In the latest issue of The L Magazine (Vol. 8 No. 17 August 18 - August 31) I photographed their lead cover article, "Williamsburg's Last Domino: A Gentrification Time Bomb?." If you are in New York be sure to pick one up in a orange bin near you. If not ask me nicely and I'll send it to you.
I really enjoyed this assignment. Domino is an amazing factory. I have rode my bike past many times going over the Williamsburg Bridge. I photographed it over two days at various times. I love how when you are close enough you can still smell the brown sugar sweetness wafting through the air reminding you that what used to go on there is still sticking around.
The first night I biked there and while I was photographing I noticed another photographer appeared in front of me also photographing the same decaying factory. If you look closely at the cover image and follow the "M" in DOMINO you can see him looking through his camera on the tripod. Right now that's about all this factory is good for; photographic urban decay. What happens to this factory will affect the dynamic of the entire neighborhood. Redevelopment could transform the area into a more vibrant place or it could turn it into an overcrowded mess. The L train is already stretched so thin many people can't get on what would another 2000 family's do to that capacity? Does EVERYTHING on the waterfront have to be a glass condo? I like the idea of Domino being converted to a community school or university building. Maybe there is something else that would fit there we are not thinking of yet?
Here is the other shot in the article. I'll post some outtakes later in the week.
