the structural remains are emblematic of the rich history of America’s Industrial Revolution and the New York City of old. Constructed from 1882–1884 after parts of the original facility were destroyed in a fire, The Refinery expanded to consist of a filter house, pan house and finishing house. After 120 years in operation, The Refinery closed in 2004, prompting the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission to name these three elements of The Refinery a landmark site in 2007.

Two Trees Management purchased the site in October 2012 and began executing its plan to revitalize the site while still embracing the architecture of the original structures. Combining state-of-the-art, modern design with the Domino Sugar Factory’s original industrial facade, The Refinery will house a new age of workers. Now, New Yorkers will be able to experience this piece of history to the fullest.

The Refinery’s History

• Theodore Havemeyer designed The Refinery to be heavily influenced by the Rundbogenstil, or Romanesque Revival — the round-arch windows being the key feature of this architectural style.
• In response to an 1882 fire, Havemeyer designed the iteration standing today with iron as opposed to wood structuring, outfitting the tower with numerous new fireproof and structural technologies. 
• The Refinery’s design was, for the time, considered to be cutting-edge for its efficiency.
  • The building was one of the first structures in Brooklyn to use electricity, most likely through self-produced power, as there was not yet a central power plant in the borough. 
  • At full speed, The Refinery was producing over a million pounds of sugar daily.
• The iconic 240-foot smokestack that faces the western facade of the building actually came decades later in the 1930s. “Havemeyer & Elder” is painted onto the smokestack just above the roof.
• The overall property once covered 11 acres of land and eventually housed 14 structures dedicated to different parts of sugar production. 
• Its height matched early Manhattan skyscrapers across the river, making it the first grand addition to the Brooklyn waterfront’s skyline.

The Havemeyer Family and Domino Sugar

• The Havemeyers Domino Foods, Inc. was founded by German immigrants Frederick and William Havemeyer in 1799. 
• As business boomed throughout the 1800s, the company grew to own 98% of sugar processing in the United States well into the 20th century.
• Although the company’s name was officially changed to Domino Sugar in 1900, The Refinery’s smokestack was recently painted with the words “Havemeyer & Elder,” honoring the original name and signage. 
• The Refinery brought in thousands of workers at a time to function smoothly, serving as a consistent economic engine of Brooklyn.

Today’s Refinery at Domino

• The Refinery at Domino (Fact Sheet): The Refinery at Domino is a 460,000-square-foot all-electric office space built inside the original facade of the landmarked Domino Sugar Factory. The building features a first-of-its-kind large-scale indoor vertical garden between the glass curtain wall and the building’s brick exterior, in addition to exceptional on-site amenities, including a retail fitness club and indoor pool, bike parking and a spectacular glass dome penthouse with panoramic views of New York City.
  • Today, the building has been transformed from a gas-burning manufacturing plant into a net zero carbon emission workplace that will house a new age of workers.