Former Brooklyn Sugar Refinery Reopens as All-Electric Office Tower

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

1 minute read

October 2, 2023, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


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.” 

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 in Untapped Cities

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A crowd of people bathed in pink light in front of a stage.

Non-stop party: Chicago voters weigh permanent festival grounds

A stable place for bleachers, stages and drainage may streamline the setup and teardown of large events.

15 minutes ago - Block Club Chicago

Metra train pulling into station.

Metra may invest $9.1 billion in regional rail

The agency released a draft of a study examining potential ways to offer more frequent train service.

1 hour ago - Mass Transit

A group of officials stand in a patch of dirt holding golden shovels and white hardhats.

California city breaks ground on transit connector

The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.

November 2 - Mass Transit