Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Brooklyn Navy Yard

Welcome to the Brooklyn Navy Yard


The Brooklyn Navy Yard was a shipyard built in 1801 that produced warships for the US Navy and was originally 200 acres. The tremendous efforts of the 70,000 workers during WWII earned the yard the nickname "the can-do shipyard". In November of 1964 the yard's closure was announced due to excess payroll and building operating expenses in the Navy. The yard was officially decommissioned in 1966 and the yard was sold to the City of NYC in 1967. In 1976 Seatrain shipbuilding agreed to lease the yard to build Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) and container ships for Seatrain Shipping Lines. They ended up building 4 VLCC ships, 8 barges, and one ice breaking barge. In 1979 Seatrain closed their operations making Coastal Dry Dock and Repair Corporation the only company with operations inside the yard. They leased a few small dry docks and office buildings and later closed in 1987. 

While some buildings from admirals row have been listed for historic preservation, most have been or are in the process of being torn down. 
Today, more than 200 businesses operate at the yard and employ about 5,000 people. Brooklyn Grange Farms operates a 65,000-square-foot commercial farm on top of Building 3. Steiner Studios is one of the yard's more prominent tenants with one of the largest production studios outside of Los Angeles. Many artists also lease space and have established an association called Brooklyn Navy Yard Arts. While most of the yard has been converted to offices and manufacturing, GMD Shipyard corp has taken over operations of the dry docks. 

Railway bridge for railroad ferry crossings
 Below: Dinosaurs are extinct, but these dinosaurs still tower above the docks at the Brooklyn Navy Yard rusting away.










For more information on the history of the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the Bldg92 Museum visit BLDG 92

For any other information visit Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation

Thanks for visiting.