Greentank

Keith Rodan

Built in 1966 by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the 65′ high by 80′ diameter reinforced concrete tank, located on Dupont Street, opposite Greenpoint Park, serves as a sludge holding tank and pumping station for the Newtown Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. Due to the construction of a force main directly to sludge boats the tank is expected to be phased out of service by 2011, when it faces demolition.

The idea to recycle and renovate the tank and its surrounding site into a community facility is taken from Greenpoint’s 197-a plan (1997), developed by the Pratt Institute for Community and Environmental Development (PICCED) and the Brooklyn Waterfront Coalition, composed of many community groups.

As a multi-use community facility, it would serve all area residents, and could become a magnet for visitors from near and far. The site is in an outstanding location and if its roof became an observation deck, visitors will see broad East River views and the Manhattan skyline. Fully converted, it can become all these things: A community center, assembly hall and performance space; an environmental learning center, field station and local history center; an exhibition space/gallery, observation deck, cafe and solarium.

The structure itself relates historically as an artifact of civic infrastructure and is architecturally distinguished, however its modification for community use, such as adding a top level and elevator tower would not compromise the design.

Dept of City Planning has not included this site among those to be preserved in planned redevelopment for North Brooklyn’s waterfront.

For more information, see www.greentank.info

(Sept. 2005)