Williamsburg’s tallest tower tops out at Domino Sugar Factory development

Williamsburg officially has a new tallest tower. One South First, formerly 260 Kent Avenue, topped out this week at the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment along the waterfront. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the 435-foot-tall tower features two interlocking buildings with white precast concrete facades inspired by the molecular pattern and forms of sugar crystals, a reference to the former factory site.

The 42-story building contains 330 residential units, with 66 of them affordable, and 150,000 square feet of office space. Plus, another 15,000 square feet of retail space makes way for local vendors like Roberta’s, Other Half Brewery, and Two Hands Cafe. Amenities include a communal terrace, business lounge, kid’s room, and a fitness center.

One South First’s exterior is designed to self-shade, with every elevation able to respond to the sun. And as 6sqft learned earlier this year, the concrete window panels were made by the Gate Precast Company using 3D-printed molds.

The company told 6sqft that the modeling process made the facade work much more efficient. “The efficiency of the design-assist modeling process compressed the design schedule and allowed for several changes along the way to optimize the design without adding much time to the schedule,” a spokesperson for Gate Precast Company said.

When it opens this fall, One South First will join SHoP Architects-designed 325 Kent Avenue, which opened last year as the development’s first building and is 100 percent leased. Domino Park, the waterfront public park with syrup tanks and original cranes from the old factory, opened last June.

The redevelopment of the sugary factory site is being handled by Two Trees Management. Upon the development’s completion, the site will contain 2,800 rental apartments across four buildings, with 700 of them affordable.

RELATED: 

• Amazing photos show COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar tower getting its crystalline facade
• Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest
• REVEALED: First look at Williamsburg’s Domino Park ahead of Sunday opening

Photos courtesy of Max Touhey