In the 1850s, Domino Foods built an ambitious sugar refinery building along the Brooklyn waterfront. For 150 years, the building was an iconic landmark that helped shape the look and feel of one of the USA’s most populated cities. After the refinery closed in 2004, it was quickly registered on the USA’s list of historic places.
What was once one of the first buildings in Brooklyn to be lit by electricity began its journey to a new life in 2017 when redevelopment efforts transformed it into a modern, 15-story glass-and-brick office building. Given its history and iconic presence on the waterfront, the project included preserving its historic masonry façade and integrating public access space.
The architectural design embraced the building's industrial past through a "building within a building" approach. A contemporary glass structure was built inside the original brick envelope, separated by a deliberate gap to let natural light and air through the space.
The standout feature of the reuse project's design was the extensive use of glass throughout the interior structure. From the entry-level lobby to the 27,000-square-foot barrel-shaped glass dome penthouse, the design left virtually no ceiling space for traditional overhead ductwork. Any visible HVAC infrastructure would disrupt the unobstructed sightlines and light-filled event spaces that were central to the architect's vision.
Beyond the design constraints, the project presented significant logistical complexity. Equipment had to be rigged through elevator shafts and installed within a tight mechanical equipment room (MER) embedded inside the historic masonry shell. In the glass-dominated penthouse space, acoustics were a specific performance requirement — any mechanical noise would be conspicuous.
The engineering team needed a system that could deliver modern commercial comfort standards, fit within extreme spatial and logistical constraints, and disappear entirely from view.
To meet modern commercial comfort standards without compromising the architectural vision, the architects opted for underfloor air distribution (UFAD) throughout the building.
Working alongside Cosentini Associates, Highmark selected a system built around three AirFixture product lines, all installed beneath a Tate Classic Concrete raised access floor.
For the perimeter, 53 SoHo-w Hydronic Linear Terminal — each equipped with 2-row hot water and 4-row cooling coils with Giacomini control valve kits — handle heating and cooling directly within the occupied zone. Operating passively off the pressurized underfloor plenum with high-capacity air valves, they deliver conditioning precisely where occupants need it without intruding on the ceiling plane.
The 12 QT-35 QuietTower Air Handling Units required custom engineering to meet the project’s physical constraints. Because all equipment had to travel through the building’s elevators and fit within the MER space inside the historic brick shell, AirFixture provided custom twinned vertical towers — splitting the unit configuration to clear both the elevator cab dimensions and the tight mechanical room footprint while maintaining full system capacity and built-in redundancy.
Twenty Élan-10R-360 diffusers complete the supply air distribution across the 27,000-square-foot raised floor, flush-mounted to preserve the clean aesthetic of the polished concrete surface.
Highmark also assumed turnkey responsibility for the Tate raised floor system itself — contracting the floor installer directly, managing quality control, and providing a single point of accountability for both the mechanical and structural components of the underfloor system. By owning the full scope, Highmark eliminated coordination risk and kept the fast-moving project schedule on track.
“UFAD products allow for more freedom in design to show off the existing beauty of a structure. The high-quality and design flexibility of AirFixture products gave us the opportunity to come to the table with the lead decision makers on the project.” Grant Winston, Senior Sales Engineer, Highmark
The resulting workspace features expansive floor plates, abundant natural daylight, and floor-to-ceiling interior glazing set back 15 feet from the historic façade. Together, these design elements maximize light, views, and air throughout the building while supporting occupant comfort and well-being1. The building's all-electric UFAD system supports the project's broader sustainability goals while helping The Refinery at Domino achieve modern performance standards within its historic structure. In early 2026, the building hit 90% occupancy with an asking rent range between $58 and $80 per RSF, and is anticipated to achieve a LEED Gold rating.
The Domino Sugar Refinery now stands as a model for adaptive reuse, combining historic preservation, modern sustainability, and innovative UFAD technology to create a landmark destination that will serve businesses and the broader community for generations to come.
1 The Refinery at Domino Leasing Lookbook, Two Trees Management Co., p.10.