A Growing Sense of Dredge

Even as Brooklyn's industrial heritage is receiving unprecedented attention by preservationists, a bit more of its visible history is being scooped away. Thursday morning, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its annual "America's 11 Most Endangered Places" list, and Brooklyn's Industrial Waterfront received the dubious honor of first place.

At the same moment, at the foot of North 5th Street in Williamsburg, an ancient dredger was busily tearing out the remnants of wooden piers that once supported the engines and rail cars of the massive Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. In preparation for a future pedestrian and water taxi pier, a contractor for Toll Brothers' Northside Piers residential complex began dredging the rotting but oh-so-scenic piers this week (ironically, Toll Brothers' own renders show the old piers peacefully-coexisting alongside the future concrete wharf).

The upside? The dredging marks a significant milestone on the route to getting water taxi service on the Northside.

The rub? Photo ops like the one below are officially a thing of the past...



More pics of the old piers here and here.