A historic building was reimagined as a 15-story office tower powered by renewable energy.

A former Domino Sugar refinery in Brooklyn has gained new life as an all-electric office tower. An article by Nicole Saraniero in Untapped Cities describes the project and the building’s history.
The adaptive reuse project, The Refinery at Domino, was developed by Two Trees Management and reenvisions the historic, fossil fuel-powered refinery into 460,000 square feet of renewably powered office space.
The brick refinery building now houses a 15-story glass tower that includes a ‘first-of-its-kind’vertical garden installed between the brick facade and the new glass wall. “A 27,000-square-foot glass dome penthouse crowns the new building, offering stunning panoramic views of the New York City skyline.” The building also features a dedicated bicycle lobby with a ramp and secure bike parking.
According to a press release from Two Trees Management, “ The Refinery at Domino is powered by a mechanical system that utilizes efficient, all-electric equipment, making it one of only a handful of large buildings city-wide to have net-zero carbon emissions. The building is also part of an unprecedented private water reuse system located on the Domino campus; all of the wastewater generated by The Refinery is treated and reused onsite, diverting polluted water from city outfalls, improving the quality of the East River and reducing stress on the city’s burdened infrastructure.”
FULL STORY: The Refinery at Domino Opens in Former Industrial Brooklyn Landmark

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.

San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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