BUSHWICK — Construction has begun on the restoration and conversion of the historic William Ulmer Brewery at 81 Beaver Street in Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Led by New York City-based architecture firm DXA Studio in partnership with developers Rivington Company, the project will adapt the 19th-century brewhouse for mixed-use, including commercial spaces on the ground floor and subterranean levels, and residential units across its upper stories and a new rooftop addition.
Designed by German American architect Theobald Englehardt and completed in 1872, the William Ulmer Brewery was part of a larger brewery complex that included an office building, an engine-machine house, and a stable-storage facility. After the brewery ceased operations during Prohibition, the brewhouse served as a manufacturing space until the 1940s, while other parts of the complex were repurposed. The brewhouse, notable for its pre-Prohibition architecture, became the first brewery in New York City to be designated a landmark in 2010.
Rivington Company acquired the vacant property in 2017, and DXA Studio has since coordinated with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to ensure the restoration aligns with the building’s historical integrity.
The rehabilitation will include masonry restoration, the removal of non-historic additions like fire escapes, and the installation of energy-efficient windows that match the original double-hung design. The grand, wood-paneled arched entry doors will also be restored, while enlarged glass storefronts will accommodate future commercial tenants on the Beaver and Belvidere Street facades.
A significant addition to the building will be a copper-clad penthouse, designed to reference the rooftop storage structures common to Brooklyn’s historic breweries.
Jordan Rogove, co-founder of DXA Studio, noted the importance of projects like the William Ulmer Brewery as Bushwick transitions from an industrial area to a residential neighborhood. “The adaptive reuse of historic buildings like the Ulmer Brewery can model a more thoughtful development approach,” said Rogove.
The William Ulmer Brewery’s redevelopment reflects a growing trend toward adaptive reuse across Brooklyn, balancing preservation with contemporary needs as the borough’s built environment evolves.
