⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ Walking NYC: Brooklyn Army Terminal

October 21, 2023 - 2:30 PM
59°F / 15°C

Walkthrough of the Brooklyn Army Terminal complex in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Building B was open to the public during the October 2023 Open House New York event. Building A was closed to the public, except for a small art exhibition.

Highlights:
00:00 - Exterior of Building B
02:12 - Inside Building B
09:17 - Exterior of Building A
10:02 - BioBAT Art Space inside Building A
12:12 - Loading dock area between Buildings A and B

From Wikipedia:
"The Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) is a large warehouse complex in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York City. The site occupies more than 95 acres (38 ha) between 58th and 63rd Streets west of Second Avenue, on Brooklyn's western shore. The complex was originally used as a United States Army Supply Terminal called the Brooklyn Army Base or Brooklyn Army Supply Base. It is now used for commercial and light industrial purposes and contains an NYC Ferry stop. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The Brooklyn Army Terminal was designed by Cass Gilbert. It contains two warehouses, three piers, several smaller administrative buildings, and rail sidings for loading cargo. When built, the warehouses were among the world's largest concrete structures. The Brooklyn Army Terminal adjoins the former Bush Terminal, which was used by the United States Navy.

The Brooklyn Army Terminal's construction was originally approved in 1918, during World War I, and was completed the following year after the conclusion of the war. The terminal was subsequently leased out and used for various purposes, including as a dock, a military prison, and a storage space for drugs and alcohol during Prohibition. During World War II, the terminal was the United States' largest military supply base. The United States Army stopped using the Brooklyn Army Terminal in 1967, and the terminal was briefly used by the United States Postal Service and the Navy. The New York City government purchased the terminal in 1981; since then, the Brooklyn Army Terminal has undergone a series of renovations to make it suitable for commercial and light industrial use."