Brooklyn Waterworks

History

In the 1880s, the then City of Brooklyn acquired Milburn Pond in Freeport to feed the Ridgewood Reservoir to serve Brooklyn's growing water needs. The pond was subsequently enlarged, and architect Frank Freeman engaged to design a new, larger pumping station. The new station, completed in 1891, housed five large steam pumps capable of delivering up to 54 e6USgal a day.

In 1898, Brooklyn was absorbed into New York City, allowing the former access to the Croton Aqueduct system, and reducing demand for the Milburn supply. By 1929, the Milburn Pumping Station was downgraded to a standby supply, for operation only in emergencies, at which time the building's two large smokestacks were dismantled. The pumping station was retained as a standby supply until 1977, when the property was sold to Nassau County and the machinery removed. The property was thereafter allowed to fall into decay.

In 1989, the property was purchased at auction by a developer, Gary Mileus, for the sum of $1.4 million. Mileus set to work converting the building into 48 condominiums, a project set for completion in 1990.

As of August 2010, most of what was standing had been demolished, and as of 2019, nothing remains of the structure. It is now renatured land as part of the Brookside Preserve.

Description

The Brooklyn Waterworks has been described as "unquestionably Long Island's most ambitious Romanesque Revival design." The "monumental" building was constructed of "deep red" brick, and included towers, large arched windows, eyebrow dormers and a bold Roman arch for the main entrance. The walls featured a "lavish" level of carved brick and terra cotta ornamentation.

The interior of the building included a main room finished in two shades of orange brick. The roof was supported by a spacious pin truss, while an "elaborate" iron walkway ran around the walls, encircling the five giant steam pumps.

Reservoirs in the system

Brooklyn has had many water reservoirs; they can be seen on an 1864 map of the Brooklyn Waterworks. They are listed below, from east to west:

1. Hempstead Reservoir
2. Smith's Pond
3. Rockville Reservoir
4. Valley Stream Pond
5. Watts Pond
6. Clear Stream Reservoir
7. Brookfield Reservoir
8. Conselyea Pond
9. P. Cornells Pond
10. Springfield Pond
11. One Mile Pond
12. Jamaica Reservoir
13. Ridgewood Reservoir
14. Mount Prospect Reservoir

References

Bibliography

• American Institute of Architects (1992): AIA Architectural Guide to Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island, Dover Publications, .

References

1. Winzelberg, David. (November 19, 2009). "Racketeering case in L.I. settled". [[Long Island Business News]].
2. American Institute of Architects, p. 6.
3. Gray, Christopher. (October 1, 1989). "Millburn Pumping Station; A Rundown 'Abbey' Gets New Life as Condominiums". [[The New York Times]].
4. "Map showing line of the Brooklyn Water Works"; 1864; Flat Maps B A-1864.Fl; Brooklyn Historical Society.