Some of Brooklyn’s most cutting-edge manufacturers opened their doors to the public during Industry City’s open studios on April 18.
Makers were excited to show their revolutionary manufacturing processes, said one tenant in Sunset Park’s vast industrial park.
“It’s always great having people by, because our process is so strange,” said Industry City Distillery engineer and brewer David Kyrejko. “We don’t just make spirits — we breed our own yeast. We’re the only ones who machine our own equipment, so getting people in here to see that is great.”
The vodka makers established their operation at Industry City in 2014 because the complex had the space and infrastructure to handle their soup-to-nuts brewing process, he said.
Other manufacturers showing off their wares and workspaces included chocolatiers, furniture makers, and paper producers.
Shipping magnate Irving T. Bush built the sprawling industrial campus — the Bush Terminal — between 1895 and 1925. The facility declined from its post-World War II zenith as shipping operations moved to New Jersey.
Industry City Associates bought the hub in the 1980s, renamed it for their company, and focused on attracting artists and small-scale specialty manufacturers. The consortium announced a planned $1-billion investment in the site last year.
