Celebrating Brooklyn’s best — and most innovative!
Hundreds gathered at The Refinery at Domino last week for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s annual Best of Brooklyn Real Estate Showcase. The event, which celebrated the borough’s top real estate projects completed between January 2023 and June 2024, drew attention to Brooklyn’s dynamic development and ever-growing real estate market.
“This year’s Real Estate Showcase is a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate and promote the best of our borough,” said Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. “These new developments mark another great chapter in the long history of Brooklyn real estate.”
The event featured more than 32 projects, ranging from residential and commercial spaces to historic restorations and sustainable developments. The Refinery at Domino, the event’s venue, was nominated in multiple categories, including Commercial Office, Historic Restoration and Iconic Design. Developed by Two Trees Management, the 15-story building has been transformed into a Class A office space, offering 460,000 square feet of rentable space along the Brooklyn waterfront.
“The Refinery at Domino is a historic architectural innovation, transforming a 19th-century manufacturing facility into an unparalleled masterpiece,” said Bonnie Campbell, principal at Two Trees Management and co-chair of the Brooklyn Chamber’s Real Estate and Development Committee.
James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), delivered the night’s keynote address, discussing Brooklyn’s evolving real estate market. Whelan highlighted the borough’s sustainable development and community-driven projects.
“When you look at Brooklyn, it would be the third-largest city in America by population,” Whelan said. “Events like this are a great place to convene different parts of the economy to network, talk about achievements, and build the borough up.”
Other notable projects included MADE Bush Terminal, nominated by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) for Historic Restoration, Industrial and Public/Open Space categories. The 36-acre campus in Sunset Park is being reimagined into a mixed-use hub for local businesses and creatives.
“MADE Bush Terminal transforms a historic waterfront property into a modern hub for production and creativity,” said Gabriel Lefferts of NYCEDC.
Powerhouse Arts, a new 170,000-square-foot art fabrication facility in Gowanus, was also recognized in the Industrial category. The facility, housed in the former Brooklyn Rapid Transit Power Station, provides space for large-scale art production and aims to preserve Brooklyn’s manufacturing history while supporting artists.
“Powerhouse Arts restores and reactivates a significant piece of Brooklyn history while maintaining a critical manufacturing base for artists,” said Victoria Cuddy, PBDW Architects.
Additionally, 1515 Surf, a cutting-edge residential building in Coney Island, was nominated for its sustainable design. The 100% electric building, which features the largest multi-family geothermal system in the Big Apple, significantly reduces its carbon footprint.
