Williamsburgh Savings Bank - Part 2

May 18th, 2009 -

A second visit to the Williamsburgh Savings Bank reveals more of it's hidden spaces. Inside the bank vault, strange graffiti is illuminated. In unfinished luxury apartments on upper levels, blueprints are left on display. And at the very top of the building, the dome awaits. Accessible only through a maze of trap doors, rickety ladders, and temporary scaffolding, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank dome is the highest point in Brooklyn, topping out at 512 feet. While the bank's clockworks are surprisingly small, the dome is an overwhelming piece of architecture. It is a giant golden cage, completely open to the elements. It consists of metal panels, arranged in concentric circles around a massive brick smokestack. These panels descend from the very top of the building like a fountain of gold, the sunlight glinting off their gilded surface.

Photographs from a previous exploration of the bank can be seen here. Other photos from this expedition can be seen at Bluejake.

Central Column

Fountain of Gold

Gilded Sheen



Descending



Oval Windows at Base



The View from the Highest Point in Brooklyn

The Penthouse




Foreman's Desk



The Blueprint

The Vault, Lit

Inside the Vault

Pancho's Mark