St. Ann's Warehouse Unveils Tobacco Warehouse Design

St. Ann's Warehouse last night made the first public presentation of its design for the adaptive reuse of the historic Tobacco Warehouse, situated between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, on the waterfront in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Appearing before the Community Board 2 Joint Subcommittee of Parks and Land Use, the organization, led by Jonathan Marvel of Rogers Marvel Architects PLLC, revealed plans to preserve the structure-a widely beloved relic of New York City's pre-Civil War, industrial past-and adapt it into a year-round performing arts facility and community hub. Upon completion of a Federal Conversion process that is currently underway, St. Ann's Warehouse will sign a lease with Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Tobacco Warehouse will become the organization's future home.

Originally constructed in 1860, the Tobacco Warehouse, in its current, roofless state, assumes a trapezoidal footprint made up of a rectangle and an adjacent triangle. The St. Ann's Warehouse design envisions an 18,000 sq. ft. enclosed building with a flexible performance space the size and signature style of St. Ann's previous warehouse theaters; a second, 1,000 sq. ft. multi-use space that will be used as a community room for local artists, educational and civic groups, support spaces, and a lobby with many archways and access points to Brooklyn Bridge Park. The original brick walls are to be preserved and visible in the foyers, theater, and community room, except when masked for performances. Another special feature of the open plan is a "view corridor," through which the park and river can be seen all the way from Water Street. The community room, a glass-enclosed vestibule, the support spaces (dressing rooms, restrooms), production and admission offices are self-contained in a two-story bulkhead with mechanical systems on its roof.

The 7,600 sq. ft. triangle space will be left open-air, and is imagined as a walled birch tree grove, landscaped by Michael Van Valkenberg Associates and open to the public, through its many arches, during park hours. The original walls for the Triangle Garden will be experienced first-hand by audience members waiting for performances and park visitors seeking shelter from the wind or shade from the sun. It may also serve as an entranceway to the theater from New Dock Street. Programmed use of the triangle will be permitted by Brooklyn Bridge Park.

St. Ann's Warehouse began working with Rogers Marvel Architects PLLC on the design after a legislative and community agreement was brokered with the efforts of community leader and BBP board member Hank Gutman, State Senator Dan Squadron, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, New York City Council Member Steve Levin, and the city, and ratified by Governor Cuomo in July 2012. The National Park Service conversion process will allow for the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Tobacco Warehouse and neighboring Empire Stores in exchange for replacement parcels that will expand Brooklyn Bridge Park at its northern boundary. St. Ann's Warehouse is the conditional designee of the Tobacco Warehouse. Brooklyn Bridge Park initiated the conversion process with the State of New York in August 2012 and anticipates completion this summer.

St. Ann's Warehouse has been in search of a permanent home on the Brooklyn Waterfront since leaving St. Ann's Church, the place of its founding, in 2000. Formerly at 38 Water Street, St. Ann's is currently in a transitional warehouse at 29 Jay Street in DUMBO.

Joseph S. Steinberg, chairman of the Board of Directors of St. Ann's Warehouse, says, "With the outstanding support of our state and city officials, St. Ann's artistic director Susan Feldman, our architect Jonathan Marvel, and the board, the dream of finding a permanent home in Brooklyn Bridge Park is becoming a reality."

"Our partnership with St. Ann's Warehouse captures a critical component of what makes Brooklyn Bridge Park such a wonderful place, exciting and diverse programming that adds to the park experience in a meaningful way," says Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park. "St. Ann's stellar reputation for producing such programming and their presence in the much beloved Tobacco Warehouse is sure to enrich the park immeasurably and attract new park visitors throughout the year."

Artistic director Susan Feldman says, "This design for the Tobacco Warehouse opens up so many possibilities for people to enjoy the building and the Park all year long -- as artists, audience members, and visitors. We're very hopeful and extremely thankful."