Brooklyn Bridge Park Empire Stores

Empire Stores is a complex of seven Civil War-era brick warehouses on the DUMBO waterfront that have been restored and converted into a mixed-use destination with shops, restaurants, offices, and a rooftop garden within Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The warehouses were built between 1869 and 1885 to store goods arriving at the busy Brooklyn waterfront. The thick brick walls and heavy timber construction represent the industrial architecture that once lined the entire East River shoreline.

The conversion of Empire Stores, completed in 2017, preserved the original brick facades and timber structure while inserting modern glass additions that create dramatic contrasts between 19th-century industrial architecture and contemporary design.

The rooftop offers one of the most spectacular views in Brooklyn, with the Brooklyn Bridge directly overhead, the Manhattan skyline across the river, and Jane's Carousel visible on the waterfront below.

Empire Stores demonstrates how industrial heritage buildings can be adapted for contemporary use while preserving the architectural character that connects the neighborhood to its working waterfront past.