Empire Stores

Empire Stores is a mixed-use development on DUMBO’s historic waterfront that exemplifies Brooklyn’s transition from an industrial powerhouse into a growing creative sector. Built between 1869 and 1885 as a storage and processing facility for imported coffee beans, this massive brick structure was abandoned with the decline of the waterfront as a shipping hub in the mid 20th century. Today, DUMBO is one of the three key zones in Brooklyn’s burgeoning Tech Triangle. S9 Architecture led the revitalization of this 320,000 sf building (as well as a two-story, 60,000 sf rooftop addition) for developer Midtown Equities. The scope of work included adaptive reuse, interior design, and architecture, with an emphasis on celebrating the historic building’s character and original materials. The design team saw an opportunity to repurpose the Empire Stores complex as a gateway portal linking the two pedestrian zones. A public passageway and courtyard were carved out of the existing structure, rendering the once solid building permeable, and improving circulation from Water Street to the waterfront. Empire Stores is testament to the power of adaptive reuse to bring new life to a historic building, re-envisioned for contemporary needs.