Brooklyn Bridge Park is filled with many activities to do down by the East River. Only the bravest of hearts could bare the brisk winds that haunt the area at dusk as the air picks up the cold temperature of the river and flood the atmosphere with bone-chilling gusts in autumn and winter. Unlike the summer months, there are fewer amounts of people that stroll in the park at night as they slowly take in the crystal clear skyline of Manhattan.

But if the night gets too cold one can venture into St. Ann’s Warehouse. According to Marvel Architects’ Project Site the building was a 1860’s Tobacco warehouse before it was remodeled into a performance center for the arts. The Marvel Architects group helped in the reconstruction of this valued and culturally competent structure that personifies Brooklyn. The building was like, in my opinion, the Colosseum of Brooklyn; decrepit and aging while becoming a beautiful ruin that described the history of its area. Before the renovation the brick was weathered and broken but the shell of structure still stood almost literally portraying that Brooklyn may be old, broken, and weathered but we refuse to give in to adversity and we will continue to be strong and imperfectly beautiful. I like to think that the project managers chose this space because of its rich history and since they also knew that it would become a highly anticipated tourist ground, giving a new audience a peek into Brooklyn and who we are.

St. Ann’s Warehouse was a program that began in the 1980’s. The overall concept originated from a series of Classical music performances that funded a renovation for the Holy Trinity Church (on Montague Street). The widely appreciated performances then moved to a new location on Water Street where renowned Classic Rock stars, like Lou Reed, David Bowie, John Cale, and many more, performed until it made its latest move in 2015 to 45 Water Street; which is one block across from Brooklyn Bridge Park. At night the neon lights buzz from the walls and illuminate the cobble streets inviting you to come in and enjoy a show while giving us a glimpse of its past and what it has now become.

Plays, concerts, dance performances, and etc. have been watched by many in this theater, and many more will come. Anyone can join in on the cultural masterpiece by visiting the new and improved St. Ann’s Warehouse.

Explore the St. Ann’s Warehouse website and view the calendar to plan your visit. Performances can be unconventional, wonky, interesting, and wonderful all at the same time. Brooklyn is not an ordinary city and neither are these theatrical works of art.

photo credit: Sabrina Vasquez

Sabrina Vasquez is a sophomore studying architecture at New York City College of Technology. As a born New Yorker she has always admired the concrete jungle, eager to know more about these friendly giants that stand erect and pridefully watch over their inhabitants. On her free time, she enjoys exploring NYC and all of its glory, sketching scenes and narratives of the city. She also enjoys capturing portraits that fully embody the incidental beauty of the city with her camera whether it be from a smartphone or a digital camera. She loves reading fiction novels to pass the time on the subway while taking in the city’s culture that happens to surround her. She aspires to be an architect and to someday be a contributor to this generation’s Contemporary architecture style. She is always willing to learn new things about her environment and apply them to her architectural knowledge. But for now, you can find her at a local park, sitting on a bench, sketching or engulfed into an entirely different literary universe. Her main objective is to make New Yorkers fall back in love with New York City and appreciate all it has to offer. She intends to help her readers understand this beautiful city, architecturally; which can really reflect New York’s culture. She plans to personify New York’s architecture and tell the stories that are begging to be told.

Author’s Note:

New York City has a story to tell; it’s written in these walls, on these grounds, and in our hearts. I intend to narrate these stories and share my new findings of this ever-enchanting city with all who share my curiosity of New York’s history. I am excited to share my passion for my hometown through photography and other visual aids as we ultimately learn about New York together. I am extremely anxious to see where my relationship with OpenLab’s the Buzz takes me and how it could possibly enrich myself and others.

photo credit: Sabrina Vasquez

Where will our curiosity take us next….