DUMBO

Industrial Eye Candy: Dumbo’s Empire Stores

Eye On Real Estate

May 21, 2014 By Lore Croghan Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Right this way to Empire Stores. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese
Share this:

History lives within these walls.

At 55 Water St. in DUMBO, better known as Empire Stores, you sense the ghosts of long-departed workers even if you don’t see them, while living and present construction crews toil to turn the post-Civil War era property into a tech hub.

Join us on our hard-hat tour through this extraordinary landmark, which has been locked up and off limits for decades.

In the photo below, the Main Street side of Empire Stores has a lot going on visually.

Subscribe to our newsletters

On the waterfront side of the property, the view enchants.

A quick detour to check out the merry-go-round in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Sorry, we couldn’t resist.

We turn our attention back to beautiful, weather-beaten Empire Stores.

When you look in the other direction, you can see the Clock Tower apartment.

Instead of window glass, shutters kept out the elements.

Step inside.

The first-growth pine beams are so cool, we will show them to you twice.

Somebody was keeping tabs.

Look at the beautiful ceiling.

The light at the end of the tunnel? Not really, but it looks like it.

The brick is an exterior wall; the schist is an interior wall.

A nifty view of Jane’s Carousel from up on the roof

Another nifty view of Jane’s Carousel from up on the roof

What a view!

Up here, the World Trade Center looks awesome even when clouds suddenly roll in.

Check out more photos inside Empire Stores and the new rooftop beer garden.


Leave a Comment


Leave a Comment