See the transformation of Williamsburg’s Domino Park

The waterfront open space debuts this week

A dramatic shift is underway on the Williamsburg waterfront: The ruins of the former Domino Sugar Refinery, a neighborhood landmark since the 19th century, are in the process of being transformed into an 11-acre megaproject. Four new buildings are on the way, as is a renovation of the massive factory building that once produced more sugar than any other place in the world.

But before those pieces come to fruition, the megaproject's first major public-facing component will debut: Domino Park, a six-acre green space that hugs the edge of the development, opens on June 10. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, known for its work on the High Line and Cornell Tech, the waterfront park is—like many urban open spaces these days—purpose-built for a variety of uses, all while nodding to the site's industrial past.

A brief history of how we got here: Operations at the refinery ceased in 2004, and the complex sat unused for years, with many intrepid urban explorers finding their way inside to document the crumbling buildings. But after developer Two Tree purchased the site in 2012—which came after previous, much-derided plans for the complex were proposed and aborted—they brought on SHoP to rework a master plan for the site. That's still in effect to this day, with the public park as one piece of the larger puzzle. (One of the buildings, a rental at 325 Kent Avenue, opened last year.)

Though this is an entirely new park, there are elements that bring in the site's past—notably along Artifact Walk, an elevated catwalk that stretches over five blocks. Several cranes that previously occupied the site remain, and have been painted in the park's signature turquoise; other repurposed remnants include columns from the refinery building, and enormous tanks that were used during the refining process. (Another notable feature of the Artifact Walk: its impressive views of the Manhattan skyline.)

Elsewhere, bits and pieces of refinery equipment have been salvaged and dot the landscape, including more tanks and old screw conveyers. But the folks at JCFO took a forward-thinking approach when it came to other pieces of the design, notably the inevitability of rising tides at its waterfront location. The whole park was elevated above the FEMA flood plain, and adds other resiliency measures (such as more sustainable greenery) to the area.

At the center of the park is a playground, designed by Mark Reigelman, that's a sugar refinery in miniature—kids can climb up through a silo or stand inside a cabin, and there are plenty of fun elements like slides and climbing tunnels. Other components of the quarter-mile park include a waterfront esplanade, a dog run, and a taco shack run by Danny Meyer, with plenty of open seating.

Max Touhey | www.metouhey.com

If the park is missing anything, it's actual green space; each section is designed specifically with some kind of use in mind—play, bocce, walking, eating—with few areas where you could simply stretch out on a patch of grass. And the true test of the park's success won't come for some time, when the Domino development's buildings are actually occupied with residents and workers. (The whole thing is expected to be completed in a few years' time.)

"Domino Park will hopefully serve as a living, breathing tribute to thousands of Domino workers, their families and the rich tapestry of history that defines this New York community," Two Trees head Jed Walentas said in a statement.

And indeed, in park-starved Williamsburg—particularly in the neighborhood's southern end—the open space is a welcome respite. (Thanks to a new connection to Grand Street from River Street, which runs behind the park, the waterfront will be more easily accessible.)