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
nice work getting into that joint! great pics too!
ReplyDeleteLove your work. I always look forward to your blog updates.
ReplyDeleteSo, somebody still lives in that Penthouse, from the looks of it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments!
ReplyDeleteGail - I am not sure if that penthouse has been sold yet, but no one is living inside of it currently. Its a brand new apartment.