Hangars 1 and 2, Floyd Bennett Field

Brooklyn, NY

BL Companies worked with Williams and other stakeholders to construct a new meter and regulator station within an existing historic airport hangar at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, NY. The new facility provides natural gas to National Grid’s New York City service territory. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Floyd Bennett Field is an often overlooked gem in Brooklyn, New York preserving the legacy of aviation’s Golden Age. This venerable site served as an arrival and departure point for legendary aviators, including Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes. Construction of this municipal airport — New York’s first — began in 1928 with a plan for eight aircraft hangars, and was completed in time for the airport’s official dedication ceremony in the summer of 1931. Flash forward several decades and Hangars 1 and 2 at Floyd Bennett Field were in need of restoration via a thorough study and reinvention of the hangars to the benefit of the National Park Service and the National Gateway Recreational Area, as well as the surrounding community. To assist in the restoration of this piece of New York’s history, BL Companies provided design services for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the hangars and all associated lean-tos and infill structure. This process included the development of a historic structure report, as well as hosting meetings and coordinating with the National Park Services, the New York State Historic Preservation Office, community and neighborhood groups and civic organizations. In order to determine the amount of deterioration that had taken place over the years, BL Companies performed a series of field investigations, including field measurements, and developed an analytical 3D building model in order to investigate the effect deterioration had on structural integrity of the hangars. Existing brick masonry was analyzed, and the strengthening of portions of the unreinforced brick walls were designed to meet current codes. Time and care was taken in order to make sure repairs to the existing brick masonry incorporated as much of the original material as possible, matching the existing color and style. The buildings now serve as a home for a natural gas metering and regulation facility, providing gas to much of the borough of Brooklyn.