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Domino Sugar Factory, NY
Before Williamsburg was all boutiques and brunch spots, there was the Domino Sugar Factory. The 1880s brick building pumped out America’s sugar supply for over a century, employing thousands of Brooklyn workers.
Now it’s getting the inevitable luxury makeover, but the preserved refinery building keeps some industrial grit on the waterfront.
The Factory That Spoiled America’s Sweet Tooth
The Domino Sugar Factory was once America’s biggest sugar refinery on Brooklyn’s waterfront. Built in 1856 by the Havemeyer family, it quickly grew into an industrial powerhouse that processed millions of pounds of sugar daily.
At its peak, this factory produced almost all the sugar Americans used and helped make New York City a global economic force. You could easily spot the factory from across the East River because of its dark brick buildings, machinery, smokestacks, and bright neon sign.
The Rise of a Sugar Empire
After a fire destroyed the original buildings in 1882, Theodore Havemeyer, Thomas Winslow, and J.E. James rebuilt the complex. By the early 1900s, the factory stretched over a quarter mile of waterfront, could refine 4 million pounds of sugar daily, and employed 4,500 workers at its 1920s peak.
It became the world’s largest refinery, with over 4,000 workers processing more than half of all sugar eaten in America.
The Sugar Family Who Filled the Met Museum
The family behind the sugar factory had quite a side hobby. The Havemeyers collected fine art that later became a major part of what you see today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Henry Havemeyer’s wife, Louisine, wasn’t just interested in art – she also fought for women’s right to vote as an active suffragist. Their sugar fortune helped build one of America’s greatest art collections, including paintings by famous artists like Monet and Degas that millions now enjoy at the Met.
The Sweet Decline
Nothing lasts forever, including sugar empires. By the time the factory closed in 2004, production had been dropping for years as the company changed owners and food makers switched to cheaper corn sweeteners.
After running for 148 years, the Domino Sugar Refinery became the last major factory operating on Brooklyn’s East River waterfront.
The Two-Year Protest
Workers fought hard to save their jobs in the factory’s final years. From 1999 to 2001, Domino employees held the longest strike in New York City history, lasting over 600 days as they protested against their new corporate owner, Tate & Lyle.
Despite their efforts, cheaper corn sweeteners were replacing sugar in many foods, and production kept dropping. The factory finally shut down in 2004, leaving 225 people without jobs after generations of Brooklyn families had earned their living there.
The Battle for Redevelopment
After closing, the site became contested ground among developers and locals. At first, CPC Resources planned to build nine buildings with 2,200 apartments, but local residents opposed this large-scale development.
In 2012, Two Trees Management bought the site for $185 million and proposed a new design with more public space and a new street layout.
The Domino Sugar Factory Today
As of 2024, the site includes four new towers, the restored landmark building, and Domino Park along the water. There’s a 39-story condo tower and a 55-story rental tower with shiny porcelain tile exteriors, containing over 700,000 square feet of space.
These buildings include stores, 45,000 square feet of amenities, terraces, gyms, coworking space, and a spa.
The Domino Park
In 2018, part of the redevelopment opened as Domino Park. This 5-acre park along the East River honors ‘the diversity and resiliency of generations of Domino workers,’ opening this stretch of waterfront to the public for the first time in over 160 years.
Open every day, the park has lounge chairs, benches, sports courts, play areas for kids with water features, a dog run, and places to eat. You can borrow volleyball or bocce equipment from staff members.
Visiting the Domino Park
You’ll find the historic factory near the Domino Park at 15 River St, Brooklyn, NY. It’s open everyday, from 6AM until 11PM. Take the L train to Bedford Avenue and walk 10 minutes to the waterfront, or catch the B32 or B62 buses that stop nearby.
Don’t miss the old factory machinery on display and the walkway built on 21 original columns from the Raw Sugar Warehouse.
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